Are you still on the fence about Invisalign vs braces? Both treatments can straighten crooked teeth safely and effectively. It’s important to realize that your experience as a patient will be very different depending on which option you choose.
These blogs are part of Dr. Karl Jobst’s commitment to patient education. If you are still unsure about which orthodontic direction you’d like to go, read on to learn about the benefits of Invisalign.
Benefit 1: You Can Stay With Your Trusted Dentist
Our office is proud to offer Invisalign treatments. If you are found to be a good candidate (and most patients are), then Dr. Jobst can handle every aspect of the treatment. Traditional metal braces require multiple trips to work with an orthodontist.
This arrangement works well enough for patients who need it, but it does create extra trips to a less familiar office that may or may not be easy to get to. By undergoing Invisalign treatments at our Grove, OK dental practice, you can work with familiar, experienced, and trusted members of our team. Dr. Jobst is a 1998 graduate from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. He has frequently been voted Best of the Best by local newspapers.
Benefit 2: You Can Eat What You Want
Metal braces come with certain dietary restrictions. Hard objects can break metal brackets, and many types of sweets become a gunky mess between the metal appliances that braces are comprised of.
Here are some common dietary restrictions.
Crunchy foods: ice, popcorn, sesame seeds
Chewy foods: licorice, bagels, cinnamon rolls
Stucky foods: gum, caramel, taffy
Foods you have to bite into: apples, corn on the cob
Invisalign does not require changes to your diet. Anyone who uses the trays simply removes the clear aligners, eats, then places the trays back on. It’s as easy as that.
While there are no dietary restrictions, there are common-sense steps that all of our patients should keep in mind. After eating, you will want to wait a few minutes before placing your trays back. That way, food particles do not build up inside your trays, which can lead to dirty trays and even tooth decay.
Ideally, users should rinse their mouth or brush in between meals, but this isn’t required. While Invisalign still allows you to enjoy sugary treats that would become stuck in metal braces, we still advise against excessive sugar intake as a means of lowering your risk of tooth decay.
Benefit 3: No Uncomfortable Wire Tightenings
If you never had to undergo wire tightenings, count yourself as fortunate. Before Invisalign was an option, anyone who wanted to straighten their teeth had to have periodic wire tightenings. This is still how traditional metal braces move teeth.
Individual metal brackets connect a wire to a set number of teeth. Depending on how the wire is tightened, certain teeth are nudged in certain directions. The tightenings place pressure on teeth, and the underlying jawbone can become sore for a day or longer after these tightenings. While it’s not unbearable, it’s also not a fun process. Anyone who uses Invisalign can forgo these wire tightenings.
Invisalign treatments are considered to be more comfortable than traditional metal braces. The aligner trays snuggly fit over teeth and gently nudge them into better alignment through micromovements. Because the trays are in contact with nearly every surface of the tooth, any pressure applied is generally evenly spaced, which leads to greater comfort.
This doesn’t mean that you will not experience periodic moments of discomfort. When placing a new tray, you’ll want to put it in before going to bed so you can sleep off those moments of increased pressure.
Benefit 4: No Embarrassing Metal Brackets
Metal braces offer cosmetic benefits, but no one would say that braces are cosmetically pleasing. You can opt for ceramic brackets that are less visible, but that upgrade will cost more and ceramic braces are not as strong as metal.
No matter what materials are used, traditional braces are going to be pretty noticeable. Some people do not mind that fact. In today’s age of selfies and Instagram, photos are a daily reality.
Rather than hiding your smile for a year of your life or longer, you can benefit from the discrete orthodontic treatments of Invisalign. The aligner trays are invisible.
Benefit 5: Predictable Results
One great thing about Invisalign is that there is no guesswork. Once your aligner trays arrive at our office, you will see exactly how many months or years your treatment will last. Each tray is worn for two weeks. If you need 12 trays, that’s 24 weeks (roughly eight months). You can see how your teeth will look by viewing upcoming trays.
It can be exciting to look at the last pair of aligner trays and know that your teeth will look just as perfect as that last tray. Knowing how many trays you will use helps you plan for the future. Most patients will not have delays in their treatment timeline.
One way you can ensure that your treatment stays on time is to follow the 22-hour compliance guidelines carefully. Each set of aligner trays must be worn for 22 hours per day. No exceptions. Following this rule is actually easy. Carrying a mouthguard case or a special case made by Invisalign can help lower your risk of accidentally losing your aligners.
If your trays do become lost or broken, let our office know immediately. Once your treatment is complete, you will be given a retainer that is to be worn each night so that you maintain your cosmetic results.
When might braces be the better option?
During your consultation and exam at our office, Dr. Jobst can determine if you are a good candidate for Invisalign. Invisalign treatments can treat a very wide range of alignment issues, including overbite, underbite, gaps, crooked teeth, and crowded teeth.
In rare cases, you may be a better candidate for traditional metal braces. We call those complex cases. If you do need to be referred to an orthodontist, Dr. Jobst will provide you with the name and number of a trusted local orthodontist.
Candidacy Considerations
Most of our patients are great candidates for Invisalign treatments. You will need to be in good oral health. If you have been visiting our office for twice-a-year cleanings and exams, then you are probably in good shape. An exam will confirm your candidacy.
All imaging and impressions will be made in the convenience of our dental office. After a few weeks, your trays will arrive and you will be given detailed instructions on how to care for your new trays.
Schedule Your Invisalign Consultation Today
There are many benefits to undergoing Invisalign treatments. That is one reason why so many patients are now choosing the more discrete and comfortable option over traditional metal braces. The cost of your Invisalign treatment will depend on how many trays you require. If you have questions about payments and financing, please visit our Payment Options page.
Once you are ready to begin treatments, simply call (918) 787-5800 and a friendly member of our dental team will schedule your visit.