How do invisible aligners and clear braces differ?

Straightening your teeth requires a significant monetary and time investment, so choosing between getting the clear braces or clear aligners that a Boston dentist offers increases in importance. While both options let you improve your self-esteem by gaining straighter teeth, they do have a few differences. First, you need to know the difference between the two and how each affects your smile improvement.

How Each Looks

Clear braces and invisible aligners both straighten your teeth without making you wear metallic for years. Clear braces, also called transparent braces, use clear ceramic brackets, ligatures, and wires. Unless someone stands or sits right next to you, they probably will not see that you wear them. These stain-resistant ceramic braces blend with your teeth, plus their brackets never need adjusting. They do cost more than traditional braces or invisible aligners. You cannot remove these yourself and will need to wear them continuously until the dentist removes them.

Clear or invisible aligners mimic the function of metal brackets. Clear molds created from a cast of your teeth are used to create a 3D model of your mouth; these molds fit over your teeth and slowly move the teeth in the same way braces would. Then, using seven-day increments, the dentist changes out the clear plastic aligners for new ones that show the updated teeth locations. This process continues until the teeth straighten entirely. You can take them out while eating, which means you only end up wearing them for about 22 hours per day. After that, treatment usually requires wearing the aligners for seven to 13 months, in which you use a different aligner every week. Usually, Dr. Ansari will give you about six aligners at a time and monitor your progress throughout the whole process.

What are the Differences in Clear Straighteners

Clear braces came about in 1987, while invisible clear aligners required another decade for development. That means both methods provide a good, acceptable dental process of straightening teeth.

Aligners work better for adults, while braces work better for children. That is because kids can forget to put the trays in or leave them on a tray in the cafeteria at school. In addition, clear braces are tough on dental veneers, which adults are more likely to have. Aligners cost more, but they are limited in the bites they can correct. 

Anjum A. Ansari, D.M.D. General & Cosmetic Dentistry in Boston, MA, offers both options for Boston residents so that they can obtain the ideal, healthy smile. Call (617) 581-0689 today to schedule an appointment to see if you are a candidate for fitted or invisible aligners.