Brace Yourself: Invisalign vs. Traditional Braces
Although it's now very common to have orthodontic work done on your teeth, both as a young person and as an adult, some people can still feel self-conscious or concerned about wearing metal braces. Whatever the reason for this, there is one great alternative—and that's Invisalign. Invisalign does the same job as a traditional metallic brace, but—as the name would suggest—it does so invisibly, with clear, medical-grade plastic.
The system works through a set of aligners that are moulded specifically for your mouth. These help to very slowly move your teeth into a new position. Every couple of weeks, you'll be switched to the next aligner—until finally, they're in the desired position, straight and perfectly even.
So, how does Invisalign measure up against traditional braces? Let's see.
Cost
Due to the nature of the technology required to produce them and how many different aligners must be made for you, Invisalign is usually more expensive than traditional orthodontic work. However, for anybody who's concerned about embarrassment or discomfort during the orthodontic process, that may well be a cost you're happy to pay.
Comfort
Although there will always be some mild discomfort with orthodontic work, as your teeth must shift in your mouth, it is not overpowering or hard to manage with either traditional orthodontics or Invisalign. Most of the time, you won't feel a thing; it's only after your braces are tightened or you move to the next aligner that you'll notice a difference. However, one advantage Invisalign has over traditional braces in terms of comfort is that there's no metal stuck to your teeth or wire ends coming out of your braces. Though you'll be able to feel the aligner over your teeth, it won't be anywhere near as noticeable as the metal braces would be.
Look
Wearing metal braces doesn't make as much of an impact on your smile as you might think, and, as was previously mentioned, it's now very common. However, if this is something you're concerned about, Invisalign will certainly put those fears to rest. People are very unlikely to notice you're wearing an Invisalign aligner at all.
In summary, Invisalign does have several marked advantages over traditional metal braces. It feels less invasive than traditional braces, and won't be visible in the mirror. As such, if you have reservations about those things with regards to metal braces, then paying the extra for the premium Invisalign service is almost certainly worth it.