Clear Braces vs. Clear Aligners

August 08, 2023

 

The aim of clear braces or clear aligners is primarily teeth straightening, correcting the poorly positioned teeth, and improving performance and function.

People undergo orthodontic treatments for quite a number of medical reasons or just to straighten their teeth and to correct these orthodontic issues. There are two types of orthodontic treatments; clear braces and clear aligners; and knowing their differences, benefits, and peculiar advantages will guide your choice whenever the need arise.

    1. Comfort:

With clear braces, there are initial discomforts, the brackets and wires can irritate the mouth, but patients can manage them. While with clear aligners, there might be discomfort when a patient switches to new aligners, but this discomfort can be easily managed.

2. Removability:

Clear aligners are preferred because they can be removed. You can take them out to eat, to brush, for special occasions, unlike clear braces. While it does its primary purpose of teeth straightening, it cannot be removed unless, of course, some specific foods are taken.

3. Visibility:

Clear braces are visible with wires, brackets, or rubber bands sticking out, making it embarrassing for some people. On the other hand, Aligners are clear and thin, making them seemingly "invisible" because they are designed to minimize their appearance.

4. Diet:

With clear aligners, you can eat your favorite food whenever you want. While with clear braces, there’s some dietary restrictions as certain foods cannot be consumed: hard, crunchy, or sticky foods, mainly to prevent popping a wire or other damages.

5. Hygiene and Care:

Patients with clear braces need to keep teeth, gums, and braces free of food debris and plaque to prevent bacteria; also, brushing and flossing is more difficult, but with clear aligners, it can be taken out and the teeth adequately cleaned; as teeth need to be spotless when aligners are placed back.

 

6. Easy to Use:

Clear aligners allow for easier brushing, and food does not get stuck like clear braces where brushing and flossing is hard; food gets stuck and requires management to get through the difficulties.

7. Less visits to the hospital:

Clear aligners require less visits to the orthodontists unlike the clear braces.

8. Time to adjust differs:

Clear braces to take more time in adjusting and teeth straightening, unlike aligners, which take a shorter time according to study.

9. Difference in prices:

Clear aligners cost less than clear braces, and savings with clear aligners are up to 75% (or thousands of dollars).

10. Smiling with confidence:

Clear aligners help you achieve that perfect smile, unlike with clear braces where wires and brackets poke out with each smile.

11. Privacy:

Most times, people prefer concealing their orthodontic treatments due to numerous reasons, and clear braces do not give you this option like clear aligners, which is made to be invisible.

12. History of usage:

Clear aligners began to be widely used in 2000, but clear braces have a history and have been used long before clear aligners were made.

13. Difference in usage and purposes:

Clear braces are more useful for more complex issues, unlike with clear aligners.

14. Less self-discipline:

Less self-discipline is required for clear braces as there are no temptations to leave them out of one's mouth.

15. Injuries:

Clear braces may bring about sores, pain, or general discomfort from its wires or brackets, unlike clear aligners.

16. Variation in proper care and hygiene:

 With clear braces, tooth discoloration due to difficult hygienic care is possible, while clear aligners give room for proper care since they can be removed and thus no discoloration.

Conclusion:

Clear braces and clear aligners function as teeth straighteners and are both useful. It's important to note that it is less about the appliance and more about the orthodontist's skill as both are effective and work pretty well. For more informations and to order for your clear aligners here.

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