Invisalign - Versus - Regular Braces
June 16 2010
- Invisalign is a more attractive choice for many people, because Invisalign is not visible like metal braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners that move teeth over time. You will wear Invisalign at all times except during meals.
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Potential
- A 2005 study revealed that while Invisalign braces worked great for closing small spaces and straightening front teeth, they were not as successful at correcting a severe overbite, underbite or correcting back tooth bite problems. Regular orthodontic braces will do a better job for those more serious conditions. One big difference between Fixed braces and Invisalign is that while fixed braces are in position 24 hours a day, Invisalign relies on patient compliance. The aligners only work when the patient is wearing them! Patients are required to wear the aligners for 20 hours a day to achieve the best results.
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Considerations
- There have been advances in Invisalign, which involve using rubber bands, to correct bite problems. Your dentist should be able to tell you if your bite problem is one that Invisalign can correct, or if you should use metal or clear braces instead. If wearing metal or clear braces is something you absolutely do not want to do, you can perhaps limit your time in them, at least, by wearing Invisalign for part of the time and then finishing up with traditional braces, according to Shurman.
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Expert Insight
- The national average cost for Invisalign is about £3500. This cost varies depending on whether the treatment is Invisalign Anterior, Invisalign Lite or Full Invisalign. Again, your dentist should be able to advise which type of Invisalign would be better for your particular situation. The cost of Invisalign has come down significantly over the last couple of years and is now on a par if not more affordable than traditional fixed braces.