What’s the Difference Between Invisalign® and Braces?

For many people with crooked teeth, their most pressing concern is how to improve their smiles’ appearance. However, their dentists are more worried about how the alignment will affect their bite function, and the problems that can potentially arise when teeth are properly aligned. At our Newhall, CA, dental office, we can address each of those concerns with the help of custom-designed Invisalign® clear aligners. Not only will the clear aligners straighten your teeth and improve your bite function, but they’ll also remain virtually invisible to ensure a minimal impact on your smile’s appearance.

The way they straighten teeth

The biggest difference between Invisalign® clear aligners and traditional metal braces is the manner in which they straighten crooked teeth. Traditional braces utilize a series of brackets that are semi-permanently bonded to your teeth, and an arch wire that connects the brackets and applies gentle pressure to realign your teeth. Invisalign® also uses gentle force, but applies it through the unique shape of the aligners, which are designed to be worn consecutively. The aligners are shaped to gently guide crooked teeth toward their desired positions, and each aligner continues the path of movement where the previous one left off.

The effects on your daily routine

Invisalign® aligners aren’t bonded to your teeth like brackets. Instead, they’re made to fit comfortably over your teeth, and they can be temporarily removed for short periods of time each day. This offers a wide range of benefits, most especially on your daily routines of eating and brushing and flossing your teeth. Before each meal and before cleaning your teeth, you can remove your aligners so that you don’t have to adjust either your diet or your hygiene routine to accommodate braces. This makes the duration of your treatment much more comfortable and convenient, as well as more discreet.

The impact on your smile’s appearance

Clear aligners are made from a clear, BPA-free acrylic that conforms precisely to the shape of your teeth and dental ridges. The acrylic is virtually invisible against the backdrop of your teeth, and because they’re so precisely designed, they fit snugly enough to never move when you speak and smile. Unlike metal braces, Invisalign® can straighten your teeth effectively while remaining discreet enough to leave your smile’s appearance unaffected.

Ask about Invisalign® clear aligners

When you need to straighten crooked teeth, ask about the many important differences between Invisalign® clear aligners and traditional metal braces. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Newhall Dental Arts in Newhall, CA, today at (661) 259-7760.