A lot of patients come to Smile Pop asking, “What’s the difference between Invisalign vs. braces?”  Point blank, I tell them: fundamentally, not much. Both are tools used to move teeth. But like many other services you pay for in life, it matters who is using the tool. And that’s where I, the board certified orthodontist, come in.

Both of these teeth-moving-tools apply a force to teeth. Invisalign,  the biggest brand of clear, removable aligners on the market is simply a tool that pushes teeth into position. Traditional orthodontic brackets and wires pull teeth into position.  It’s up to you, as the patient, and your orthodontist, as the doctor administering treatment, to decide which tool is right for you.

Invisalign vs. braces – let’s dive deeper…. Like everything in life, both of these teeth-moving-tools have pros and cons. At Smile Pop our usual method of treatment is with clear aligners, so let’s start there.

Invisalign:

• PRO: Invisalign aligners are removable and allows a patient to remove them for meals and snacks, thus allowing the patient to eat whatever is desired during the course of treatment.
• PRO: Removing the Invisalign aligners also allows the patient to clean his or her teeth effectively during treatment, too.
• PRO: Invisalign aligners are less visible than traditional brackets and wires. (Note:  Invisalign treatment still uses attachments with the aligners which makes it more visible than you would think!)
• CON: Invisalign aligners are removable and thus it is easier for a patient to be non-compliant and not wear them! If you slack off wearing one tray, the next tray in the set may not fit as well and and will not move your teeth as effectively. 

Traditional brackets and wires:

• PRO: Brackets and wires are always on, thus always working. While you do have to make sure the brackets are wires and properly adhered to your teeth, it does require less compliance because they are glued onto the teeth.
• CON:  You have to be careful with the foods you eat. Brackets can easily pop off the teeth if you’re not careful, so patients needs to be careful when eating hard and sticky foods that can break a bracket off the teeth.  Food traps a lot more around the brackets and wires, too, so it can be harder to clean your teeth.
• CON:  Traditional brackets and wires are more visible than braces, however there are more esthetic bracket options out on the market.

known a There are several other brand names of clear, removable aligners that work similarly to Invisalign such as Ormco’s Spark clear aligners (they’re new to the US market so not many people know them yet.

Life is all about choices! So which is it? Invisalign or braces? If you need help in deciding keep in mind – consults at Smile Pop are always complimentary.  Schedule here!