Smile correction treatment or teeth alignment can be done two ways, first by going for the traditional metal or ceramic braces treatment or by opting for the latest innovation in dental science, the clear aligners. Choosing between the traditional and the modern can be a difficult task as trying a new medical treatment comes with apprehensions about its efficacy. To get a clear answer to the much asked question ‘are clear aligners better than braces’ lets go for a detailed comparison of all the treatments available for teeth alignment:
| Metal Braces | Ceramic Braces | Clear Aligners | |||||
| 1. | Made from stainless steel or titanium. | Made from porcelain material. | Made from high-grade medical polymer. | ||||
| 2. | Visible metal wires and brackets. | The brackets are tooth coloured. The wires are metallic, so they are visible | They are nearly invisible. | ||||
| 3. | They are rough on gums causing lesions. | They are not so harsh on gums. | They are smooth and gentle on gums. | ||||
| 4. | The wires are uncomfortable and painful. | They are also painful. | They are comfortable and painless. | ||||
| 5. | Best for treating moderate to complex teeth alignment issues. | Best for treating moderate to complex teeth alignment issues. | Best for treating mild to moderate teeth alignment issues. | ||||
| 6. | They are fixed to the teeth until the treatment is over. | They are also fixed braces. | Clear aligners are removable. | ||||
| 7. | Patient needs to keep proper care, like brushing after every meal and have to follow dietary restrictions.
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Proper brushing and dietary restrictions need to be followed for desired results. An interdental brush also needs to be used to clean in between the ceramic brackets | Patients can eat anything by removing the aligners before eating. | ||||
| 8. | Need frequent doctor visits and the treatment duration is not less than 24-36 months. | Need equal visits as in metal braces, but the treatment duration is 24 months and beyond. | Need fewer (3 to 5) doctor visits and the treatment duration is minimum 10 to 18 months.
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| 9. | Advisable for kids and teenagers. | Advisable for kids and teenagers. | Advisable for people of all age group. | ||||
| 10. | Not so expensive. | Expensive than metal braces. | Most expensive as they are the latest dental devices to correct teeth alignment in less time with maximum convenience. | ||||
To find the correct answer to the query ‘are clear aligners better than braces’ we compared the three options available for correcting teeth alignment problems on the parameters of comfort, treatment duration, aesthetics and affordability. And the best match anyone would find after the comparison is definitely teeth straightening invisible braces! Some might argue that clear aligners are the most expensive of them all but they justify the cost by offering the latest technology in a device that is custom designed for each patient and offers painless treatment free of any wires. Moreover, as clear aligners are invisible and removable they completely gel into the modern lifestyle without making the patient socially conscious of their appearance.
In India many certified and authentic companies are offering ‘doctor-directed’ clear aligner treatment that helps you have a smile makeover that will leave you with a confident and beautiful smile. 32 Watts clear braces with colored bands, Flash Orthodontist, Illusion etc are few credible companies that offer authentic clear aligner treatment in India.
As we praise clear aligners for offering discreet, comfortable, removable and painless teeth straightening treatment, we must also confess that through different studies and researches it has been proven that clear aligners are a workable solution for mild to moderate malocclusion conditions while metal or ceramic braces can treat complex dental conditions. Moreover, traditional braces are time-tested and have abundant of researches to prove their effectiveness while clear aligners are a new methodology where its relevance and effectiveness has been established over the years.
Choosing clear aligners or traditional braces cannot be a matter of choice as aesthetics and comfort are not the sole parameters that need to be considered while choosing the treatment option. The methodology needs to be weighed on the parameters of dental condition, effectiveness, affordability and expertise of the treating dentist. For a patient to choose the correct treatment option, the complexity of the dental condition needs to be analyzed first and the correct option shall then be picked.
Still confused: Are clear aligners better than braces?
If you aren’t sure which one to pick than here few tips to make you choose the best smile correction treatment:
- Age consideration: For kids, traditional braces can help them have proper teeth alignment as the jaw bones and teeth are in their formative stage and are highly responsive to the treatment. For teenagers and adults, metal wires and frequent treatment sittings is matter of both time and self-consciousness and therefore, clear teeth aligners are highly recommended at this age group.
- Case complexity: As mentioned above, the more the misalignment of teeth, the harder is to move them to desired position. Therefore, traditional metal braces are highly recommended for extremely complex malocclusion cases while clear aligners can easily fix mild to moderate alignment issues.
- Doctors’ advice and expertise: Analyzing the teeth condition, estimated treatment duration and cost, the dentist will provide you options to choose from. They might recommend metal braces, ceramic braces, lingual braces, retainers, veneers, dental cap or any such option that would fix the teeth according to the condition. If the treating doctor is well-versed with latest technology and trends in dental science, he would recommend you clear aligners.
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