A captivating smile not only enhances one's self-esteem, but can also help one make a positive first impression. A healthy and beautifully aligned set of teeth is crucial to achieving this goal.

Crooked teeth can be corrected with a variety of orthodontic treatments. Currently, clear aligners (such as Invisalign) and traditional braces are the most popular orthodontic options.

Although braces offer a number of advantages, there are also a number of disadvantages. The most common of these are food restrictions, irritation, appearance, and frequent dental visits.

With clear aligners, you are able to achieve a beautiful smile without the limitations associated with traditional braces. Invisalign treatment, for example, involves wearing clear aligners that gradually move your teeth to achieve a beautiful smile. This technology can fix teeth concerns, from spacing to bite imperfections.

What are clear aligners and how do they work?

In general, clear aligners involve the creation of many clear tooth trays. Each tray differs slightly from the next. As the patient changes the tray after a certain period of time, the teeth will slowly move into the desired position, until an ideal shape has been reached.

Take example of Invisalign - during your first appointment, our dentist will scan your mouth in 3D. The scans will be used to create your personalised aligners out of medical-grade plastic. Our dentist will check your teeth regularly after that to ensure they are moving properly. During this process, micro adjustments may be required.

Consideration #1 - Appearance

In general, clear aligners are much easier to maintain & cause less hassle to your daily activities

The biggest difference between clear aligners and traditional braces is their appearance. As the name implies, clear aligners are virtually invisible to the people around you. If you are conscious of wearing braces, this helps tremendously. The clear trays may take some time to get used to, but most people adapt quickly.

So if you want an unobtrusive method of teeth alignment, clear aligners are the way to go.

Additionally, traditional braces might cause teeth discolouration and staining. Usually, these are in the areas where the brackets are on. This is especially true if you are a smoker or love eating food containing plenty of sugar.

Although the chances of teeth discolouration from traditional braces are slim, opting for clear aligners can help avoid it. The last thing you want is to have unsightly stains on your teeth once your treatment is over.

Consideration #2 - Convenience

Another reason why you should choose clear aligners instead of brace is convenience. Clear aligners are easily removable, which allows you to enjoy your favourite food & drink without obstructions.

In contrast, the brackets of metal braces are bonded on your teeth, and you can only remove them until the end of the treatment.

Being easily removable means that cleaning up your teeth and the aligners is very, very easy. You can effectively clean your teeth without special dental tools. All you have to do is to take out the tray, then brush and floss normally.

Additionally, food bits can get stuck in the wires and brackets of traditional metal braces. And cleaning effectively around braces can be challenging. Sometimes, no matter how many times you brush and floss, the food will remain stuck in the wires. As a result, you may suffer from gum disease, tooth decay, and other issues because of poor oral hygiene.

Clear aligners is a clear winner in this aspect - just make sure to clean them regularly using cleaning solution or brushing them to prevent bacteria buildup.

Consideration #3 - Cost

Cost is definitely one of the biggest consideration for a patient who’s on the fence between clear aligners and traditional braces.

Since clear aligners is a relatively new technology, the cost is about 30% - 50% higher than that of traditional braces.

However, considering that clear aligners are much more convenient than braces, a lot of patients opt for clear aligners over braces anyway.

Consideration #4 - Complexity

For extreme misalignment cases, traditional braces are the way to go.

As convenient as clear aligners are, they are not very useful in cases of severe teeth misalignments.

For such complex cases, treatment relies on traditional braces, and will take a long time to yield result.

However, unless you have severe misalignments, clear aligners will do a great job at helping you achieve a bright smile.

In Conclusion

Clear aligners are an effective and discreet way to help you achieve beautiful, straight teeth. The treatment is also faster (in some cases) , and you can expect optimal teeth alignment within six months to two years. Furthermore, you don't have to deal with brackets breaking or wires poking.

Just make sure to keep your aligner in its tray when not in use so you don't lose it. You also don't want your pet to get ahold of it and think it's his chew toy!

Should I Get Clear Aligners Or Traditional Braces?