What You Should Know About Invisalign® vs Braces

If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign® vs braces, we encourage you to call our Palos Verdes Estates office and schedule a consultation. Lunada Bay Dental Practice has experience with complete orthodontics, removable appliances, as well as Invisalign. When you need to straighten your teeth and improve your smile, there are many options so you want someone experienced with brackets as well as Invisalign that understands all of the pros & cons.  The field of orthodontics has merged with cosmetic dentistry so the options are more copious than they used to be and can fit within virtually any schedule.  As a local dentist, our goal is to give you a smile that you love in a way that is easy and convenient for you. Keeping that in mind, we suggest scheduling a consultation so that we can examine you, take x-rays, and make a determination as to the best way to straighten your teeth.

Invisalign® vs Braces – Appearance

Many of our adult patients are concerned about the impact that orthodontics will make on their appearance.  This is an understandable concern considering that metal braces use a bracket and wire system that stands out.  It is impossible to miss them, no matter how small the brackets have become.  This makes Invisalign® the clear winner in the area of aesthetics. Since clear aligners are used instead of metal brackets, the process is virtually invisible.  The aligners look like a full retainer and as long as you do not scratch them and keep both your aligners and teeth clean, your smile should look beautiful even while you are going through the process.  In fact, your appearance will begin to improve right away because you will see the visible benefits of your teeth moving throughout the process.

Invisalign® vs Braces – Convenience

When you wear metal braces, there are some adjustments that must be made.  You will need to be careful with what and how you eat so that food does not become stuck in between your brackets and so that your wires do not accidentally break or move out of place.  When you wear aligners, this is not a problem because the aligners are supposed to come out while you eat.  This means that you can bite into ribs or a hamburger without food becoming stuck in strange places.  You also do not need to worry about your aligners breaking since they will have been taken out.  Brushing your teeth is also more convenient because you simply need to brush and floss like normal without any additional tools.  Just remember to brush your teeth after every meal so that you do not trap food and bacteria.

Invisalign® vs Braces – Cost

Both are fairly affordable solutions with comparable costs.  The exact amount that you pay will be based on where your teeth are today and how much time it will take to get them into their final position.  We can give you a proposal when you visit our office and discuss payment plans or financing if you require it.

Invisalign® vs Braces – Results

Both braces and aligners work using the same basic principle – pressure is applied to teeth to move them into position.  In most cases, the results are the same while only the method is different.

For more information, call (310) 448-1260 and schedule a consultation today.