Understanding Dentistry: A Guide

Two common reasons why people choose Invisalign braces over traditional ones

Here are a couple of reasons why many people who want to straighten their crooked teeth choose Invisalign braces over traditional ones.

Invisalign braces can give them the freedom to eat whatever they want

After talking to their dentist about their desire for braces and learning about how certain braces function, many people end up getting Invisalign braces because these can give them the freedom to eat whatever they want throughout their treatment. Invisalign retainers are removable by those who wear them, and in fact, this type of retainer needs to be removed before the wearer eats so that their food does not stain or break this dental device. This means that a person can carry on eating their preferred foods when they're having this treatment.

Conversely, those who opt for braces comprised of wire and brackets, which are adhered to the teeth with bonding cement for the duration of the treatment, cannot remove this dental device whenever they want and must ensure that the food they eat will not damage the braces. For example, those who have traditional braces might be advised by their dentists and orthodontists to avoid any food whose texture is hard (like nuts or pizza crusts), chewy (like beef jerky) or sticky (like caramel sweets), as these foods might not only break parts of the braces but might also get stuck in between them, in which case they could cause tooth decay. As such, those who love food and who need this treatment will often decide to undergo Invisalign treatment.

Invisalign braces have less of an effect on a person's appearance than traditional braces

After being told by their dentist that they might benefit from orthodontic treatment, many people choose Invisalign braces because these tend to have a far less dramatic impact on a person's appearance than standard braces. A person's teeth are on display when they're talking, laughing, smiling, eating and drinking throughout the day. As such, if they are covered in shiny metal wires and brackets, it will alter the person's appearance quite a lot and be something that most people around them will notice. This might result in the person being asked questions about their braces that might make them self-conscious.

For those who don't want lots of people noticing their braces or asking questions about this treatment, or who simply like their current appearance and don't want their new dental device to alter it too much, Invisalign can be a more suitable choice. The components of an Invisalign retainer are transparent, so it's a lot harder for those around someone wearing this dental device to spot it.

For more information about Invisalign, contact a local dental professional.