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What Are Invisible Braces?
Invisible braces have the benefit of not interfering with the look of your teeth during the process of treatment. It's much like having your cake and eating it. This is unlike other types of braces that are normally quite prominent.
This invention of modern dentistry also serves the same purpose as other braces. It helps correct a variety of dental problems, including crooked teeth and bad bite. Two options exist from which to choose:
- Sequential clear plastic aligners: The most notable is invisalign.
- Braces which cannot be viewed from the front, since they are attached to the back of your teeth: These types bear the name lingual braces.
Here is a more detailed analysis of each type, as well as comparison with the other options.
1. Invisalign
Invisalign helps patients who need to straighten their teeth, but don't want anyone to notice their braces. It can be quite useful for people who frequently interact socially and value their personal image. Moreover, such braces are custom-designed to perfectly fit each person's mouth.
Although invisalign treatment is generally more expensive than other treatments, it is much easier to clean. While using these braces, you're less likely to experience irritation to your gums. You would also not need dental wax or experience stains on your teeth.
In order for teeth alignment to succeed, you must fully comply with the treatment process. This is especially so for invisalign because such braces are removable, unlike traditional braces which are fixed to your teeth. The treatment usually involves gradual movement of teeth as the aligners are replaced with new ones after every two weeks.
2. Lingual Braces
Although lingual braces aren't noticeable, they aren't as transparent as invisalign. Being placed behind the teeth reduces their visibility when you open your mouth. This means that you can smile and carry on with your daily life without being self-conscious.
Since these braces are placed behind the teeth (traditional braces are placed in front of the teeth), they can hurt your tongue. It's a more expensive treatment than traditional braces, which also takes a much longer time.
Cost of Braces
The Australian Society of Orthodontists estimates that the cost of orthodontic treatment involving both upper and lower braces would range from $4,500 to $8,000. Braces placed in only one arch would cost considerably less, and the fee might be even higher depending on the particular treatment. Take note that such a fee doesn't involve preparatory steps such as consultation and records,
Now that you know what invisible braces are, you might want to find out how they compare to conventional braces.
Metal With Ligature
These types of braces are the most common, least expensive and generally suitable to most types of orthodontic treatments. However, such braces utilize rubber-band (ligature) for holding the arch wires, which makes them less hygienic compared to lingual braces since the ligature can easily trap food particles. Moreover, this type of braces takes a much longer treatment time, is more visible and less comfortable than invisalign or lingual braces.
Self-Ligating Braces (Self-Locking)
Despite doing away with the rubber bands, this type of braces still doesn't offer as much aesthetic value as lingual braces or invisalign. Fortunately, self-ligating braces are easier to maintain than ligature braces.
