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How to Choose Between InvisalignⓇ and Braces

How to Choose Between InvisalignⓇ and Braces

If your smile isn’t as dazzling as you’d like it to be, or if you’re dealing with bite problems, crowding, or other issues that affect far more than how your smile looks, it’s time to think of corrective choices — braces or a treatment called Invisalign.

With well over two decades of advanced dental care under his belt, Dr. Ali Saeghi has worked with thousands of patients and their varied needs. He and the team at  Modern Age Dentistry — with offices in Atwater Village, West Hills, and Ojai, California — are dedicated to offering you dental treatment defined by comfort and ease. 

What’s the best choice for me — braces or Invisalign?

Today’s lucky patients have more orthodontic treatments to choose from for solving a multitude of problems, including overbites, underbites, crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, and more. One treatment route is traditional braces, which pose certain challenges for patients,  as well as increased chance of developing bad breath, but another popular option is a treatment called Invisalign.

While braces feature the metal archwires, brackets, small elastic bands, and other components most of us are familiar with, Invisalign consists of a series of transparent trays, or aligners, that are custom-made to fit your teeth. This is done via initial impressions and scans of your teeth that Dr. Saeghi takes. 

These aligners gently realign your teeth, and about every two weeks, you receive a new set of aligners that are slightly different and sustain a gradual transition. 

Why people are opting for Invisalign over braces

Traditional braces require a more significant time commitment than Invisalign — on average two years — and a willingness to limit what you eat while you’re getting treatment. You must say goodbye to favorites like popcorn, gum, and apples. Anything too hard or chewy is a no-no, and giving in to this temptation could mean another office visit in your future. 

Great dental hygiene is harder to achieve too — flossing around wires often proves to be challenging!

It’s also necessary to go for in-office appointments more often, because braces need to be tightened periodically. These adjustments can cause pain that lasts for several days. Simply wearing them can cause small cuts in your mouth.

You can’t miss braces, either. Once you open your mouth to speak or smile with a full set of braces, they’re front and center, the first thing people notice about you. With Invisalign, however, no one can tell you’re getting your smile corrected, and how great is that?

With the advent of Invisalign technology, many patients are thrilled about the benefits they offer — enough to make the commitment to Invisalign treatment. 

A final important Invisalign advantage is the very material the aligners are made from, which took nearly a decade to develop and outstrips even the original Invisalign material. 

Specifically engineered for use in aligners and to be hypoallergenic, SmartTrack material enables your treatment to happen gently, gradually, comfortably, and in a way that Dr. Saeghi can easily predict. You need to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours per day, but you can remove them to eat your meals and brush and floss your teeth. 

Could Invisalign be right for me? 

When you visit Modern Age Dentistry, Dr. Saeghi thoroughly examines you and discusses your “smile goals” to determine if Invisalign is the right choice for you. You’re a good candidate if you take exceptional care of your teeth and brush and floss daily, your oral problems aren’t too serious, and you’re a teen or adult whose teeth won’t grow any more. 

More benefits of Invisalign include reduced gum disease and tooth decay, as well as less wear and tear due to misalignment. Clearly, correcting your smile with Invisalign offers distinct advantages. 

Don’t hesitate to call the Modern Age office most convenient to you and book an appointment to learn about how Invisalign compares to braces, or request one through our website.  

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