If you suffer from crowding, spacing, overbite, jaw size mismatch, or any other problem related to your teeth’s looks and alignment, then you’re probably thinking about braces. Braces might just be the solution you need. They can fix all the problems with teeth alignment, giving you a straight and beautiful smile. But there is more to braces than just taking the leap. You have a number of very important decisions to make. When should I start? Which orthodontist should I choose? Should I get Invisalign or braces? What is more suitable for me and my budget?

Here, we’ll attempt to ease your mind and help you answer one of these questions: Should I get braces or Invisalign?

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What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is one of the best technologies to grace the dental field. It is a system of clear plastic molds called aligners that completely replaced the brackets, wires and elastics system of traditional braces. These aligners fit the outer surface of the teeth, and apply pressure to move the teeth where we need them to.

How is Invisalign different from traditional braces?

You can think of Invisalign as the exact opposite of traditional braces. Nothing is attached to your teeth, and the aligners are transparent and nearly invisible. They exert a pressure motion rather than the pulling motion of braces, and the entirety of the treatment is carried out with the help of computers rather than human technique and experience.

Should I get braces or Invisalign?

To help you make that decision, We’ll break it down to a series of pros and cons for each type.

Pros of braces

Easy, fast and reliable.
Less costly than Invisalign.
Gives complete control to the orthodontist for adjustments and minor corrections.

Cons of braces

The appearance is awful, and so correctly dubbed “metal mouth”.
Very uncomfortable. The brackets are metallic and quite sharp, always cutting and scraping against the gums, cheeks and lips. In addition, the pulling motion always causes some discomfort especially during the first month of treatment.
Makes oral hygiene and teeth cleaning impossible. The brackets by design entrap food and are very difficult to clean. The wire also makes flossing a nightmare.
Treatment time is quite long. On average, braces can last between 6 and 18 months, with the majority lasting over a year.
While they give control to the orthodontist, they are also subject for human errors.

Pros of Invisalign

Invisalign fixed all the issues with normal braces.

The aligners look far better than the brackets and wires, almost invisible even.
Very comfortable since the aligners are made of highly polished plastic.
You can remove the aligners at will. This adds to the superior appearance when you just have to look your best for an occasion. It also improves oral hygiene since there are no fixed components to hinder your brushing and flossing.
The aligners are entirely computer made. This makes them highly accurate with virtually no chance for human errors.
Treatment time is reduced greatly. Most cases can be completed in just under a year.

Cons of Invisalign

It costs a bit more than traditional braces.
They are not suitable for all cases. If you suffer from jaw size mismatch, then Invisalign probably won’t work for you.

So there you have it. A simple comparison between braces and Invisalign. All you have to do is choose which option suits you best.