‘Better’ is nearly always a subjective term and it changes depending on your priorities. We are a community dental clinic that has served our patients with both clear and regular braces, so we have experienced the pros and cons of both treatment options. To be explicit, clear aligners using  Invisalign Welwyn are our first choice if they are suitable. Let’s talk more about why!

The aesthetics

Although orthodontics are used to resolve strictly medical issues, usually they are carried out to achieve cosmetic goals. The braces worn in secondary school were not worn by the health-conscious, but the fashion conscious who wanted a straight smile. The treatment course was something to put up with to achieve long-term cosmetic goals. This is now possible with much more convenience by using clear aligners, which are effective at correcting orthodontic issues while being so subtle that they often go unnoticed thanks to Invisalign Welwyn.

Getting clear aligners

The challenge in making effective aligners is one of manufacturing; each aligner is only effective for the patient it is designed for and even then, it is only used for a few weeks as part of a series of aligners that make up the overall treatment.

Each aligner is responsible for making small changes during its use. To design useful aligners, a physiologically-accurate, computer simulation is used. Once calibrated with a scan taken from the patients during fitting, it can predict what shape the aligners have to be to correct the tooth position.

Wearing clear aligners

Clear aligners are unobtrusive to wear and much lower maintenance than the standard brace. One of the most useful features is also the biggest drawback, you can remove the aligner at any time. This means that patients have to be actively involved in their treatment, remembering to wear their aligners and keeping a note on how they feel, deciding if it is the right time to move on to the next aligner in the series, called ‘switching out’. Unlike regular braces which are overseen by an orthodontist, the changing process is up to you and the dental professional.

Many of our Invisalign Welwyn patients find the brace adjustments that come along with traditional orthodontic treatment very uncomfortable and have to use over-the-counter pain relief for a few days post-tightening. This is not the case with switching out aligners, which is a much smaller and more gradual change.

Which is easier to keep clean?

One of the most tedious aspects of wearing braces is keeping them clean, the tight angles and small gaps between the brackets and the archwire are a particular nuisance. We’ve found interdental brushes can help, but most patients end up altering the food choices to save on having to clean their braces.

It is recommended that you remove your aligners to prevent them becoming damaged by hard foods and that you brush after meals to stop food and the build-up of plaque. The aligner will stop the natural flow of saliva over your teeth and will prevent the natural plaque removal that this brings, but aligners are easier to manage than a traditional brace.