Invisalign vs Traditional Braces
One of the major differences between Invisalign and traditional braces is that the Invisalign brace is not attached to your teeth. Invisalign uses a removable aligner that fits over your teeth, whereas traditional braces are fixed to your teeth using brackets for the duration of the treatment.
While traditional braces have highly visible brackets and wires, the Invisalign system is virtually invisible as the Invisalign brace is clear. It is generally considered easier to maintain good oral hygiene using Invisalign as you can remove the brace while brushing. Traditional braces are a little more challenging to clean around.
During the Invisalign treatment, you get a new (modified) brace every one to two weeks. This brace can cause some discomfort as there’s a level of ‘pressure’ experienced through the teeth. However, this pressure is considered to be low to moderate discomfort. The Invisalign brace is smooth, causing little to no discomfort against the tongue or lips. Traditional braces have been known to cause irritation against the lips and tongue where the metal brackets can rub.
Invisalign vs Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are mostly the same as traditional braces and the main difference is that they use clear or tooth coloured brackets and tooth coloured metal. This means that they are slightly less visible than traditional braces, but still not as discreet as Invisalign.
As ceramic braces are similar to traditional braces, they are less easy to clean around than Invisalign and generally cause more discomfort in the mouth (as above).
Invisalign vs Lingual Braces
Lingual braces, simply put, are the same as traditional braces, except that they are attached to the back of the teeth, instead of the front. This makes them much less visible than traditional braces. As the lingual braces are hidden behind the teeth, they are slightly less visible than Invisalign.
Compared to Invisalign, lingual braces are more difficult to clean around and to maintain good oral hygiene during treatment. As lingual braces are behind the teeth, it’s a bit more challenging to clean around and between them, which can lead to plaque retention.
Similar to traditional braces, lingual braces are more likely to cause mouth irritation than Invisalign. The metal brackets and wires can irritate the tongue causing ulcers and sores.