Millions of people, including thousands of people in Edmonton, have been well-served by both traditional wire and metal Braces and clear aligners. Both options can straighten crooked teeth and correct inconsistent or enigmatic spacing between teeth. While braces and aligners work differently, they both help people achieve their cosmetic dentistry goals. So which alternative is right for you? Answering this question requires thinking about two elements specifically: you (after all, your teeth are unlike anyone else’s), and the particular features of the devices you’re considering (after all, they both work differently).

Which is better depends on you

Since the word “better” can be a synonym for a lot of words — words like faster, cheaper, easier, more comfortable, less obvious, less painful,  and more effective — an orthodontist in Edmonton recommending one option over the other needs to know a lot more about:

• The current condition of your teeth, since alignment and spacing issues can be simple or complex
• Your medical history
• Your maturity, patience, and commitment to complying with your treatment plan
• Your budget and timeline
• Your personal goals and lifestyle

A consideration of all of those factors might rule out one option versus another. Or, as is more likely the case, it might mean that certain features of each option might be more important to you and answering your question than it might be for other people.

Which is better depends on the differences between the choices

Like we mentioned above, braces and aligners both have the same goal but achieve them very differently and with different demands on the people who are wearing them. The differences between them might rule one option out compared to another, especially depending on what your dentist discovers when exploring the five factors pointed out above. So, what are the important differences between wearing braces in Edmonton and wearing aligners. Let’s take a brief look at five distinctions.

When it comes to visibility, traditional wire and metal braces are much more visible than clear and transparent aligners. After all, the brackets on your teeth with traditional braces are connected by wires that all can see. Having said that, brackets can be made of ceramic materials that blend with your teeth and lingual braces can be placed on the back of your teeth where no one can see them. Clear aligners are, as long as you care for them properly, clear and nearly invisible.

When it comes to removability, traditional braces in Edmonton can not be removed until your treatment plan is complete (except when the wires are removed at some checkups for repairs, adjustments and cleaning). On the other hand, you can remove your clear aligners whenever you need to (as long as you wear them for at least 20 hours a day, and ideally 22 hours a day). You’ll always remove them before eating and brushing and flossing your teeth.

When it comes to comfort, aligners fit sleekly and snugly against your teeth without any protrusions against your lips or cheeks. The wire and brackets that make up braces can poke at and sometimes irritate those soft tissues. Both options for straightening your teeth can cause some soreness as your teeth are moved into their new positions.

When it comes to hygiene, you’ll be able to brush and floss your teeth as if you aren’t wearing braces throughout your treatment plan using clear aligners. After all, you’ll take your aligners out before you brush and floss! Keeping your teeth clean with braces takes more effort, and keeping your braces clean can be difficult depending on what you eat.

When it comes to diet, your orthodontist in Edmonton will recommend that you avoid hard, chewy and sticky foods while wearing braces. All those foods pose the risk of dislodging a wire from a bracket. If an orthodontist near you provides aligners rather than braces, you’ll take your aligners off before eating. You can drink water with your aligners in, but should never drink carbonated drinks, sports drinks, or sweetened drinks with aligners since acids and sugars can be trapped against your teeth at the risk of causing stains and decay.

You know yourself best. When you consider what you know about yourself and these distinctions between braces and aligners, does one seem like a better fit? To get a precise answer to that question and to get answers to the rest of your questions, schedule an assessment at an orthodontist near you as soon as you’re ready.

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