Pros and Cons of Clear Aligners/Invisalign – 2024 Guide

65 percent of teenagers and young adults suffer from tooth misalignment. However, not everyone chooses to resolve it with braces. For some reason, many people “shudder” the idea of having them, especially when the relating concerns are about appearance.

But, times have changed and more sophisticated solutions are now available. According to skymarksmilecentre.ca, with the inception of clear aligners for Invisalign, aligning teeth has become a lot easier. What’s left now, however, is whether the pros of having them outweigh the cons.

If you are having this kind of concern, you’ve come to the right place as this will discuss the pros and cons of clear aligners.

Advantages of Clear Aligners

• 100% removable

Unlike the traditional braces that come with wires, clear aligners are removable. Accordingly, patients may eat, brush, and floss conveniently, at all times.

Patients with misaligned teeth usually refuse to wear braces because of the inconvenience that they bring. Aside from the fact that they are irremovable, cleaning can become daunting.

Conversely, clear aligners, like Invisalign, eliminate these kinds of inconveniences. As a result, patients can promote better dental and oral health on a daily basis.

• Virtually Invisible

Braces have an impact on one’s facial features. It can either increase or decrease one’s self-confidence, especially in public places.

Clear aligners eliminate these kinds of concerns. Considering that they are unnoticeable, near to becoming invisible braces, it does not provide significant changes to the appearance of one’s face, mouth, and other facial features.

So, patients will still have the uttermost comfort in themselves despite having aligners. Many actual users see this as one of the main benefits of clear aligners.

• You are able to eat anything you wish

The freedom to eat anything you like is another advantage of wearing clear aligners. As it happens, conventional braces typically cause one to refrain from eating different kinds of foods. These may include chips, sticky snacks, candies, and other foods that may cause damage to the wires of the brace.

But, with Invisalign or clear aligners, you can eat anything you like because you can remove them beforehand. You can enjoy the same foods without worrying about the risks of damages that the food may incur.

• Most comfortable and effective orthodontic solution for patients.

Traditional braces are effective, too. However, they are not very comfortable because of the materials. Unlike clear aligners, they entail metal wires.

On the other hand, Invisalign and other clear aligners have smooth materials that do not irritate the patient’s mouth. It does not also increase the risk of injuries and cuts inside the mouth when doing sports or physical activities.

As suggested by glendaledentalgroup-az.com, this is why dentists and specialists recommend clear aligners more to their patients than metal braces due to the overall effectiveness, flexibility, precision, and comfortability.

• Invisalign: A Cut Above the Rest

Invisalign distinguishes itself in the clear aligner space with its proprietary features. The SmartTrack® material is engineered for a better fit and more predictable control of tooth movement, which translates to a more comfortable patient experience. The use of advanced 3D imaging technology in Invisalign treatment allows for meticulous planning and a transparent view of the expected outcomes.

Each Invisalign aligner is custom-fitted, ensuring a precise match to the unique contours of a patient’s mouth. This attention to detail not only enhances comfort but also optimizes the aligner’s appearance, aligning closely with the gum line for a discreet look.

An added convenience of Invisalign is the reduced necessity for frequent dental appointments. The treatment plan, with its clear guidelines on aligner transitions, accommodates the busy lives of adults and teens alike, making it a practical solution for straightening teeth without disrupting daily routines.

• Improved Oral Hygiene

With clear aligners, patients can improve their oral and dental health much further than metal braces. Because of its features, one can promote better practices.

With metal braces, the inconvenience, as well as the difficulty, of cleaning, brushing, and flossing are very apparent. This is why many patients who have braces sometimes suffer from bad oral and dental health in the long run, especially if they choose not to have professional teeth cleaning services.

• Straight Teeth For Life

You may have heard stories about teeth becoming crooked again following Invisalign treatment. The bone structures of the teeth have an elastic memory, and so it’s not uncommon for them to drift toward their original positions after completing treatment. The good news is that this is completely preventable by using a retainer. Your new smile can  last a lifetime, just as long as you continue to wear your retainer while you sleep.

The Drawbacks of Having One

Clear aligners are on point with their effectiveness and quality. However, they also have downsides that one should consider when planning to get one. Here are some of them:

• The cost of treatment can be expensive

Many individuals resort to metal braces even if they prefer to have clear aligners. As it happens, Invisalign entails much higher prices that may exceed one’s budget for dental and oral treatments. It is worth noting, however, that clear aligners are like investments for your oral and dental health.

• Limited Candidacy

Another drawback of clear aligners is that not everyone who needs braces may resort to Invisalign. Despite the innovations today, these aligners cannot answer all cases of severe teeth misalignment.

• Adjusting to the Aligners

Adjusting to clear aligners may come as an inconvenience for patients. Just like wire braces, one needs to adjust for a few days or weeks before the aligners get comfortable.

Other patients may experience difficulty in speaking. Some even experience persistent lisp that may affect confidence.

• Pain from tooth movement during aligner changes

In the process of teeth alignment, patients may experience pain. This is, of course, a given function of the clear aligners, just like the metal braces. But, others see it as a disadvantage because it provides discomfort.

• Losing the aligners during treatment

Since clear aligners are removable, a feature that provides many benefits and advantages, one may still misplace it in the process of the treatment. If this happens, the cost will double as you will need to replace it with a new one.

Conclusion

Clear aligners or Invisalign has many benefits to its patients. Many dental experts highly recommend this type over conventional metal braces because of these advantages.

However, keep in mind that you also need to consider the downsides of having one. If the pros outweigh your cons for this matter, then a clear aligner might be the best option for you.