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Planning and Preparing for Dental Procedures: Your Questions Answered


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Planning and Preparing for Dental Procedures: Your Questions Answered

Making decisions about your smile can be confusing. Should you have a tooth pulled or get a root canal? Should you get adult braces or stick with a retainer? Should you use at-home whitening remedies or have your teeth professionally whitened? If questions like these are keeping you up at night, you've come to the right place. I used to stress out over routine dental procedures, and as a result, I did loads of research on everything dental-related. To help others, I'm using this blog as a place to collect, review and share what I've learned through the years. I hope you can use the information here to help you plan and prepare for your next dental appointment.

4 Reasons to Choose Self-Ligating Braces Over Invisalign

Traditional metal braces used to be the only option for people who needed to have their teeth realigned, but that's no longer the case. Several further options now exist, including self-ligating braces and Invisalign.

Both options tend to be prized for their added discretion compared to traditional braces. Self-ligating braces use smaller brackets that can even be clear to make them virtually invisible, and their built-in mechanism eliminates the need for elastic supports. Invisalign treatment uses clear aligners that are worn over your teeth.

While self-ligating braces and Invisalign aligners are both ideal for those wanting something less visually conspicuous, self-ligating braces pull ahead in other ways. Here are just four reasons you should choose them over Invisalign.

1. They Can Treat More Advanced Problems

Invisalign can work well for relatively minor problems, but it can't treat all conditions. If you have extremely crowded teeth, a severe overbite, or need to have your jaws realigned, you might not be a candidate for Invisalign treatment. They may also fail to be as effective as you might hope at moving your teeth into better alignment. With self-ligating braces, this isn't an issue since they can be used to treat more advanced conditions.

2. They Can't Be Removed

Invisalign aligners can be slipped out whenever patients want them out of their mouths. That can be a benefit, but it also means people are often tempted to take their aligners out more often or for longer than they should. Invisalign aligners still need to be worn for around 22 hours a day, and the treatment will either take much longer or not work effectively if you leave them out longer. Self-ligating braces are fitted to your teeth, so you can be more confident about treatment times and won't be constantly tempted to remove them.

3. They Can Produce a Better Smile

Self-ligating braces are known for being able to correct more advanced conditions than Invisalign, and they can also deliver stronger cosmetic results. For example, self-ligating braces can increase the arch of your mouth to create a fuller and broader smile. If you want to achieve such transformative results, Invisalign isn't going to cut it.

4. They Provide More Gradual Pressure

Comfort is subjective, but self-ligating braces can feel more comfortable than Invisalign aligners. That's because the built-in sliding device actually responds to the movement of your teeth to increase pressure. As such, they increase pressure gradually. In contrast, Invisalign aligners are replaced every few weeks, so changes in pressure will come in noticeable steps rather than progressing steadily.

For more information on self-ligating braces, contact a local dentist.