Braces or aligners: which is better to straighten my teeth?

For adults who want straighter teeth, modern braces and aligners are discreet and effective solutions. Capital Dental in Twickenham offers a variety of both fixed and removable orthodontic appliances. When you come in for a teeth straightening consultation, your dentist will help you to choose the best system for your clinical situation and your lifestyle.

straighten-teethMetal braces are no longer the only option for people who want straighter teeth. At Capital Dental in Twickenham we offer orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages.

At our Twickenham dental practice we believe that everyone deserves a smile to be proud of. But should you go for braces or aligners?

Twickenham braces and aligners

Benefits of braces:

  1. A very predictable solution, giving your dentist maximum control over each tooth’s movement.
  2. The variety of braces available at Capital Dental Twickenham mean they can be used for both rapid cosmetic and more intensive correction.
  3. Modern braces are designed to blend in with your teeth.
  4. Once your dentist fits them, you don’t need to worry about remembering to take them out/put them in – they stay in position for the duration of treatment.

Things to remember about braces:

  1. You may need to adapt your dental hygiene techniques to clean around them.
  2. Some foods, for example toffees, should be avoided when wearing a fixed brace.
  3. Some systems take a few days to adapt to in terms of speaking or playing woodwind/brass instruments.

Benefits of aligners:

  1. Most people won’t even notice you are wearing them.
  2. Highly convenient – you can take them out for short periods to eat, drink, or clean.
  3. No special dental hygiene techniques needed – just pop them out to brush your teeth as normal.
  4. Some systems (such as the Inman Aligner) work in a very short time-frame.

Things to remember about aligners:

  1. Not suitable for all types of orthodontic correction.
  2. You need to remember to put them back in when you take them out, so that treatment progresses as planned.
  3. With systems such as Invisalign or SmileTru, you need to remember to change your aligner as your teeth move, as advised by your clinician.