Braces and Invisalign - Corpus Christi Dentistry

As a professional Corpus Christi Dentist office, Gonzalez Family Dentistry can give professional advice on if and when braces or invisilign will be right for you. Further, Dr. Gonzalez will be able to provide you information about orthodontic specialists in the area. Please reach out to us sooner than later as persisting problems can have an affect on long-term dental health.

Gonzalez Family Dentistry is also a Corpus Christi Dentist who can treat dental patients for a variety of other preventative and corrective dental issues such as routine exams and cleaning, impacted teeth, children's dental health, fillings, veeners, extractions and dentures. Please fill out our form on the bottom of the page here.

Braces and Invisalign

For people who have certain dental problems like crowded or crooked teeth, a misaligned bite (under-bite or overbite), etc., normally, there are several orthodontic treatment options that can help solve the problem, providing great results when proper indications are followed. These solutions include both braces and Invisalign.

What are braces?

Dental braces, also known as cases, orthodontic cases, or simply braces, are devices that are used in orthodontics to align and straighten the teeth of an individual with problems with his or her bite, while also improving dental health. Braces can be applied with either cosmetic or structural goals and are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to achieve better results (1).

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a type of orthodontic treatment that is revolutionizing the actual orthodontics world due to its capacity of helping straighten and align the teeth without the use of the traditional braces. This type is based on wearing a series of custom-made clear plastic aligners that bring teeth into the right position and are changed with new ones every few weeks to continue the alignment process (2).

What are the benefits of braces?

Aside from their main goal of straightening and aligning the teeth, improving the patient´s bite and smile by moving the teeth to their right positions and making the lips and jaw more proportionate to the face, braces can provide other numerous dental benefits as time passes.

While bringing the teeth into their right positions, the reduced spaces that exist between them, which difficult the brushing and flossing processes, will gradually disappear. This seriously improves oral health by allowing the individual to have a proper dental hygiene, preventing the build-up of plaque and toxic remains that increase the chance of developing gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, bone erosion, and tooth loss.

Due to the improvement of the bite, the chewing process is done more properly, reducing the foods into teeny tiny pieces that are able to digest better. In addition, the new correct tooth alignment will reduce the vulnerability that protruding upper teeth have during accidents.

While dental braces are certainly fundamental for the teeth´s health, they also have an important role in enhancing the confidence and self-esteem of the patient that uses them by creating a great smile and improving speech impairments on the long run.

But how about its disadvantages?

Of course, having braces can also bring some disadvantages. Firstly, its use does not go unnoticed, changing the patient´s look and giving a metal mouth appearance. This could affect people´s self-esteem, however, is important to understand that this is a temporary process and the results are worth it. To ease this problematic, today´s bracers come in a wide range of color options.

Certain foods, such as caramels or soft candies, as well as very hard or crunchy foods are better to be avoided to prevent any damage on the orthodontic devices. Also, some fruits and vegetables that could get stuck in the braces have to be cut into small pieces.

Even when and especially when there are braces, the teeth must be taken care properly. However, brushing and flossing may be a little bit difficult for braces-beginners, mostly due to the damage that is received the tooth brushing during this process. Dentists recommend using a special brush designed to clean the different surfaces in metal braces and resist so.

In order to make braces properly useful for every patient´s condition, they must be adjusted in the numerous dental check-ups along the orthodontic process. During these appointments, pain is often perceived because things need to be tighten up to produce a beneficial result (3).

What are the benefits of Invisalign?

Nowadays, patients that have never considered traditional braces before are now giving this type of orthodontic device an opportunity due to its many advantages. As stated above, these are clear plastic aligners, which are nearly invisible, so they are not obvious while smiling. In addition, they are very easy to remove when eating or during the dental care routine.

Usually, using Invisalign does not take any longer than traditional braces to complete the treatment, and they may be even faster, depending on each patient and condition. Regarding the process, these braces move teeth more gradually than normal ones, leading to less discomfort. Also, the dental consultations are not painful (4).

And how about its disadvantages?

Even though Invisalign braces have revolutionized this industry, its cost are still high for most people. Of course, the price changes depending on the extent of the alignment required and how many aligners will be needed throughout the complete process. But, in reality, considering these factors, sometimes, the price is not that much higher than regular braces.

Its use demands a lot of discipline from patients to not lose or broke them when they are removed to eat or clean the teeth. In the long run, this could result in more money and time spent on the treatment. Besides, Invisalign may not work for every case, not being recommended for serious dental problems and being available only for adults and teens, and not for children (4).

Comparing effectiveness.

There is a lot to consider when choosing traditional braces or Invisalign, making these two options valid for most orthodontic treatments. Deciding which pros and cons matter most is something that every patient needs to consider before making a choice. However, to make the right decision, is fundamental to pay attention at what the dentist recommends, because, in the end, this professional is the expert on the matter.

You can set up an initial appointment or find out more information if you are having issues or if you and your family would like to have a new family dentist. Our contact information can be found here. We cannot wait to hear from you. Have a great day.

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