What are the pros and cons of Invisalign?
Crooked and uneven teeth can reduce self-confidence, causing patients to become ashamed. But they’re often more terrified at the prospect of metallic braces. Often, the aversion to traditional orthodontic treatment overrides the shame associated with misaligned teeth, making people tolerate their crooked teeth instead of seeking treatment.
Invisalign is the ideal solution to this dilemma—with Invisalign, you can straighten your smile with transparent aligners that remain virtually invisible. This article describes the pros and cons of Invisalign to help you determine if it’s the right treatment for you.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign refers to transparent thermoplastic aligners that gradually move your teeth towards alignment through the application of gentle and constant pressure. The orthodontist examines your teeth and curates a detailed treatment plan, showing you how your teeth will progress on computer software. You receive a series of Invisalign aligners corresponding to different stages of your treatment.
Each aligner moves your teeth just a little bit over two weeks, so you have to cycle through the various aligners every two weeks to ensure your teeth continue moving in the desired direction. The final aligner sets your teeth in perfect alignment, following which you wear retainers for a few months.
Invisalign aligners are removable, so you can take them off whenever you want, as long as you wear them for at least 22 hours a day. The ability to remove your Invisalign allows you to eat and drink whatever you want and maintain your oral hygiene without worrying about stains on your aligners. The entire Invisalign treatment concludes in 6 to 18 months.
Pros of Invisalign
- Invisible: The greatest advantage of Invisalign is that it’s virtually invisible. The aligners are made of transparent thermoplastic material, only visible upon close inspection. And it’s safe to assume you don’t have to worry about your peers closely inspecting your teeth. You don’t have to worry about metallic brackets or wires.
- Comfortable: Invisalign is a lot more comfortable than traditional braces because there’s no archwires or metallic components. They’re smooth and don’t irritate your soft tissues. And the wires don’t lead to any nicks and cuts. Once you get used to them, you can even forget that you’re wearing aligners.
- Removable: You can remove the Invisalign aligners whenever you want, as long as you wear them for at least 22 hours a day. That means you can enjoy your meals without worrying about staining the aligners. And you can maintain perfect oral health — brush and floss comfortably — without wires or brackets in the way.
- Maintenance: Invisalign is incredibly easy to maintain. You only have to wear them for two weeks, so they’re not likely to get very dirty. If they do get a little dingy, you can brush the stains off with some water and bleach.
Cons of Invisalign
- Cost: Invisalign aligners are fairly expensive for most people, especially since they’re not covered by insurance. That puts a heavy burden on your finances, though you can pay for them with third-party financing plans.
- Attachments: Individuals with severe misalignment often need enamel attachments that click into the aligners to increase their pressure and functionality. Even though they facilitate the treatment, they make the Invisalign aligners more visible.
- Misplacement: Since Invisalign aligners are removable, there’s a small risk of misplacement. For example, you might take them off for lunch in a restaurant and forget to retrieve them. To avoid this, you must always wrap the Invisalign in tissues and place them in your bag or somewhere safe.
The only major drawback of Invisalign is its cost and lack of insurance coverage. All other drawbacks pale in comparison to the benefits. Furthermore, Hardin Dental helps you with flexible financing options to make the treatment more accessible. Schedule an appointment to discuss your treatment options.
