Invisalign uses a series of custom plastic aligners that gradually straighten the teeth. The aligners must be worn for a minimum of 22 hours/day, so basically full-time unless you are eating or brushing your teeth. You can still drink water with the aligners in. The aligners are switched out every week to 2 weeks according to the speed of movement of your teeth. Braces use metal brackets and wires bonded to the teeth to move the teeth. The archwires have shape memory and put force on the teeth to correct position of the teeth. Sometimes elastics or other appliances are used in addition to the brackets and wires to correct the bite. Both methods are effective at moving the teeth and improving your smile. In saying this, each has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages of invisalign are they are clear and practically invisable so they are highly esthetic. This is especially important to our adult patients. The other advantage is the fact that they are removable so there are no diet restrictions and it is easier to maintain great oral hygiene. The main disadvantage is they require high compliance in order to achieve great results. Braces have an advantage in correcting certain types of bites, such as severe deep bites or cases that require surgery, although invisalign technology has come a long way in correcting these types of cases. The disadvantages of braces are they more noticable, less hygienic, and often require more visits for adjustments. I believe at looking at each patient on a case by case basis and going over the pros and cons of both treatments with them prior to deciding together which treatment would be best for them. But generally, I consider Invisalign to be the first choice in most cases.
