Aligners or Braces?

Everyone is pretty familiar with braces, a tangle of metal wires and metal bands placed in your mouth by an orthodontist to move your misaligned (maloccluded) teeth to straighten out your bite and teeth and help make a beautiful smile at the end after 1 to 3 years.  These clear aligners create convenience and flexibility. Clear aligners are a convenient and affordable alternative to metal braces. They can correct mild to moderate cases of crowded teeth, gapped teeth, overbite, underbite, and more.

What are the other options?

What if you could just visit your dentist, not needing a specialist, who takes a digital scan of your mouth and creates a mold from which a clear plastic mouthpiece is made.  You’ll wear that mouthpiece that will place gentle pressure on your teeth and gradually move them into proper dental alignment.  Would that be of interest?  No metal wires or clasps, but a clear plastic mouthguard fitting over your teeth which you can put in and take out which will gradually move your teeth into alignment.

You wear this tight-fitting mouthpiece over your teeth day and night.  You only remove them for eating, drinking and brushing your teeth.  You will wear these mouthpieces for one (1) to two weeks before switching to a new set that will move your teeth to slightly different positions.

If you wear them as prescribed these invisible aligners will straighten your teeth and lead to a healthy and beautiful smile.  It, of course, matters how much your teeth have to move to properly align but between 10 and 24 months can be expected.

When are Aligners not a suitable option?

The plastic aligners cannot help if your teeth need to be moved vertically or if you need to rotate certain teeth into place.  If you truly wish to maintain the “invisibility” of the aligners, they will require careful cleaning.  The aligners are not meant to withstand the pressure of biting and chewing, so they’ll need to be removed before you eat anything, whether it’s a tiny snack or big meal.

Columbia Dental Can Help With Aligners or Braces!

Aligners can be more comfortable than metal braces and as long as your teeth are indicated for its use.  So, if you think you need braces, your teeth are misaligned and you want that beautiful smile, come to Columbia Dental and see if aligners are for you.  We will scan your mouth and custom make the aligners here on site, helping you create your own beautiful smile.

Aligners may not be for everybody, especially in more severe cases of malocclusion, and we do have orthodontists to help you with all your needs.  Here at Columbia Dental you have a choice.