Our Valencia orthodontist uses both braces and Invisalign to improve the health and appearance of her patients’ smiles. While both of these treatment options are designed to do the same thing, which is to properly align the teeth, there are some significant differences between the two, which we’ve outlined below. Hopefully, this short guide can help you decide which of these two treatment options you’d like to wear to help you achieve your best smile!
Getting Metal Braces
Braces are cemented to your teeth for the entire time you’re in orthodontic treatment. At our practice, we offer Damon self-ligating braces which are more comfortable to wear than conventional braces due to them not using any ties or ligatures to hold the archwire in place. If you are interested in getting braces, there are a few things you may need to consider:
- There are dietary restrictions: Because braces are cemented to the teeth, you must avoid foods that can damage or break your braces like hard, sticky and crunchy foods for the entire time you’re in treatment
- Good oral hygiene is a “must”: When you’re wearing braces you must do a consistently good job of brushing and flossing to make sure you remove all those small bits of food and plaque that collect around and under your appliances.
- A visible treatment option: The brackets and wires used with braces are visible, which means you must be comfortable knowing that others can see the appliances on your teeth
- Can be uncomfortable: Since there are brackets and wires used with braces, sore areas can develop on the inside of the cheeks and lips.
Getting Invisalign
Invisalign consists of a sequence of custom-made, removable, clear aligners that fit over the teeth to prompt movement. Many of patients look to get Invisalign because of its versatility and how it looks nearly invisible to others. If you are looking to get our Valencia Invisalign treatment, here are few things to consider:
- No dietary restrictions: Since the aligners are removable, they’re meant to be taken out when eating. This means there are no dietary restrictions to hassle with as you can simply continue enjoying all your favorite foods.
- Maintaining good oral hygiene is easy: Invisalign aligners are meant to be taken out when brushing and flossing, making it very easy to maintain good oral hygiene for the entire treatment process.
- Very discreet: The transparency of the aligners make Invisalign a very discreet way to improve your smile as most people won’t even notice the aligners on your teeth.
- Comfortable to wear: The aligners are made of a smooth plastic material. This makes Invisalign more comfortable than braces as there are no brackets or wires present that can rub and irritate the inside of your mouth.
- Patient compliance is a must: In order for Invisalign to work as it’s designed, the aligners must be worn all the time, including overnight while you’re asleep. Before you ask Dr. Randolph to treat you with Invisalign, you must be 100% sure that you can be compliant with wearing your aligners around the clock.
Contact Us For Valencia Braces or Invisalign!
When you’re our patient, we will work closely with you to help you choose the right treatment option that best meets your unique needs. Following your oral exam, you will be told what options you can choose from, based on Dr. Randolph’s findings. If you’re ready to begin the process of achieving your most remarkable smile, then it’s time to set up your free consultation with Dr. Randolph! Simply give us a call at (661) 223-3000 or request an appointment online. We look forward to hearing from you soon!