Braces are more common than ever before. In fact, approximately 4 million people in the United States now wear them.
It’s totally understandable. After all, we’re a culture that celebrates sets of perfect pearly whites. People are increasingly unwilling to put up with crooked teeth.
That said, the decision to get braces can still be difficult.
Indeed, an unfortunate level of stigma remains, despite their ubiquity. Furthermore, they can stay on for years until the dental problems are resolved. Treatment can be uncomfortable and expensive too.
For these reasons, getting Invisalign is now a popular alternative! This modern orthodontic solution solves many of the typical brace-related issues.
Imagine a crystal clear set of plastic aligners that fit over your teeth. You can barely tell they’re being worn, while they steadily pull your teeth into a better position.
Want to learn more about why Invisalign makes sense? Keep reading.
1. Greater Aesthetic Appeal
First thing’s first: Invisalign looks great.
Traditional braces are highly functional. However, a common complaint is their lack of aesthetic appeal. They’re often deemed ‘ugly’ by those who wear them.
Invisalign does away with the metal. By contrast, you can hardly see them! They’re literally invisible. That means no nasty ‘metal mouth’ comments by people you come across.
Instead, you can go about your day without feeling self-conscious. Your teeth are being pulled into position with no outward visible signs.
2. Smile More
Feeling self-conscious about your oral hygiene makes people less inclined to smile!
It’s one of the most unfortunate side-effects of worrying about your teeth. The exact same can be true when wearing traditional braces.
People can feel acutely self-conscious about showing their braces to others. As a result, they shy away from smiling. They’ll hide their teeth in conversation, and cover their mouths for photographs.
Smiling is key to a happy life, though! Even forcing a smile is known to make you feel better.
As we’ve already noted, Invisalign braces suffer no aesthetic issues. As such, they restore your confidence and promote smiles all around.
3. Protective Benefits
Teeth grinding is exceptionally common.
Masses of people do it while asleep. Others do it when they’re nervous. Some people do it on the sports field.
Regardless of the context, the habit is best avoided! Grinding your teeth is a recipe for dental health problems down the line.
Invisalign can make a difference. You’re effectively wearing a mouth guard throughout the day and night, so you literally can’t grind your teeth.
What’s more, they can serve this secondary purpose for as long as you have them (aka, forever!).
4. Avoid Further Oral Health Issues
People don’t just love Invisalign for the way it looks.
They serve a vital function as well: they’re an effective way to straighten crooked teeth. If they didn’t work, then people wouldn’t wear them. It just so happens that they look great too!
In the same way, straightening your teeth isn’t purely for aesthetic purposes.
Far from it. Properly aligned teeth are far easier to clean and maintain positive oral health. Misaligned teeth tend to harbor hard-to-reach bacteria. It’s far harder to remove, meaning further dental problems are likely to occur over time.
5. No Food Restrictions
Metal braces make eating certain foods more difficult.
Food has a horrible habit of getting stuck in all the wrong places. Not only that, but certain foods can literally damage the brace and hinder the orthodontic process.
As such, you may have to forgo your favorite foods to see the best results.
Invisalign is different. You simply remove them at mealtimes, which means you can eat what you want! Finish your meal and put them back in. This is great news for anyone who loves their food.
6. Easier Cleaning and Maintenance
Metal braces make teeth cleaning more of a challenge.
Brushing and flossing aren’t as easy. After all, you’ve got sets of wires and fixtures in the way. An array of new dental tools are required to get into the nooks and crannies.
Again, there’s no such problem with Invisalign. You simply remove them when it’s time to clean your teeth. You brush and floss as normal!
7. No Sporting Interference
There’s nothing about wearing metal braces that stops you from playing sports. However, they can definitely be an encumbrance.
For example, it makes contact sports slightly more dangerous. Any impact can cause significant oral pain. Similarly, the contact you make with someone else can be damaging too.
Any impact with the face can affect the brace as well. The brace might get damaged, even if you don’t suffer in any other way. That’s another trip to the orthodontist, and more money required for repairs.
Again, none of this applies when you wear Invisalign. You remove your aligners before playing sports, reducing the chance of injury and issue.
8. Less Discomfort in the Process
Metal braces can be painful to wear.
Of course, there’s the general act of maneuvering your teeth into a new position. That alone can cause discomfort, especially after they get tightened. However, metal fixtures and wires can lead to additional problems.
It isn’t uncommon for wires to stick out. Similarly, the metal can be abrasive against other parts of the mouth, such as the inner cheek.
Invisalign takes an altogether gentler approach. That means you see results with less pain and discomfort along the way.
Final Thoughts on Getting Invisalign
There you have it: the top 8 reasons you should consider getting Invisalign.
Braces are incredibly common these days. Millions of Americans, young and old alike, wear them in the pursuit of straighter teeth. Unfortunately, traditional orthodontic approaches to the problem can be far from desirable.
As we’ve seen, metal braces lead to a host of sacrifices along the road to a better bite. Invisalign provides an answer to almost all of these issues. Hopefully, this post has highlighted the key benefits to expect from Invisalign over other orthodontic solutions.
Interested in trying Invisalign out for yourself? Be sure to contact us today!