While a straight smile can improve your confidence, orthodontics is much more important than that. Dental irregularities that affect the alignment or occlusion of your teeth make it much harder to take care of your oral health. As a result, you have a higher chance of developing tooth decay, gum disease, or biting and chewing problems that create craniofacial maladies like TMJ and migraines. Fortunately, you can resolve these dental problems by wearing braces. However, since there are multiple options to choose from, including traditional and clear braces, you’ll have to decide which one is best for improving your smile.

Metal Braces

The traditional metal brackets and wires are a well-established treatment option for complex tooth problems, such as overcrowding, gaps, and overbites. While they are not removable, metal braces often produce quicker results than Invisalign®. However, depending on the severity of the dental issues, traditional hardware is worn on average anywhere from 18 months to three years.

The downside to this orthodontic gear is it requires more maintenance and presents a bigger challenge to your oral hygiene. Every four to six weeks, you will visit your dentist’s office to have the rubber bands that go over the brackets and wires changed and tightened. Between checkups, you’ll have to be diligent about brushing and using specific flossing equipment to get between the metal. Otherwise, decay-causing plaque can easily build up in these hard-to-reach zones.

Invisalign®

Although it has only been in production for around two decades, Invisalign continues to grow in popularity. The clear, removable aligners are an efficient way to correct minor to moderate tooth issues. While wearers don’t see a dramatic change early on, the plastic trays gently move teeth to the desired position between six and 18 months on average. It’s also much easier to take care of your dental health while wearing these newer orthodontic devices since they can be taken out for meals. However, remember to wear them at least 20 to 22 hours every day or you can increase treatment time.

As with metal braces, you’ll need to visit your dentist for periodic checkups every four to six weeks. During these appointments, you’ll be given a new set of trays that must be changed every two weeks to continue with your progress.

For help deciding the best treatment option for you, visit the team at Sun Dental & Orthodontics in North Branch, MN. They provide both braces and Invisalign, as well as Powerprox Six Month Braces™, to give you a straight, beautiful, and healthy smile. To schedule an appointment with them today, call (651) 674-4811. For more information about their cosmetic and general dentistry procedures, visit their website.