The good news about tooth appearance in Australia is that people are taking it seriously. It’s a snowball effect: the more you see others doing something about misaligned teeth, the more inclined you are to get your own natural teeth optimised.
What does optimised mean? In this case, it means ordered, tidied up, or simply sorted. An uneven arrangement of teeth can affect your smile – but the good news is, while it may be what nature gave you, it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can have a beautiful dental display by wearing braces or aligners for a period of time. Not the rest of your life, but just long enough for the device to do its work.
The decision is clear aligners vs braces. You know other people are having this work done because you can see it, and the most obvious cases involve braces. They are more visible. But here comes the second bit of good news: the more common it is to see people wearing braces, the less noteworthy it becomes. And anyway, it shows they are taking steps to resolve what for them is an issue, if not a problem.
There will be other people having ongoing treatment too, but you may not have noticed them because they’re using Invisalign, a top brand of clear aligners. So, the choice becomes this: Invisalign vs braces.
Is Invisalign Better than Braces? The Differences
Firstly, let’s look at appearance. Invisalign is much less obvious than braces. Because you are wearing a device that is transparent and sleek, it isn’t so apparent that you are using anything at all. Even though the world is more accepting of this sort of equipment than it was, everyone would rather that no one noticed. There is more chance of you going undetected if it is Invisalign, and if someone does notice, they're going to think how good it looks, what a great improvement on the old methods.
Secondly, comfort. Invisalign is inherently more comfortable than braces because your mouth is not full of wires and metal. Those things may be doing a vital job, but they can irritate the gums, cheeks and tongue. Wearing Invisalign is an altogether smoother experience purely by its design and the materials involved.
Third, convenience. Braces are fixed there for the duration, which means when you brush your teeth, you have all these extra little nooks and crannies to deal with. That makes it harder to do a good job of cleaning - and it is so important to remove those tiny bits of food.
With invisible dental braces like Invisalign, you simply slip them out, brush your teeth, quickly clean the device and pop them back in, with everything fresh and ready to go. It is recommended that you keep the Invisalign in place for at least 22 hours a day, so two or three short periods of toothbrushing are not going to affect the steady transformation that is going on. Brush away as normal and have a good rinse with mouthwash if you like. Your Invisalign will be back in place soon enough and the process will continue.
What About the Cost?
The question of cost is a valid one. Just because Invisalign might be seen as the state-of-the-art way of straightening teeth, does that mean you will be paying a lot more for the privilege?
In most cases, the price difference isn’t as big as you might think. Invisalign is the main brand for clear aligners, but other brands, such as ClearCorrect, work the same way and can offer similar results. Here’s a breakdown of typical costs for these treatments in Australia:
- Traditional wire braces: $4,500–$8,000
- Invisalign aligners: $5,000–$6,500
- ClearCorrect aligners: $4,000-$5,500
Either way, there is a significant investment involved, but it’s best viewed as exactly that—an investment in yourself. The benefits are something you’ll enjoy every day for the rest of your life. Every time you smile or look in the mirror, you’ll see the results of money well spent.
Because this involves a cost, we have finance options available to help soften the blow by spreading the cost. If you decide to bite the bullet and pay it all upfront, all well and good, but the alternative is to treat this dental work like having some work done on your home or buying a smart new car. This is an important matter, and if you can pay it off over a period of time, why not? It’s what makes the world go round and makes dreams come true. A manageable finance arrangement in this area can make your life better – and that is no exaggeration. You will look better, and feel better about yourself and it can lead to success in your professional life as well as in personal matters.
Where is a Good Place to Have this Work Done?
If you have made up your mind to do something about getting your teeth aligned, the next question is where to go. Because this is a specialised area of dentistry, it makes sense to go to a practice that has the experience and the resources to do a great job for you. At Smile Society, this is exactly the kind of treatment we love to carry out. In addition to routine dental work, we take pride in making our patients’ lives better. If we can transform the way your teeth look, as well as keep them in excellent condition, that is our contribution to your general welfare and happiness.
If you like the sound of all this but still have a few details you would like to discuss, by all means contact us. We will be delighted to help you make your decision – and as soon as you come and see us you will feel the difference because we have created a friendly, calm and comfortable ambience.
As for the question of Invisalign vs braces, we will answer all your questions and set you on the road to a brighter future. At Smile Society Dental in Norwood, we offer ClearCorrect aligners, a leading alternative to Invisalign, providing the same discreet, comfortable, and effective teeth-straightening experience. Book your consultation today and let us help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. It all starts with a smile.