Aligners or braces: which is better? Pros and cons of methods

Features of braces Indications for braces Features of aligners Indications for aligners Differences between braces and aligners Which is faster?
Comparison Pros and cons Cost Modern orthodontics offers very extensive opportunities in the field of bite correction and teeth alignment. Technologies are expanding and improving, and orthodontic systems are becoming more invisible and comfortable. Today, braces or aligners are used for treatment. Both technologies effectively cope with almost any orthodontic abnormality. Each has its own pros and cons. The principle of treatment differs little between the methods; the main difference between aligners and braces is aesthetics and ease of wearing.

What are braces?

A brace system is a non-removable orthopedic device consisting of clasps with grooves (braces), an arch that combines these clasps into a single mechanism, additional elements - elastics, ligatures, and an arch is passed through the grooves. The principle of operation lies in the ability of a metal arc to take its original shape. Straightening up, she pulls the locks behind her, pulling the teeth into the required position. The result is stabilized with fixed or removable retention devices.

Bracket systems differ in design - they are ligature, self-ligating, vestibular, lingual. They are made from a variety of materials: metal alloys (including gold), polycrystalline ceramics, synthetic sapphires. Devices made of metal have no equal in strength; the most aesthetically pleasing are ceramic and sapphire. When choosing which is better, aligners or braces for straightening teeth, you take into account not only the aesthetic side. The main thing to start from is the capabilities of the system in a particular case.

When are braces installed?

Bite disorders of any nature or complexity;
crowded teeth;
disproportion of jaws (one is less developed);
dental anomalies;
incorrect position of the dental unit (curvature, rotation around an axis);
removal of an unerupted tooth;
upcoming prosthetics, implantation.

Treatment with ligature devices will take 2.5-3 years

, self-ligating -
1.5-2 years
. The duration of the adjustment depends on the clinical features and system model.

Which method of correcting malocclusion pathologies is preferable?

Considering all the features, advantages and serious differences of corrective systems, the choice of patients predictably falls on mouthguards. But the final decision is made by the orthodontist, based on the clinical case, the nature and complexity of dental anomalies, the individual characteristics of the patient and other factors.

Before starting treatment, the patient undergoes an X-ray examination to accurately identify all pathologies. For a better understanding and choice of the optimal correction technique, it is worth undergoing a 3D scan and planning the future result.

To learn more about orthodontic treatment and find the best solution, call and schedule a consultation!

Aligners: what are these devices?

Aligners are transparent orthodontic trays made of thermoplastic polymer composite. The difference between braces and aligners is that the pressure on the dental units is not exerted by clasps connected by an arc, but by special activators inside the device, which set the impulse to shift the dental unit. To achieve the desired results, a set of correctors is made of different thicknesses, shapes, and sizes.

Each pair is created taking into account the predicted trajectory of displacement of the dental unit to a given position. The aligners change sequentially from larger to smaller sizes (every 2 weeks). All aligners in the set are numbered, so the patient knows exactly which system to use at a certain period. Wear the corrective device for 20-22 hours

per day, every day, removing only for food and hygiene care.

Those who want to choose aligners instead of braces need to think carefully about how responsibly they treat treatment. Corrective devices often cause discomfort and pain, especially when changing the arch or cap. And if it is impossible to remove the bracket system and you have to endure adaptation, then the aligners can be removed at any time or “forgot” to put them on. This increases the correction time, and often reduces treatment to zero. Therefore, aligners are suitable only for patients who are truly motivated to achieve results. For those whose self-discipline is lacking, it is better to choose braces.

When are aligners installed?

Trema, diastema;
crowding of teeth (up to 6 mm);
shortening or lengthening of the incisors (vertical anomalies of occlusion);
rotation (wrong position) of the dental unit;
the tooth deviates forward and backward;
upcoming prosthetics or implantation.

The duration of treatment with aligners depends on the severity of the disorder. The course of correction can take from 8 months to 2 years or more. Each design has an individually specified trajectory of the action of weak forces on the dental units. One device displaces an abnormally located tooth by 0.2-0.3 mm. How many correctors are required for a set depends on the situation - the simpler the problem, the fewer aligners are needed.

The first pair of devices corresponds to the initial clinical picture; each subsequent pair includes adjustments to change the position of the teeth. The last pair displays the treatment result.

Treatment results before and 6 months after:

Patient 27 years old Diagnosis: crowding of teeth 6 months after the start of treatment: improvement in the position of the incisors on the upper and lower jaws, expansion of the jaws, distalization of the canines Treatment: with aligners Duration of treatment: 6 months, during treatment Treating orthodontist: Olga Nikolaevna Plink

What is the difference between braces and aligners?

Both correctors are designed for the same task: they correct occlusion and make the dentition straight. The principle of operation of the structures is identical - moving dental units to a given point, but the similarity ends there.

The bracket system acts on the dentition using locks and a tension arc, and the aligners create an impulse to shift the tooth with special activators.
Braces are a non-removable system that is installed for the entire course of treatment, aligners are removable devices that the patient can remove and install independently.
Orthodontic aligners do not interfere with your usual lifestyle and diet; when using braces, there are certain dietary restrictions.
Maintaining the hygiene of biopolymer aligners is easier than cleaning a bracket system consisting of many elements.
Elements of braces can injure the mucous membrane and interfere with closure; the functions of the tongue, created from elastic inert thermoplastic aligners, do not have these disadvantages.
Locks with an arc are conspicuous (except for lingual systems); mouthguards made of transparent material are almost impossible to see from the outside.

When choosing aligners or braces to straighten your teeth, it is impossible to say for sure which will be better. Not in every clinical situation, mouth guards are the most effective, but they undoubtedly lead in terms of comfort. For each situation, the dentist will offer several treatment options, and the patient will choose the optimal one in terms of price, aesthetics and functionality.

Is it possible to avoid painful sensations?

All owners of braces experience some discomfort when correcting dentoalveolar anomalies. Soreness occurs after the first load received. Troubles are also caused by microtrauma caused by protruding elements of braces. Later, patients get used to the constant but moderate traction force of the orthodontic arch.

Removable aligners can also cause a lot of problems. If you take them off for half an hour to eat, the teeth, which have received serious chewing load during this time, will have time to shift, and in the direction opposite to that specified by the program. Therefore, after putting on the device, painful sensations will occur. And since the treatment will continue for at least 8-12 months, you will have to remove and put on the aligners up to 5 times a day, and the pain will be felt again several thousand times. Not everyone can endure such a test.

Straightening teeth with aligners or braces: which corrects defects faster?

The effectiveness of modern corrective devices is almost the same, but in some clinical cases it is not advisable to install aligners. This applies to severe, sagittal malocclusions, in which corpus movement of the dental units is necessary. Braces can deal with such defects faster and more effectively. Usually treatment with braces takes 1.5-3 years

(depending on the model, initial clinical picture). Self-ligating systems work faster than ligature systems.

Aligners can correct almost any anomaly, but correcting complex defects requires a lot of time and a large number of aligners, which will significantly increase the cost of treatment. Typically, treatment with orthodontic aligners takes from 6 months to 2 years

It is impossible to answer unequivocally what is more effective. The orthodontist will comprehensively assess the situation, based on the results of the examination, photographs, the condition of the teeth, and recommend mouth guards or braces to straighten the teeth. The best option is the one that is most suitable for solving a specific problem.

Range

Manufacturers offer a large selection of high-quality aligners; there are no significant differences between them. All products are manufactured using high-quality polymer materials that are absolutely biocompatible and hypoallergenic. The models differ only in the equipment and software used in their development and release. Also, much depends on the qualifications and skill level of specialists working in dental laboratories and in production.

Some companies set a fixed price for mouth guards, and some pay for the entire treatment at once. Depending on which clinic you went to and which brand of onlays you chose, the final cost of correcting your bite may vary. At the moment, there are several well-known brands whose main activity is the creation of innovative orthodontic devices. Invisalign products were the first to appear on the market and are still produced in the USA to this day. They are considered the most expensive, but they allow you to cope with even serious pathologies in the shortest possible time.

AirAlign are produced in Italy and are an excellent budget analogue to the previous option. Star Smile, 3D Smile, Orthosnap and VSD are created in Russia and cost less due to the absence of large transportation costs. New laboratories are opened annually, so the range is constantly updated. If you choose a good orthodontist, then there will be no need to delve into the differences between all these models. He will definitely tell you about all the nuances and select the optimal solution, taking into account the clinical picture and the available budget.

Comparison of aligners and braces

Braces	Mouthguards
Predicting the result of the adjustment	Approximate planning taking into account dental mechanics	The patient sees the exact result at the 3D planning stage
Aesthetics	Noticeable when talking, smiling (except for lingual models)	Invisible to others even close up (face-to-face)
Removable\non-removable	Only an orthodontist can install and remove braces.	The patient removes and installs the corrector himself
Comfort	The design of locks, clamps, additional elements can injure the mucous membrane, impair sound pronunciation during the adaptation period, there are dietary restrictions	Invisible, flexible, lightweight biopolymer devices, do not affect diction, do not require a change in diet, and are easy to maintain
Enamel injury	Under the locks, demineralization is common, the accumulation of bacterial plaque under the tension arc, between the locks contributes to caries	Does not injure the enamel layer or soft tissues; plaque from the surface is easily removed with a regular toothbrush
How often should you visit the orthodontist?	To activate ligature devices, a doctor is visited every 3-4 weeks, self-ligating devices - every 2-2.5 months.	every 2-3 months

Pros and cons of aligners and braces

After fixing the bracket system, it takes about 2-3 weeks to get used to the structure. The adaptation period is accompanied by discomfort in the mouth, injury to the mucous membrane, and changes in sound pronunciation. Adaptation to the aligners is faster and causes minimal discomfort.
Orthodontic aligners are removed while eating, so there is no need to change your eating habits. Wearing permanent braces requires certain dietary restrictions.
Compared to braces, transparent aligners are more aesthetically pleasing because they are completely invisible on the teeth, but in some clinical cases their installation is ineffective. If corpus movement of teeth is necessary, a brace system can handle it faster and easier. Correcting a similar problem with aligners will take much longer.
Braces are more demanding in terms of care; using aligning trays, hygiene is carried out in a standard manner.
The cost of metal braces is much lower than the price of aligners. Models made of sapphire or ceramic are almost identical in price to mouthguards.
When used correctly, both systems effectively solve bite problems.

An example of treatment using a brace system at the ROOTT clinic