It’s time to get ready to head out. You fix your hair, you’re wearing that nice outfit you just bought, and you brush your teeth … oh. For a moment, you forgot. Your teeth are crooked and misaligned. Sure, you had braces when you were a kid. Since then, life happened. You had accidents and injuries, or your teeth just slid a bit over the years. Either way, you really do not like that smile.

There’s a fix for that. Orthodontics can gently guide your teeth to where they belong. The question you need to answer is this: Do you want traditional metal braces with brackets and wires, or do you want “invisible braces” like ClearCorrect or Invisalign from our Jeffersonville, IN dental clinic? Each has its own benefits.

Benefits Of Traditional Braces

  • More affordable: Metal braces are an established dental technology. When things have been around for a while, they tend to get cheaper. Compared to ClearCorrect or Invisalign, these braces are usually more affordable. Saving money is nothing to gloss over.
  • Better at dealing with malocclusion: If you have a big overbite or underbite, you could get better results with metal braces. ClearCorrect and Invisalign can help with bite problems, but the metal kind can normally handle more severe cases.
  • Colored rubber bands: Small rubber bands are used with metal braces to help adjust your bite. These days, you can get all kinds of colored bands to turn a bland, metal-covered smile into something colorful and interesting. If that’s your sort of thing.
  • You want stained teeth: Metal braces need to be cemented on your teeth. Since you’ll wear them for two to three years on average, the uncovered parts can change color slightly. This means you could get rid of braces and see a row of even, aligned, but discolored teeth. If you were looking for an excuse to try teeth whitening, this could be it.
  • You like looking immature: You shouldn’t get orthodontic work until your teeth have more or less stopped moving. That usually happens in your teens, which is why so many teenagers get braces. The two have become invariably tied. But there’s a difference between looking young and looking immature. Sure, who wouldn’t want to take a few years (or decades) off? When people see an adult with metal braces, however, they’re not thinking you’re younger. They’re thinking you look immature. But maybe you’re into that sort of thing because … well, we can’t think of a reason.
  • Avoiding certain foods sounds like a fun diet plan: All of those metal brackets and wires means you have to avoid foods like bagels, apples, popcorn, gum, and more. Eating those could damage your orthodontics. Doesn’t that sound like a great diet plan? Actually, it doesn’t sound fun to us, either.

Benefits Of “Invisible” Braces

  • Eat what you want: The clear plastic trays used by both ClearCorrect braces and Invisalign braces can come out whenever you want. That means you can eat what you want, clean your teeth, and put them back on.
  • Less chance of cavities compared to metal braces: Speaking of food, it tends to get stuck around those brackets and wires with metal braces. This means your teeth are at a higher risk of cavities. Because you can take clear aligners out of your mouth when eating, no food gets stuck on them. That means a lower chance of tooth decay.
  • Fewer dental visits: With metal braces, you’ll have to visit an orthodontist regularly for 2-3 years. All of those visits can add up. Not only do Invisalign and ClearCorrect do the job in much less time, but you’ll get several trays at once. This means fewer visits to our Jeffersonville, IN dental office.
  • You’ll still look normal: Both Invisalign and ClearCorrect orthodontic aligners are made from clear plastic. You wear them over your teeth throughout the day. This is why they are nicknamed “invisible braces.” When worn, they are almost impossible to notice. Chances are, you’ll have been wearing them for a month or two before someone at work says, “Wait, you’re wearing braces?”
  • They work: In the end, what really matters is getting your smile looking good again. Crooked teeth need to be moved to where they belong. Metal braces will do that. But so will Invisalign and ClearCorrect.

Which Is Right For You?

No pun intended, but the choice is clear. Metal braces do work. But they can be painful, embarrassing, and even unhealthy. Whether you choose ClearCorrect or Invisalign, you are sure to get a comfortable, discreet way to get a great smile once again.