We still do use braces in a lot of cases. Mainly when you think about orthodontic treatment in general, there are cases where the patient requires tooth alignment, in which case you could go for braces or Invisalign. For cases where there’s an issue, where there’s a discrepancy in the size of the jaw, for example, someone’s pallette is too narrow, or there’s a difference between the size of their top and lower jaw, this is where we really need to be able to assess the patient properly to know which is the better option, and in some of these cases, it may be a combination of both.
It may be a combination of using an appliance to help the extend the jaw, such as an expander. And the we can go for braces or Invisalign. It may be that braces may be the better option for this patient. So it really depends on a case by case basis. With the technology of Invisalign, we are able to treat more cases that we weren’t able to before, using clear aligners. One of the great advantages about Invisalign is the hygiene aspect of it. You can take them out and brush your teeth. I can show you. This is how easy it is. And put them back in.
You didn’t realise I was wearing them, did you? So, the nice thing about Invisalign, obviously, it’s invisible; that’s the greatest advantage. And as adults, we wanna be confident smiling and having the metal brackets is not always the greatest. So this is a great alternative option. It does require compliance. So, for my patients who think that they’ll struggle with wearing them, and you know, forgetting to put them in, then we might go for the braces option. They tend to be more teenagers. So, I really have to be clear with them.
If compliance is going to be an issue, then we’re gonna go with braces. You can’t remove them; you can’t take them out, because Invisalign, for it to work, you gotta wear them 22 hours a day. You only take them out when you’re eating or drinking.