Pros and Cons of Clear Aligners for Orthodontics

Orthodontics aims to improve the alignment of your teeth. Doing so improves the way that your smile looks and makes it easier to keep your teeth clean, protecting you against tooth decay and gum disease.

About clear aligners

Clear aligners provide a discreet way to straighten teeth. They allow patients to avoid having to deal with metal wires and brackets on their teeth, as is the case with braces. Clear aligners are transparent, rigid mouth trays that go over teeth. They apply force on teeth just like braces, improving their alignment over a length of time.

Treatment with clear aligners involves getting multiple sets of trays at the start of the treatment. These sets of aligners work together as a relay team, with each set taking over from the previous one. Each set is worn for about two weeks, which is the approximate amount of time for each set of aligners to push the patient’s teeth as far as it can.

Digital images and models are used when designing clear aligners. Each set is customized for the patient’s teeth, and they represent the different stages of treatment. By the time that the patient is done with all their aligner trays, their teeth should be at the target alignment.

Pros and cons of orthodontics with clear aligners

Here are the benefits of improving the alignment of teeth with clear aligners:

• Clear aligners are virtually invisible, making them hard to notice in the mouth
• Clear aligners are removable, making them a more convenient way to straighten teeth
• People who wear clear aligners do not have to restrict their diet because they can simply remove their aligners and reinsert them after meals
• Clear aligners can be removed when it is time to clean the mouth, so patients can keep brushing and flossing like they normally would

The drawbacks that come with clear aligners include:

• The removable nature of clear aligners can be a bad thing when providing orthodontics for children, because the trays can be misplaced or lost or the child might forget to wear them as instructed
• Clear aligners typically cost more than metal braces
• Clear aligners cannot fix severe malocclusion caused by poor jaw positioning