Content medically reviewed by Dr Ali Rifai.

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What’s Better? Invisalign or Braces?

Invisalign and braces both deliver straight teeth, but Invisalign offers a more discreet and often faster alternative. While braces are still necessary for complex bite issues or tooth rotations, Invisalign can treat mild to severe misalignments effectively. The best option depends on your case and preference — Invisalign may be ideal if you’re seeking comfort, appearance, and flexibility in your treatment.

When it comes to comparing Invisalign and braces, there’s no real, clear winner – this is because they both do the same thing and get to the same end result; you’ll have straighter teeth.

But for a lot of orthodontic patients, it’s how they straighten their teeth that’s important, so their confidence, lifestyle or social life is not impacted by treatment, which is just as important to adults as it is to children and teens.

Get the best advice:  MyoDental 40 High Street, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8AB.

The fact is, we are all familiar with braces and their capabilities. For patients who have a choice in their treatment, the thought of a mouth full of metal and wire does not sound appealing – and we get it, wearing braces does not come without prejudice, stigma or even a little bit of drama.

Hence, there’s a reason you’re Googling “Invisalign vs braces” right now, and it’s likely to learn the benefits of Invisalign and to see if it can produce the same results, or even better results, and we’re here to tell you it can.

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Is Invisalign faster?

A common misconception in orthodontics is that one solution can be faster than the other. While fixed braces do tend to take a little bit longer, it doesn’t really depend on the system, but rather on your compliance and bite condition. Telephone MyoDental on 01932 989785 for more information.

To put it simply, the more severe your case, the longer your treatment will take, whether you are using braces or Invisalign. In fact, there are several versions of Invisalign, each targeted to treat a specific severity level, ranging from mild to severe, with their own respective timelines. So, how fast your treatment takes entirely depends on the extent of your smile problem.

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Can Invisalign treat the same extent of problems?

The more extensive versions of Invisalign, such as Invisalign Comprehensive, can successfully correct class II malocclusions and close gaps of up to 6mm. Invisalign Comprehensive takes approximately 12 months to complete and utilises a greater number of aligners to move the teeth into their correct position gradually.

Invisalign, however, cannot rotate teeth; therefore, braces will be recommended in these cases. In some instances of severe bite problems and crowding, the orthodontist may recommend dual treatment, where you start with braces and finish with Invisalign.

Braces at MYO Dental

Which one will you spend more money on?

The cost of your treatment again depends on the extent of your problem. At our practice, you can receive Invisalign treatment for as little as £1,000 – but that’s for treating mild issues only.

In the end, braces and Invisalign can cost much the same, but in some instances, braces might be more expensive, for example, with certain types like lingual braces, which can cost upwards of £5,000. The max cost of Invisalign at our practice is £3,500 for dual arch treatment using Invisalign Comprehensive.

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Which type produces the better results?

Whether you use braces or Invisalign, you’ll have nice white teeth. It’s just that with Invisalign, you might have them a lot faster and a lot more discreetly. In some instances, Invisalign results may appear to be better, but this may be because many Invisalign packages include composite bonding or teeth whitening, which further enhance your end results.

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Should you base your treatment purely on a dentist’s recommendation?

If your dentist has recommended braces over Invisalign, it’s typically for a reason. For example, you may have a unique bite condition that your orthodontist believes can only be treated effectively with braces.

While we don’t doubt that the orthodontist recommendation is the one you should follow, you’re not tied to one dentist. If you really want to avoid braces, you can always book in for a second opinion with another dentist to feel more confident in your decision.

Many dentists, including us, offer free consultations, allowing you to meet with them without incurring any costs or committing to treatment. It’s purely just to find out more information and discover whether Invisalign is really the right system for you. If you’d like to book a consultation with us, you can do so here to meet with one of our Platinum Providers of Invisalign.


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Dr Ali is a highly experienced dentist who enjoys writing articles and blogs to connect with his existing patients and welcome new ones. Dr Ali specialises in dental implants and Invisalign and owns his own practice in Weybridge, Surrey. Read Bio.

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