Kidlist welcomes Dr. Ramzi Daibis from Band & Wire as a guest contributor. Dr. Ramzi Daibis is a board-certified orthodontist, a Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider, and the co-owner of Band & Wire Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Clarendon Hills, IL. He specializes exclusively in Invisalign and braces for children and adults.
What’s better, braces or Invisalign?
Whether you are considering orthodontic treatment for yourself or your child, it is important to know the current treatment alternatives and the main differences in order to choose what’s best.
Generally speaking, there are two main available options when it comes to orthodontic treatment; traditional braces or clear aligners such as Invisalign.
Braces come in different types, materials, shapes and brands. What you should know, is that they all work very similarly and the overall treatment result and experience depends more on the knowledge and skill of the orthodontist than the type of brackets used. There are also several clear aligner brands and even though Invisalign is widely considered to be the best of them all, the orthodontist’s experience and skill is more important than the brand of aligners.
The majority of adult patients seeking orthodontic treatment at our office prefer Invisalign over braces for obvious reasons; Invisalign is less visible, less painful and more hygienic. All of these are very good and valid reasons but interestingly enough, parents seem to be more hesitant when choosing Invisalign over braces for their children. The biggest concern is that their child will not wear the aligners as needed. This is obviously a valid concern, but from my professional experience, I have noticed that the vast majority of our child/teenage Invisalign patients do an excellent job wearing their aligners and get excellent treatment results, sometimes in less time and with fewer visits to the office compared to traditional braces. Additionally, with Invisalign, you would not have to worry as much about orthodontic emergencies, broken brackets, poky wires and discomfort in general. We also see fewer cavities, white spots and gum disease in our Invisalign patients compared to braces.
There are also some misconceptions about Invisalign that I often address with my prospective patients and I would like to highlight some of them in this article.
Misconception #1: Invisalign is only for adults
It is true that when Invisalign first came out, it was mainly geared toward adult patients. This is however no longer the case. Invisalign has improved tremendously over the last 20 years and can now effectively be used to treat children and teenagers. In fact, I believe it is the preferred option for many children and teenagers due to it being more hygienic and more comfortable.
Misconception #2: Invisalign is only for “mild” cases
This is where the orthodontist’s experience makes all the difference. I have successfully treated hundreds of very complex and severe cases with Invisalign aligners with amazing results. It is true that certain cases may be treated more effectively with braces and wires but in my opinion those cases are more the exception than the rule. In the right hands, even the most challenging cases can be treated effectively with Invisalign aligners.
Misconception #3: Treatment with Invisalign takes longer
Estimating orthodontic treatment time is always tricky since biology and individual variations are involved. In my experience, many cases can be finished even faster with Invisalign compared to traditional braces. The caveat though is that Invisalign treatment requires excellent and consistent compliance. Wearing the Invisalign aligners for 20+ hours/day, throughout treatment will guarantee a faster treatment with best results.
Misconception #4: Invisalign is more expensive
This varies between different orthodontic offices but at Band & Wire we believe that you should choose the best option for you or your child without having to worry about the financial aspect. Being the highest level Invisalign provider in the west suburbs allows us to extend our savings to our patients making orthodontic treatment affordable and convenient.
Misconception #5: Treatment results with Invisalign are the same regardless where you get it
Many believe that their treatment will be planned by Invisalign and the dentist or the orthodontist is simply delivering them the treatment. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It is important to understand that Invisalign (just like braces) is simply a tool, and that the provider is in full control of how teeth are moved and what the final outcome will look like. This in fact, makes Invisalign more challenging than traditional braces because it requires quite a bit of experience to treat all cases effectively.
Being fully informed of all aspects of your or your child’s orthodontic treatment is essential and will ensure a better experience for all parties involved. During an orthodontic consultation, it is important you understand and discuss the following:
- Why treatment is recommended
- What problems will be addressed
- What treatment options are available
- How long treatment will take
- What the possible complications are
- How the results will be maintained (retainers)
- Treatment cost and financial arrangements
We cover all of these points extensively during our complimentary consultations at Band & Wire and we will help you decide on the treatment option that is best suited for you or your child. Give us a call at 630-320-8888 or book your appointment online at bandandwire.com. We look forward to meeting you soon!
You can also find Band & Wire on our page of Resources for Families.
