Why I Chose Clear Braces
Making the decision to get braces as an adult was not an easy one,
but I am so glad I did. There were a number of things to consider before
determining which type of braces would work best for me. Ultimately, I decided
to go with clear braces and below I breakdown the main factors why.
1. Cost. When comparing traditional (metal) braces, clear braces, Incognito
(lingual) braces and Invisalign, I found that traditional and clear braces were
the least pricey. Incognito braces are the most recent addition to the array of
orthodontic treatments. The actual brackets are custom made for each tooth and
the results are said to be the most precise because the orthodontist has more
control over your tooth movement. It may be difficult to find certified orthodontists
able to provide this type of treatment. My orthodontist told me that he had to
be trained in Germany! If you are somewhat frugal like I am, I'd definitely
consider traditional or clear braces.
2. Effectiveness. Let's face it, no one is planning to undergo a painful and
expensive treatment that will not provide optimal results. From talking with my
dentist and after some orthodontic consultations, I decided that Invisalign
would not be the best option for me. From my research and conversations with
professionals, Invisalign seems best used for minor orthodontic treatments. In
my case, I had some crowding and also an overbite that needed correcting. After
deciding that Incognito was out of the picture due to the cost, it came down to
traditional or clear braces as the best option. If you are willing to pay
more for the treatment, Incognito seems to offer the most precise results, as
mentioned earlier.
3. Visibility. Well, I am 25 years old and not really feeling the metal mouth
look. With this in mind, my options were
clear or Incognito braces and Invisalign. The most invisible option here is Incognito,
since the brackets are behind the teeth and easily unseen. The next option would
be Invisalign, with only the possibility of having a slight plastic-like look
to your teeth. Last were clear braces. The brackets are clear, however the thin
wire can be viewed when someone is nearby. I decided that I could live with that! I also
liked that the braces are almost unseen in pictures.
4. Pain. Just the thought of a wire and metal brackets rubbing against my
tongue, made any plans of incognito braces dwindle quickly. After searching
online I found a video from Youtuber .
She explains how painful the braces were initially and how she ate soup for
about a month after getting the braces due to the pain! I'd personally rather
have rubbing against my cheeks instead of cuts on my tongue. Also, I didn't
want to have any difficulty talking. She mentioned having a slight lisp when
speaking. I worked as a corporate recruiter at this time and most of my days
involved talking with candidates and hiring teams.
5. Treatment
Duration. I am working
on being more patient, however when it comes to the treatment time I wanted it
to be as quick as possible. In this case, Invisalign would have taken the
longest amount of time. Also a down side of Invisalign is that the person
wearing Invisalign has be more responsible with the treatment by keeping the
trays on for at least 22 hours a day, only removing them for dental cleaning
and eating. I didn’t want that high possibility of a delayed treatment. Incognito
braces also have shorter duration, due to the higher effectiveness.
I hope this helps someone considering braces. Best wishes to you on
your journey to having a better, brighter smile!
Jess
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