When family dentists informed parents that their children needed braces in the past, kids were immediately fitted with metal braces, and over the years this gave rise to labels such as ‘metal mouth’, and commonly regarded drops in self-esteem among children, along with losing their ability to fully enjoy activities such as sports and music.
These days, parents and dentists now have the choice between traditional metal braces and Invisalign, known as the ‘invisible’ alternative to braces. As a parent, you want the treatment option that will permanently correct the alignment of your children’s teeth to make their smiles better and brighter.
Here, we’ll give you a complete guide to choosing between traditional metal braces and Invisalign for your children’s best smile.
The Basics
Both metal braces and Invisalign correct the alignment of teeth by straightening them, improving your child’s bite, smile, and oral health in the process. Metal braces have been around much longer, and thus have more history of use and effects, as compared to Invisalign which dentists began using in 2000.
Metal braces consist of brackets glued to individual teeth, all tied together by wires and rubber bands that correct spacing between teeth, as well as their position in the mouth. These days, braces closely matching each person’s enamel color are now available, making them more discrete; alternatively, others prefer colorful rubber bands to complete their fashion statement and complement their personality.
Invisalign, on the other hand, was designed out of the desire to give those wearing braces improved comfort and self-esteem, as well as maximum enjoyment of their lifestyle. Invisalign are called invisible braces because patients wear aligner trays made of smooth, comfortable, clear plastic over their teeth, prompting a gentler and more subtle correction of their teeth’s alignment. It’s virtually invisible or unnoticeable to other people. Your child’s pediatric or family dentist will then use x-rays, pictures, and impressions to create a 3D image of their teeth and create an aligner tray with a custom fit for their mouth.
A Side by Side Comparison
Here are some points parents and pediatric dentists discuss and consider when choosing a braces option for a child:
Wear: Metal braces are irremovable and meant to be permanent, until such time that your child’s teeth have shifted to their correct position, and proper bite and alignment have been achieved. On the other hand, Invisalign trays are removable, depending on your child’s comfort, and feeding habits.
Oral Care: Metal braces make it hard to maintain proper oral hygiene, with food morsels frequently getting caught between brackets, and thus require extra care and increased frequency in brushing teeth. Invisalign trays are removed and separately brushed and rinsed under lukewarm water using the Invisalign Cleaning System.
Appearance: Metal braces are typically a noticeable silver in color, but recently, patients can pay extra to closely match their enamel color. Invisalign trays are clear, and as such, virtually invisible.
Duration of Treatment: Once metal braces are placed on your child’s teeth, these are permanently worn 24/7, for an average of 2 years, depending on their respective bite and alignment correction needs. Invisalign trays are recommended to be worn for about 22 to 24 hours a day anywhere between 6 to 18 months, depending on individual treatment needs.
Cost: Metal braces can range anywhere between $1,800 to $5,000, depending on your child’s treatment needs, while Invisalign trays are pegged on average at $5,000.
Follow-up Visits: Metal braces require follow-up visits to the dentist on a monthly basis to check for necessary adjustments and progress. Invisalign aligner trays require changing every two weeks, with visits scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks.
Post-Braces Treatment: In both metal braces and Invisalign, your child’s follow-up treatment will most likely require wearing a retainer to preserve their teeth’s corrected alignment, but in most cases the retainer only needs to be worn at night.
Pros and Cons
Metal braces are generally still prescribed by family and pediatric dentists if your child’s teeth have more complex issues. Because children would sometimes want to test boundaries and could be tempted to try and get away with things they need to do, metal braces require less self-discipline as these are permanent, and they cannot get away with not wearing it. Since metal braces are permanent, no other extra cleaning steps are required, and can be done, except regular brushing and flossing.
Invisalign trays are virtually invisible, helping avoid the common self-esteem issues associated with braces, especially when your child approaches their teenage years. These are also removable, which greatly help in maintaining their diet and lifestyle. This also avoids problems of getting food caught in their teeth, which is common to metal braces. Because Invisalign are aligner trays, these do not come with the discomfort caused by wires and brackets.
On the downside, metal braces are known to cause much pain and discomfort, especially when your child just started wearing them, and every time these need to be adjusted. Metal braces also cause discoloration in teeth, or sometimes even breakage, especially when your child does not properly brush their teeth and floss. Finally, years of wearing metal braces mean difficulty, and sometimes, inability to enjoy hard and sticky foods.
As for Invisalign, your child could also experience some discomfort as the tray prompts movement of their teeth to correct their alignment. They must also remember to remove their Invisalign tray before eating or drinking anything, except water, as well as brush their teeth after each meal to avoid staining.
In the end, choosing between metal braces and Invisalign for improving your child’s oral health still boils down to their specific case, as determined by your family or pediatric dentist. If your child stays active with rough contact sports, metal braces may keep them away from their activities. On the other hand, while Invisalign is great at maintaining self-esteem and effectively correcting common bite and alignment issues, it’s not an option if your child has bridgework and back tooth bite issues, need their canines or premolars rotated to correct their growth, require their teeth moved vertically, and if they are not yet responsible enough to wear their Invisalign tray for at least 22 hours a day.