Braces vs Invisalign

For NYC patients who are considering braces vs Invisalign to straighten their teeth or your kid’s teeth, you may have many questions. What are the costs, which is more effective and how long is each treatment? So, are braces or Invisalign the better choice for you or your child? Read the information below to learn more. 

Braces vs Invisalign

Both braces and Invisalign were designed to help straighten teeth while improving your smile. 

Braces are made of metal brackets that are glued to your teeth and tied together by wires and tiny rubber bands. Nowadays, you can get brackets to more closely match your enamel color which makes them more discrete. or you can get them in different colors.

Invisalign, on the other hand, is designed to be invisible. Clear aligner trays made of smooth, comfortable, BPA-free clear plastic are worn over your teeth to gently move and correct your teeth. Dr. Jacquie Smiles uses X-rays, pictures, and digital impressions to create a precise 3-D image of your teeth to configure and customize your aligner trays.

Can’t decide between Invisalign vs braces? Call us at 212-972-3522 or fill out the contact form to receive additional information. 

Braces vs Invisalign, Which Will Work Best for You?

While both braces and Invisalign can help straighten your teeth, they both have pros and cons.

Can’t decide between Invisalign vs braces? Dr. Jacquie Smiles has created a detailed brace vs Invisalign comparison chart below for her NYC patients. 

Braces (irremovable)	vs	Invisalign (removable)
Metal	Color	Clear/invisible
24/7 for an average of 2 years, depending on patient needs	Treatment time	22-24 hrs/day for 6 to 18 months, depending on patient needs
$1,800-$5,500	Cost	Average of $5,000
Brush brackets and wires regularly while brushing teeth; water pick may be helpful.	Maintenance	Invisalign Cleaning system, or brushing and rinsing trays in luke warm water
About every month	Follow up visits	Change aligner trays every 2 weeks; visits every 4 to 6 weeks
Positioner or retainer likely needed ongoing, maybe only at night	Follow up to treatment	Positioner or retainer likely needed ongoing, maybe only at night
More effective for more complex issues No temptation to leave them out, so less self-discipline is needed for success No extra cleaning steps required besides regular brushing and flossing	Pros	Invisible Removable No issues with food getting caught No difficulty eating No discomfort from wires
May have some pain, sores or discomfort from wires, brackets or tooth movement May have tooth discoloration due to difficult hygiene, bracket breakage and tooth wear May have difficulty eating sticky, hard foods	Cons	May have discomfort from tooth movement Must remove before eating or drinking anything but water Must brush after each meal to avoid staining
Patients who play rough contact sports on a regular basis	NOT ideal for	Patients with: back tooth bite issues the need to rotate canines or premolars the need to move teeth vertically lack of discipline to keep trays in for at least 22 hours daily