If you want to mend crooked or crowded teeth but don’t want to wear metal braces, you may be happy to know that your cosmetic & implant dentist Tomball offers an excellent alternative, clear aligners. These appliances offer a more discreet method for straightening teeth and have several other benefits. Below are the top reasons why clear aligners are becoming increasingly popular.

Invisible

As the name might suggest, clear aligners are less noticeable than your regular braces; this is the most obvious feature of aligners like Invisalign. These aligners are made out of BPA-free plastic and eliminate the need for metal wires and brackets. This feature makes clear aligners a preferred choice for many teenagers and adults.

Teenagers spend much time trying to fit in or blend in with their peers. However, teens who wear metal braces can’t blend in due to their appearance. As such, one may have low confidence, which could lead to anxiety and depression. But with clear aligners, teens no longer worry about how they look; they are willing to smile more and interact with their peers than those who wear metal braces.

Adults whose occupation requires a lot of interaction with people or being in the spotlight also benefit from clear aligners. They can undergo their orthodontic treatment without making it obvious to everyone.

Convenient

Clear aligners are removable, meaning you can remove them whenever you need to eat and return them later. There are no food adjustments with clear aligners; you can enjoy all foods without worrying about your braces breaking. But with traditional braces, food options are limited. Hard, sticky, and chewy food can cause the wires to bend or the brackets to break. You can’t enjoy caramel, apples, stake, and candy.

Maintain oral hygiene

Orthodontic treatment focuses on straightening your teeth, but you also want to have healthy teeth at the end of treatment. Because clear aligners are removable, you can brush and floss your teeth as you would normally. You can also clean them separately before putting them in your mouth. They eliminate the need to maneuver your toothbrush around delicate wires and brackets.

Cleaning your teeth is usually difficult when you have metal braces, especially removing food particles stuck inside the brackets. As such, your risk of dental problems like tooth decay and gum disease increase.

Eliminate common pitfalls of metal braces

While metal braces are usually effective at straightening teeth, these appliances carry an assortment of side effects. For example, oral abrasion is a common issue endured by many who wear metal braces. The rough edges of metal brackets cause abrasion-type injuries to the inside of the mouth. The good news is those clear aligners have no brackets and wires to worry about; they have smooth edges, so you don’t have to worry about oral abrasion.

Additionally, your teeth won’t be discolored after you are done with treatment. Wearing metal braces for a long time creates an undesirable mismatch in the teeth. Fixing the problems can be challenging since this type of discoloration doesn’t respond well to most whitening treatments.

If you have misaligned teeth, consult your dentist at Russell Family Dentistry to know if you are a good candidate for clear aligners.