Braces versus Invisalign?

I'm hoping that some of you teens have had either braces or Invisalign and can tell me your opinion.


My son needs to get braces. He has bucked front teeth. I was wondering about the pros and cons of braces versus Invisalign? I've never worn braces myself, so I don't know what they're like. Have any of you tried Invisalign and do they work as well as braces, in your opinion? Anyone tried them with bucked teeth? What about the cost difference? How much did you pay for your braces or Invisalign? Also, do you have to wait for all of your permanent teeth to be in before you get braces or Invisalign, or can it be done while he still has some baby teeth? (The bucked teeth are his permanent teeth, though). Thanks.

Braces versus Invisalign?
I think braces are better than Invisalign, especially in your son's case. Invisalign only works for minor imperfections, like a little bit of crowding or crookedness. For bucked teeth, I think you're going to have to go with traditional braces. They both cost about the same ($4000 and up) and do the same thing, but a bit differently. With traditional braces, the brackets are glued right onto your teeth and a wire is then connected to each bracket and pulls the teeth into position. With Invisalign, your teeth are put into a shaped retainer and your teeth slowly move to adjust to the shape of the mould of the Invisalign. With Invisalign, you get a new retainer every month or so to help straighten your teeth. With braces you get them tightened roughly every 6 weeks (they take out the old wire and put in a new). I think braces are better because the concept makes more sense, but they hurt. I think you should take your son to an orthodontist for a consultation and see if he is a candidate for either treatments. The orthodontist will explain to you the risks of both and give you a suggestion. You don't have to get braces immediately after the consultation, so you will have time to think about it. I don't think your son should get braces with baby teeth because that will cause a lot of complications and it'll just lengthen the entire process. I think a good age to get braces would be around 13/14 years old. I wear the traditional braces and I like them. They hurt sometimes and food can get stuck, but I can actually see how much my teeth has straightened from looking at the wire. It's kind of encouraging. =) Besides, so many kids wear braces now, it's a trend. No one gets called brace-face anymore. Good luck.
Reply:braces
Reply:I have braces, and have never tried invisalign. I tried to get it, but my orthodontist said it was a bad idea because it is not as effective. A treatment plan for braces may take like 2 years with braces and 4 with invisalign. I would only recommend invisalign if your child is an actor, or no one at school has braces, if braces are a health hazard, or if braces are too expensive.
Reply:I had braces for 6 years, my pointed teeth were up above my gum line.(kinda looked like a vampire) At first I thought they would be a hassle and all around pain to deal with and clean but after about a month of having them I got pretty good at that stuff. I don't know about the invisalign to much, but every adult I know who needed braces said that even though the braces are metal and obvious they are alot easier then the invisalign.If he has permanent molars braces might be better because the main part of the braces are metal rings around the farthest back molars the pull everything in place. and the brackets that are on the front of the teeth are easy to take on and off. But your best bet is to talk to an orthodontist, see what he says about it. Hope this helps.
Reply:The question is whether or not he would even qualify for Invisalign. My dentist told me that Invisalign is only for people with mild cases of crowded or misaligned teeth. Invisalign is also significantly more expensive.
Reply:i had both braces and invisalign.i like the braces more because the invisalign has alot of cons.the make you drool more,have to take them out when you eat,makes your breath smell,they make your talk funny.you have to get new invisaligns every few weeks because since your teeth are moving your invisialign has to move with it.
Reply:Braces are cheaper, work faster, and are easier to keep clean.





Metal braces also allow for more customization. For example, Theoretical Bob has braces. One of his molars responds faster than expected; just slap on a new bracket and put in a new wire. With Invisalign there would be a lot of waiting involved.





However, you shouldn't put braces on him before all his baby teeth come out. It's like building a huge mansion right on top of a fault line, a week before an earthquake. You'll move everything around, then a tooth comes out, and you have to redo the whole thing.





Many orthodontists are a little too free with extractions; they just want to rip teeth out and slap braces on. Bad idea. Very bad, very expensive, and permanent teeth don't grow back.





What I'm on now makes a lot of sense and works very well, although I don't have bucked teeth the principle is the same. First I had headgear and a retainer to sort of shift everything around, and then braces were used as fine-tuning.
Reply:i'm getting braces soon but i've heard that invisalign gives you awful headaches. also it's a lot more expensive. you have to wait for most of your teeth to fall out (i still have 2 molars left to lose, but i'm getting braces anyway), but i think it depends on the situation. probably you should ask your dentist/orthodontist for more info.