It is never too late to improve the structural arrangement of the teeth and clear plastic aligners are making it possible to undergo these improvements at any stage of life, without feeling self-conscious or embarrassed.
Parents and children seeking orthodontic treatment now have a choice between clear aligners and traditional braces
With the introduction of Clear aligners patients get multiple benefits besides being an effective alternative to bracket and wire orthodontics, especially for adults. Knowledge is power hence
Clear Aligners are here to stay and are considered as orthodontic invention of the decade. Although many Orthodontists considered it to be less effective but with the passage of time even they are convinced that aligners are a perfect match to traditional braces.
What makes clear aligners better than the traditional braces?
Despite the fact that traditional braces have been the optimum choice of dentists since ages regardless of their unpleasant look, dentist across the world including Pakistan are now inclined towards the clear aligners after discovering the positive sides of these barely-there braces.
| Traditional Braces | Clear Aligners |
| Visibility | ✘ Clearly visible, makes the person conscious about his/her appearance | ✓ Invisible look |
| Removability | ✘ Permanently fixed inside the mouth of patient | ✓ Easily removable to eat or clean whenever necessary |
| Comfortability | ✘ Uncomfortable, damages inner lips and tongue | ✓ A barely-there feel |
| Safety | ✘ Possible Development of tarter and plaque deposits | ✓ Perfectly suitable form of cosmetic correction |
| Health Benefits | ✘ Unhygienic | ✓ Easy maintenance, allows the patient to remove and brush or floss his/her teeth with ease |
| Impression-less scanning | ✘ Not possible | ✓ Ideal for a perfect structural rearrangement |
- Visibility:
The main reason why adult patients choose clear aligners is that they appear invisible. This helps conceal the fact that the patient is undergoing orthodontic treatment, which some adults find embarrassing. Clear aligners provide better aesthetics by also removing existing gaps, if any.
- Removability:
Unlike traditional braces, patients love having the ability to remove their clear aligners when they eat and brush their teeth. This allows them to continue their usual hygiene routine of brushing and flossing.
- Comfortability
Aligners have smooth surfaces that can’t get snagged on clothing, hair or any other miscellaneous items that are brought near the mouth.
Moreover, these trays are entirely removable and can be easily lifted out of the mouth when the patient wants to enjoy a hot beverage or indulge in extremely crunchy, chewy or sticky foods. Putting aligners back in the mouth is a breeze, and this also makes it easier for people to perform diligent oral care and to effectively protect the well-being of the underlying tooth structures.
- Increased Safety:
Although metal braces provide a perfectly suitable form of cosmetic correction for many people, clear aligners are decidedly safer given that there are no protruding wires or bits of metal that can get caught on or scratch the lips and gums. No fear of tartar or plaque deposits with easy brushing and flossing.
- Health benefits:
Many patients who have traditional braces find it difficult to maintain oral hygiene which may result in swollen gums that can become problematic if the patient neglects to perform good oral hygiene. Swollen gums can then lead to gingivitis, which if left untreated can lead to lifelong health problems.
Clear aligners were first used only on simple orthodontic cases, such as slightly crowded teeth, but now they’re used for even the most advanced orthodontic cases. Not only do clear aligners take away the social stigma of orthodontics, but they also tend to be more efficient when it comes to patients’ oral health.
- Impression-less scanning:
One of the best ways orthodontists can be more clinically efficient and reduce the discomfort experience by combining the use of clear aligners and impression-less scanning.
- Fully Computerized Treatment Plans:
Clear aligners allow for an overall orthodontic treatment plan that is far easier to follow and understand than many of the most common corrective measures of the past. These treatment plans are entirely computerized hence no guess work, meaning that patients can assess their treatment results phase by phase and can develop feasible expectations for forthcoming improvements in smile aesthetics.
Clear aligners and braces provide more precise treatment duration, avoids extractions of premolars by creating inter-dental space via inter-proximal reduction, less frequent trips to the dental chair and healthier periodontal tissue and less risk of enamel de-calcification by avoiding brackets.
Clear aligners are a great alternative to bracket and wire orthodontics and are now readily available all over Pakistan so ask your dentist for more details.
