San Diego Dental Clinic Explores Invisalign’s Unique Features

CA based San Diego Wellness Dentistry is pleased to inform their community that a new entry on Invisalign has been published on their website. The third entry in a series that explores the popular clear aligners, the post now tackles the unique features that make Invisalign stand out from other invisible braces.

The dental clinic begins the post, titled ‘What Makes Invisalign Different from Other Invisible Braces?’ by acknowledging that clear aligners are often far more popular among adults. Dr. Sam Parsi of San Diego Wellness Dentistry states that, “Parents tend to prefer getting the more familiar metal braces for their children that they grew up with themselves. On one hand, the metal variants are known quantities, and the parent will not have to do much exploration of the subject to gain an understanding of what they are capable of. Clear braces and aligners, however, may take some convincing, especially given the fact that the advantages they boast can make them seem too good to be true.” Additionally, the doctor says that economic considerations play a role in whether or not a child gets metal braces.

Dr. Parsi's view is that, “Adults are more likely to know exactly what they want and have the funds to pursue the option they prefer. They tend to pick clear braces or aligners because they want to make their dental needs less noticeable.” Due to this, the post seeks to lay out the differences between Invisalign and other options in order to give patients a more thorough understanding of the advantages they stand to gain and the drawbacks they will have to contend with.

The post states, “Clear braces work like traditional braces, except that they use ceramic brackets instead of metal ones. These match the color of your teeth, so they are not quite as apparent as traditional metal braces. The benefit of clear braces versus Invisalign is that they use arch-wires, which will align your teeth more efficiently. One significant disadvantage to clear braces is that you cannot use them on your lower teeth. Ceramic is harder than enamel and may damage your teeth.”

In addition to this, clear braces may lose their ability to blend in with the patient’s teeth depending on their lifestyle. Despite the fact that clear braces will initially match the user’s teeth, any habits that regularly stain the mouth can make them stand out over time. Drinking coffee, smoking, eating curry, and so on, according to the post, can contribute to the mismatch in color. Due to this, the clinic concludes that, “While clear braces are less noticeable than metal ones, they are not going to be as subtle as Invisalign aligners, which are virtually impossible to detect.”

Notably, that doesn’t mean patients who prefer clear aligners are left without other options to consider. Through the post, the clinic identifies at least two other brands of clear aligners that have reached the market since the advent of Invisalign: the Clear Solutions and Smile Direct Club aligners.

“Invisalign and Clear Solutions aligners follow a relatively similar procedure,” says the clinic. “You will meet with an orthodontist or dentist for a consultation. They will make an impression of your teeth, then scan it into the computer to design your customized trays. Just like Invisalign, you must switch out your Clear Solutions trays every two weeks. The main difference between the two is the material: Clear Solution uses soft plastic, while Invisalign uses a product called SmartTrack.”

They continue, “SmartTrack is a very elastic type of plastic. After a couple of days, other aligners tend to slacken, losing their effectiveness in moving your teeth. SmartTrack’s elasticity allows it to maintain its grip on your teeth, giving you the best possible results from your aligners.” Furthermore, Invisalign’s solution comes with a built-in monitoring feature that can help dental providers identify whether the patient has used the aligners as often as they are supposed to (between 20-22 hours a day). Dr. Parsi points out that this may be an important feature for those parents who do opt to give their child Invisalign, given that it can help them ensure the child uses their aligners as instructed.

Patients considering Invisalign are encouraged to look up the clinic’s blog posts on the subject. Part three is currently live, and can be accessed at any time as well. Interested parties may also reach out to Dr. Sam Parsi of San Diego Wellness Dentistry to make any further inquiries, or connect with the clinic through their preferred social media platforms to stay up to date with their latest news, blog posts, and announcements.