ALTERNATIVES TO BRACES
Unfortunately, braces through the years have gotten a bad rap as being unattractive and unsightly. While this was certainly true back in 1950 when bands were used on all of the teeth, advancements in brackets have come leaps and bounds. The sizes of the brackets have gotten much smaller and aesthetic brackets have become available.
Regardless, the new generations want to know if we can move teeth without the braces. The answer is "Yes, within reason".
One advantage that the braces still have over alternative options is that they can perform movements that the alternatives can’t always accomplish because of the direction of movements. Alternatives have come a long way and can achieve amazing results in a lot of cases, but may not always be able to achieve the goals standard brackets can.
Invisalign
Invisalign is a wonderful aesthetic option to traditional braces. It is a set of progressive aligners (clear retainer type material) that move teeth in small increments. The patient wears each aligner for a period of time to achieve each movement before moving to the next. If the patient is committed to wearing their aligners, this is a great option for tooth movement.
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