Braces
Overview
Nowadays 95% of Dr. Carbonella’s patients select Invisalign as their treatment choice, but he also has decades of experience using traditional braces. Braces are dental devices designed to correct and align misaligned teeth and bites. Comprised of a system of brackets, wires, and bands, braces work together to apply pressure to the teeth, gradually guiding them into proper alignment over a series of manual adjustments performed by your orthodontic specialist.
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If you feel that braces would be the best choice for you or your loved one, we’ve got you covered! Modern braces have evolved significantly, and are typically smaller, better polished, and more comfortable compared to braces from the 80s and 90s.
Invisalign Vs. Braces
Invisalign | Braces | |
|---|---|---|
Treatment Duration | Typically 12-18 months depending on complexity of case and as long as we have a compliant patient | Typically 18-28 months + depending on the complexity of the case; can be extended due to loose brackets |
Food Restrictions | None | Yes, a lot. Can't eat sticky of crunchy things, brackets can be knocked loose. |
Esthetics | Mostly Invisalign and very esthetic, can whiten during treatment | Metal, cannot take on/off, cannot whiten during treatment |
Emergency Visits | None | Can be frequent, depends on the patient |
Appointment Frequency | Once every 10-20 weeks | Once a month (sometimes more if brackets loosen) |
Comfort | Excellent due to polished and smooth aligners | Uncomfortable due to metal brackets and wires that can shift/poke |
Cost | Same (Dr. Carbonella charges the same for Invisalign & Braces) | Same (Dr. Carbonella charges the same for Invisalign & Braces) |
Who are Braces for?
If you or your loved one know for sure that you wouldn’t be compliant with wearing your aligners for 18-22 hours/day, then braces might be a better option for you. Other times, parents are worried that their child or teen would often lose their Invisalign aligners. We have found that children and teens tend to rise to the occasion and do a wonderful job. Also remember that Invisalign treatment is inclusive for all of your aligners, so if an aligner is lost/broken, you’ll have your box of aligners at home and you can hop into the next one.
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Think of braces as a wind-up swiss watch: traditional, complex, and requires frequent manual adjustments. Invisalign is more like an Apple Watch: digital, automated, set it and forget it. Both braces and Invisalign can get you a beautiful smile and bite and with a great, compliant patient, it should take about the same amount of time either way. Dr. Carbonella intentionally doesn’t up-charge for either treatment, so that you feel comfortable choosing the appliance you feel would be the best fit without feeling any financial pressure to choose one way or another.