Are you unsure of the difference between orthodontics and Invisalign? Here's everything you need to know about these two dental care options.

What Is Orthodontist Treatment?

Technically, Invisalign is part of orthodontic treatment. It is one option among many for helping people to straighten their teeth, which is what orthodontic treatment is all about.

Aside from Invisalign, one of the main options for straightening teeth is traditional braces. Traditional braces consist of a series of metal brackets glued to the teeth.



Then, wire bands are run between those brackets. By manipulating the bands, orthodontists use traditional braces to pull your teeth slowly in the direction of proper alignment.

What Is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a more modern alternative to traditional braces. It relies on advancements in plastic and orthodontic technology. Invisalign consists of a pair of aligners that fit specifically to the shape of your teeth.

However, Invisalign aligners are shaped very slightly more like properly aligned teeth rather than like the shape of your current mouth. That means that wearing them will start to pull your teeth into proper alignment.



Once your teeth are aligned to your aligners, you can get a second set of aligners to further align your teeth. By repeating this process, you can smoothly move your teeth into a proper alignment.

Which Option Is Best for Teeth Straightening?

There is no one best option for straightening teeth. The truth is that both Invisalign and traditional braces have certain advantages. However, there are some mouths that are crooked enough that Invisalign is not sufficient to straighten them.

In those cases, you will need to use traditional braces. What about for more common cases of misaligned teeth?



In the vast majority of cases, Invisalign aligners are an adequate option. At that point, you have to choose between traditional braces and Invisalign aligners on the basis of other factors. These can include things like convenience, speed, and appearance.

Which Option Is More Convenient?

For most people, receiving Invisalign aligners from their local dentist or orthodontist is much more convenient. There are several reasons that Invisalign aligners are more convenient than traditional braces.

First of all, you can take your aligners in and out. This makes them unlike traditional braces, which remained glued to your teeth for many months.

One of the more difficult things about traditional braces is that you cannot eat certain foods while you wear them. For example, you need to avoid apples, because they might knock off your brackets.

The same applies to pretzels, jerky, gum, and other chewy and hard foods. How do Invisalign aligners compare? You can remove your aligners while you eat.

That means that you can eat exactly the same way you did before you got your aligners. On top of that, Invisalign aligners are much more convenient when it comes to oral hygiene.



Traditional braces require you to get a variety of special tools to clean behind and around the wires and brackets. This can make cleaning your teeth take twice as long or more. On top of that, it can be hard to do a perfectly good job.

In contrast, you can remove your Invisalign aligners while you clean your teeth. That means that you can floss and brush exactly the same both before and after you get Invisalign aligners.

Which Option Is More Discreet?

As we discussed, more adults are considering Invisalign aligners as a viable option. One of the reasons for that is because of how discreet they are. Invisalign aligners are almost completely invisible.

The vast majority of the time, people will not notice that you are wearing them at all. That makes them a better option for many professionals who are worried about maintaining their appearance in the workplace.

Invisalign aligners can also be removed for special occasions like photo shoots. On top of that, Invisalign aligners often work more quickly than traditional braces.

Traditional braces might take between 18 months and three years to straighten a typical set of teeth. But Invisalign aligners can often finish the process in about a year. If you are lucky, you might even be able to finish straightening your teeth in as little as six months.

Understand the Differences Between Orthodontics and Invisalign

We hope learning about the differences between orthodontics and Invisalign has been helpful for you. Many people are becoming more interested in orthodontic treatment because of how convenient Invisalign can be.



For all of your dental care needs, it is important to know where you can find a great pediatric dentist in Tijuana, Mexico. To learn more about orthodontics and where you can find a great dentist, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!