Two students walk into a theater, starving for some popcorn, however, only one walks into their movie with a bag of buttery goodness, removing their Invisalign as their mouth waters, and the other has braces. The debate on which is better between Invisalign and Braces is a hot topic among young people. Now that there is a choice, many kids are choosing the more invisible option, seeing it as an ‘obvious choice’. However, when it comes to those who have already had Invisalign, opinions may differ.

   Gabrielle Cusic is a student at Fraser High School who wore Invisalign for around three years, having a retainer she wears at night to this day. Gabrielle is a bit of an outlier, having had both braces and Invisalign throughout her life.

   “There’s pros and cons to both,” Cusic said when asked what she feels is better. 

   Cusic goes on to explain that she likes the customization to braces and dislikes how easy Invisalign is to misplace, but enjoys being able to eat what she wants and not having to deal with the discomfort of braces. In the end, however, Cusic would likely choose Invisalign over braces.

   As for past braces users, responses were quite interesting.

   Erik Schroeder graduated from Fraser High School during COVID, and finished his schooling with a bachelor’s from Macomb Community College this past year. For three years, Schroeder had braces and got them tightened once every three months.

   Much like Cusic, Schroeder has a hard time picking a side. He explains that he didn’t very much mind braces and doesn’t regret getting them. Despite this, he likely would have chosen Invisalign if he was able to go back, citing the main reason as the freedom to eat what he so desires.

   Between both Invisalign and braces users, a major consensus is that there are pros and cons to both. Despite this, both users agreed that they preferred Invisalign mainly on account of its easy use, freedom in terms of food, and comfort.

   Surprisingly, Dentists and Orthodontists share similar sentiments to their patients.

   In TopRatedDenist’s interview with Dr. Robee Bailey, he reveals that most of his patients prefer Invisalign, regardless of age. As an example, he explains that older patients who, for instance, work in media or public speaking, favor Invisalign because they aren’t very obvious.

   “From a health perspective,” He said, “Because they are removable, it provides better access for oral hygiene care than traditional braces.”

   Despite this health bonus, Bailey does have his own gripes with Invisalign and how it works with patients.

   “Invisalign is not the most efficient when it comes to correcting teeth that are turned or rotated.” Bailey says. He goes on to explain that technological advances have made Invisalign able to correct about 85% of dental issues. While the technology is not quite as efficient as braces, it is safe to assume that with technological advancements, it could be soon.

  Bailey also mentions that Invisalign has a generally shorter treatment than braces, and isn’t more or less expensive than its counterpart. He agrees that there is also much more freedom in terms of food.

      “My recommendation is tailor-made depending on the needs of the child or teen and even adult patients. Everyone’s needs differ,” Bailey explained when asked if he would recommend one dental treatment plan over the other.

   While many see Invisalign as an obvious choice, in actuality, it is a much more difficult choice. Both have their pros and cons, and in the end, it is generally up to being able to trust yourself with Invisalign and what your doctor sees fit for you.

Picture credit: Invisalign.com