Compare braces

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	Traditional brace	Cosmetic braces	Invisalign	Lingual braces

Description	Traditional braces are stainless steel brackets and wires that are attached to the outside of the teeth. Wires are adjusted throughout treatment in order to gradually move teeth into the desired position	Traditional cosmetic braces are clear ceramic brackets that are attached to the outside of the teeth. Wires can be either clear or metal. Wires are adjusted throughout treatment in order to gradually move teeth into the desired position	Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable plastic trays (aligners) that fit over teeth. Aligners are custom-made and changed every two weeks in order to gradually move teeth into the desired position	Lingual braces are metal brackets and wires that are bonded to the back of teeth. Wires are adjusted throughout treatment in order to gradually move teeth into the desired position
Aesthetics	High visibility	Less visible than traditional braces but more visible than lingual braces and Invisalign	Virtually invisible	Low visibility
Costs	Treatment cost varies	Treatment cost varies	Treatment cost varies	Treatment cost varies
Efficiency	Suitable for nearly all cases	Suitable for nearly all cases	Suitable for most cases from mild to moderate complexity. Treatment outcomes are dependent on the experience level of the practitioner	Suitable for most cases from mild to moderate complexity. However, it is more difficult for practitioners to manage lingual brace treatment than it is to treat patients with conventional braces
Comfort	Mouth sores/ulcers may be triggered by irritation from components of the braces. Broken brackets and wires can cause discomfort and may require urgent attention from your treating practitioner	Mouth sores/ulcers may be triggered by irritation from components of the braces. Broken brackets and wires can cause discomfort and may require urgent attention from your treating practitioner	Most people experience temporary, minor discomfort at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This short-term effect is typically described as a feeling of pressure. Speech may be temporarily affected at the beginning of treatment	Lingual appliances can have an affect on the tongue position and may affect speech throughout treatment4. Mouth sores/ulcers may be triggered by irritation from components of the braces
Oral hygiene	Oral hygiene is harder to maintain with fixed braces when brushing and flossing. For these reasons, there is a general tendency towards increased plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation	Oral hygiene is harder to maintain with fixed braces when brushing and flossing. For these reasons, there is a general tendency towards increased plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation	Invisalign aligners can be removed for normal brushing and flossing. Therefore it’s easier to maintain a good level of oral hygiene throughout the course of treatment	With lingual appliances, because of their position on the back of teeth, it is more difficult to brush and floss normally during treatment. This increases the chance of plaque retention and possible tooth decay
Compliance	High level of compliance – braces are fixed to the teeth for the duration of treatment. However, levels of compliance with elastic wear can vary from patient to patient. Also, 5% of patients in fixed treatment experience bracket breakage	High level of compliance – braces are fixed to the teeth for the duration of treatment. However, levels of compliance with elastic wear can vary from patient to patient. Also, 5% of patients in fixed treatment experience bracket breakage	Research shows that because aligners are virtually invisible, there is a high level of patient acceptance with Invisalign treatment	Research shows that because aligners are virtually invisible, there is a high level of patient acceptance with Invisalign treatment
Removable	N/A	N/A	Removable, but aligners should be worn a minimum of 20-22 hours a day to be most effective	N/A