Switching from Braces to Invisalign: 5 Signs It’s Time to Transition

Making a decision about straightening your teeth is difficult.

From orthodontists to treatment options, you’re confronted with a plethora of conflicting information, and it’s easy to make a decision that you may later second-guess.

Perhaps you chose to correct your malocclusion with braces.

However, you may have found your metal brackets and archwires to be inconvenient, irritating, time consuming and embarrassing.

While braces are commonly called fixed orthodontic appliances, that doesn’t mean you have to be fixed to your braces forever.

Even if you’re regretting your original decision, you do have other options.

Switching from braces to Invisalign is a viable option, depending on your orthodontic treatment situation.

Making the transition to Invisalign allows you to almost invisibly correct your malocclusion while enjoying the convenience of removable aligners for enjoying meals and cleaning your teeth with ease.

If you’re regretting your choice of fixed orthodontic appliances, here are 5 signs it’s time to consider switching from braces to Invisalign:

1. Your Braces Make You Feel Self-Conscious

When it comes to switching from braces to Invisalign, you need to consider the impact your orthodontic treatment has on your emotions.

It’s no secret that braces can cause you to feel self-conscious. However, there’s no reason why straightening your teeth should significantly increase your negative emotions.

Consider if you experience…

• Embarrassment when you smile, laugh or grin.
• Reticence and reluctance toward social situations.
• Shyness at your workplace.

If your metal braces are hampering your interactions, it may be time to consider trying Invisalign clear aligners.

Instead of enduring the embarrassment of brackets and archwires, you can enjoy how the clear plastic material of Invisalign’s aligners conceal your orthodontic treatment to maintain your confidence.

2. You Want to Reduce Time Spent on Oral Hygiene

Whether you choose lingual or buccal braces, cleaning your teeth will require you to…

• Ensure no food is clinging to your braces to avoid decay.
• Carefully brush around your brackets and wiring.
• Thread floss through your archwires to clean between your teeth.

After months of a painstaking routine, you may tire of the amount of time that cleaning your teeth consumes.

If you notice you’ve become careless with oral hygiene because of the effort it takes, then you should evaluate switching from braces to Invisalign.

3. You Want to Resume Your Normal Diet

Wearing metal braces necessitates putting some foods on standby. Because your brackets and wiring can potentially break, eating requires extra caution.

For instance, Dental Associates recommends avoiding popcorn and nuts and states that you should ensure smaller sizes for the following foods:

• Fruits
• Raw veggies
• Italian or French bread
• Meat and hamburgers
• Corn on the cob

If mealtime has become a chore, then Invisalign’s removable aligners may be your best option.

4. You Want to Avoid the Inconvenience of Metal Braces

Switching from metal braces to Invisalign can ease your orthodontic treatment if you’re struggling with the inconvenience of metal braces.

With fixed orthodontic appliances, you may accidentally damage an archwire or have a rubber band come loose. When eating meals, you may constantly worry about having food stick to your braces.

If wearing braces has complicated your life, consider orthodontic treatment with Invisalign’s clear—and removable—aligners.

5. Your Teeth Are Suffering from Demineralisation

It’s a fact that demineralisation, a dental condition that creates the appearance of white spots on your teeth, is a risk when you wear braces. (To see why fixed orthodontic appliances contribute to this condition, read this article on demineralisation.)

If your teeth are beginning to develop white spots, then you need to take steps to prevent your demineralisation from worsening. In addition to consulting your orthodontist, you should also consider switching from metal braces to Invisalign to reduce your risk.

From reducing your inconvenience to increasing your confidence, transitioning to Invisalign can help you find a beautiful smile while making your orthodontic treatment a more pleasant experience.

If you’re ready to enjoy the benefits of clear aligners, schedule a free consultation with your nearest MiSmile Invisalign provider.