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How Braces and Invisalign Impact Dental Hygiene

by | Sep 1, 2021 | Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment can have a big impact on how you clean your teeth. It’s important to take good care of your teeth, especially while undergoing orthodontic treatment to ensure the best results. Here are the details on how braces and Invisalign impact dental hygiene so you can prepare.

Braces or Invisalign?

If you’re trying to decide between braces and Invisalign, let’s start by explaining the differences. Braces are typically made of metal, although sometimes they can be made of ceramic. Small brackets are attached to the front of each tooth with a special dental glue. A wire is then wrapped around the whole row of teeth and attached to the brackets on each tooth by small elastic bands. The wire works to straighten the teeth into their correct positions.

Invisalign is quite a bit different from traditional braces. Invisalign aligners are made of thin, clear plastic and designed to fit over your teeth like a mouth guard, but much more compact and less noticeable. In fact, as their name suggests, they are practically invisible. Throughout the course of treatment, you’ll receive new aligners that are progressively straighter to gradually bring your teeth into proper alignment.

How braces and Invisalign impact dental hygiene may be a deciding factor in which treatment you prefer to use.

Cleaning Your Teeth with Braces

Cleaning your teeth with braces can be a bit more challenging and time-consuming than it was before. When you brush, you’ll need to brush at more angles around the brackets to ensure that the bristles clean every surface. Flossing will also require more effort to thread the floss under the wire to be able to reach between each tooth. You’ll get used to it all before long so that it will become second nature, but it takes a bit of time to adjust!

Cleaning Your Teeth with Aligners

Cleaning your teeth with Invisalign aligners is a lot less complicated than with braces because they are removable so dental care looks much the same as before orthodontic treatment, with brushing and flossing unobstructed, although it’s important to remember to brush your aligner with toothpaste inside and out, too.

Because Invisalign aligners are removable that is a big advantage for cleaning, but make sure to wear them for at least 22 hours a day or the amount of time your orthodontist recommends as their results rely heavily on patient compliance so removing them for longer periods of time could allow your teeth to move back towards their old positions and delay your progress.

Talking to Your Orthodontist

If you’re trying to decide which orthodontic treatment in Knoxville, TN to get, talk to your orthodontist about how braces and Invisalign impact dental hygiene. Your orthodontist will be able to perform a thorough exam and let you know which type of treatment is best for the issues you’re wanting to correct. They can also give you tips and recommend special tools to help make dental hygiene easier once you begin orthodontic treatment.

Call our Knoxville, Alcoa/Maryville, TN, dental office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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