Quick answer: Invisalign aligners are clear and removable. You wear them at least 22 hours a day, with a check-up every 8 to 12 weeks. Fixed braces stay on and work day and night, with a check-up every month. Invisalign works just as well as fixed braces, and sometimes even better. We discuss which one suits you at the first consultation.
Introduction
Torn between Invisalign aligners and fixed braces? It is one of the questions we hear most often. Both straighten your teeth, but the route there is different. Below we compare them point by point, followed by three questions that help you choose. You can read more about each treatment on our pages about Invisalign and fixed braces.
What is the difference?
Aligners are thin, clear trays that fit precisely over your teeth. Every two weeks you switch to the next set, and that is how your teeth move step by step. You take them out to eat and brush, then put them back in. At our practice you are treated with Invisalign aligners.
Fixed braces consist of brackets on your teeth with a wire. They stay in place and work day and night, so you do not have to remember to put them in. You come in for a check-up every month.
In one sentence: aligners are removable and almost invisible; fixed braces stay in place and are visible.
When do people choose aligners?
- You would like hardly anyone to notice. At work or at school they are barely visible.
- You would rather not give up any food. You take the aligners out to eat.
- You would like fewer check-ups. Every 8 to 12 weeks, compared with every month for fixed braces.
- You can stick to the wearing schedule. Aligners only work if you wear them at least 22 hours a day.
Treatment with aligners takes 6 to 18 months on average.
When do people choose fixed braces?
- You would rather not think about a wearing schedule. Fixed braces work day and night, without you having to put them in.
- You prefer something that stays in place. There is nothing to take out or carry with you.
Treatment with fixed braces takes 12 to 24 months on average.
Comparison in one table
| Invisalign aligners | Fixed braces | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible | Hardly | Yes |
| Removable | Yes, to eat and brush | No |
| Average duration | 6 to 18 months | 12 to 24 months |
| Check-ups | Every 8 to 12 weeks | Every month |
| What you do | Wear them at least 22 hours a day | Nothing to put in or take out |
| Eating | Aligners out, then eat | No chewing gum, not even sugar-free |
| Oral hygiene | Remains important | Remains important; brush well around the brackets |
| After a new step | Sensitive for a few days, usually gone within a week | Sensitive for a few days, usually gone within a week |
| Afterwards | Removable retainer | Removable retainer |
You can read what a treatment costs under what Invisalign costs and what braces cost.
How do you choose?
Usually three questions decide the outcome.
1. What needs to happen in your teeth?
At the first consultation we examine your teeth and make a 3D scan, without impression material. Afterwards you will hear which options you have and what we recommend. If any preparatory work is needed first, we will tell you that too.
2. What does your daily life look like?
If you have a lot of client contact or give presentations, visibility weighs more heavily and aligners are the obvious choice. If you would rather not have to think about it at all, fixed braces may suit you better.
3. Can you manage to wear the aligners 22 hours a day?
Be honest with yourself. Aligners only work if they are in almost all the time: out to eat and brush, then straight back in. If that is not realistic for you, fixed braces take that concern away.
Still in doubt? Our page which brace suits you also compares removable braces.
Why choose Orthodontie Museumplein?
You are treated by Drs. Lotte Meereboer, dentist specialising in orthodontics (MSc Orthodontics). She has more than 18 years of experience in orthodontics and is the founder of the Dutch Aligner Society. We offer both Invisalign aligners and fixed braces. You can book directly, without a referral from your dentist. The practice is at Teniersstraat 2 hs, near Museumplein in Amsterdam-Zuid.
Frequently asked questions
Does Invisalign work as well as fixed braces?
Yes. Invisalign works just as well as fixed braces, and sometimes even better. You will hear which treatment suits you at the first consultation.
How many hours a day do you wear aligners?
At least 22 hours a day. You only take them out to eat and brush.
Do braces hurt?
After a new step your teeth may feel sensitive for a few days. This usually wears off within a week. Teeth move at most about one millimetre a month.
Do I need to wear a retainer after treatment?
Yes, after both. At our practice this is a removable retainer: every night for the first year, then 3 to 5 nights a week for life. More about retainers.
I had braces before. Can I have aligners now?
Often you can, but you will hear whether it suits you at the first consultation.
Would you like to know which option suits you? Book a first consultation.