An orthodontist is a dentist who has received special training in the areas of diagnosing, preventing, and treating any irregularities with the jaw or the teeth. They correct any issues which exist currently, and are trained to identify issues which may develop in the future. They can work with people of all ages, including youngsters and seniors.

Invisalign is a system which makes use of clear plastic aligners, and when used properly, it will accomplish the same kind of teeth re-alignment that conventional metal braces do. The great thing about Invisalign aligners is that they are virtually undetectable when in place, so the wearer is not obliged to endure criticism or mocking, as sometimes happens with young people. A series of Invisalign aligners can accomplish straightening in 12 to 18 months, if the patient keeps them in place for the recommended 20-22 hours each day.

Teens are more likely to request Invisalign aligners than any other age group, because they are probably more affected by the kind of teasing that hurts a person’s self-image. Because Invisalign aligners have a very low profile, they are not often observed by others, so the wearer can avoid all the hassle of peer criticism.

Clear braces are usually colored to match the shade of your other teeth, so that they just can’t be identified as being a dental device. Clear braces have clear brackets, which means they’re far less noticeable than metal braces and metal brackets, but not quite as invisible as Invisalign.

The big difference between these two systems is that when you have Invisalign installed, you will still be making in-person visits to your orthodontist’s office, whereas Smile Direct is more of a club format, which mails the aligners to your residence. One of the drawbacks of Smile Direct is that there’s no direct supervision by a qualified dental professional, so if anything goes wrong, it may not be caught for awhile.

While 6-month braces do work much faster than either conventional braces or Invisalign, they are also not quite as thorough as either of those other two systems. They are also less expensive, because there are fewer aligners required to accomplish the entire straightening program.