When it comes to finding the right orthodontic treatment for your needs, you’re likely going to explore every option available to ensure you make the right choice. At Dental Excellence of Blue Bell, two of our most popular options for adult orthodontics include Six Month Smiles and Invisalign. They both offer discreet, flexible, effective, and comfortable treatments. These treatments vary a bit so it’s important to learn more about each to determine which one might be right for you.
What is Six Month Smiles?
Six Month Smiles is a newer orthodontic treatment that can help you achieve a straight smile in just six months! It’s designed for patients 16 years old or older who have crooked, misaligned, or spaced teeth. The treatment uses clear braces and tooth-colored wires so your treatment is nearly invisible. What makes Six Month Smiles unique is that the treatment only focuses on the teeth in front of your mouth. By ignoring the molars in the back of your mouth, Six Month Smiles can correct the front of your teeth much faster. In just six months, you can achieve a beautiful smile.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that uses clear plastic aligners to gradually shift your teeth into their desired position. It’s one of the best alternatives to traditional braces and is effective for most mild to moderate cases. Patients must wear their Invisalign aligners for at least 20 to 22 hours per day and only remove them to brush, floss, eat and drink. About every two weeks, the patient will throw away their current set of aligners and start wearing the next one in their set. Each set of aligners has a minor change that applies the right amount of pressure to move the teeth. Invisalign treatment can take anywhere from six months to two years depending on what the teeth look like at their starting point.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Six Month Smiles Vs Invisalign?
Not everyone who’s a good candidate for Invisalign is also a good candidate for Six Month Smiles. Six Month Smiles can address minor aesthetic problems while Invisalign can address both aesthetic and functional problems. For instance, if someone has an overbite, underbite, or crossbite and got Six Month Smiles, their treatment would not correct their bite issues. When bite problems go untreated, it can result in TMJ disorders, uneven wear of the teeth, and more.
Six Month Smiles is a great treatment for patients who have gaps, or minor crookedness in their front teeth. If a patient has bite problems or more severe crowding, gaps, or crookedness, we will recommend Invisalign treatment.
If you’re not sure whether you’re a good candidate for Invisalign or Six Month Smiles, we strongly encourage you to book a consultation with Dr. Siegel.
Six Months Smiles Vs Invisalign: What Should I Consider?
If you’re one of the patients who is a good candidate for both Invisalign and Six Month Smiles, you’ve got a tough choice to make. To help you choose between Invisalign vs Six Month Smiles, we’ve broken down what you need to know about different factors.
Cost
When it comes to cost, Six Month Smiles and Invisalign can differ dramatically. For instance, Invisalign can take much longer than Six Month Smiles so naturally, it costs more. Six Month Smiles is the cheaper option in this case. But just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you.
Time
The next factor you should consider when comparing Invisalign vs Six Months Smiles is the time it takes for your treatment. Once again, Six Month Smiles usually works much faster than Invisalign because it only focuses on the front-facing teeth. Invisalign on the other hand can take as little as six months, but this is only in mild cases. Typical patients take one to two years of treatment to accomplish their desired results.
Results
As far as aesthetics go, both Six Month Smiles and Invisalign can give you gorgeous results. However, if you have bite problems or have issues in the back of your mouth, Invisalign is the better option. Invisalign improves your teeth in more ways than just aesthetics. Invisalign actually improves your bite and entire mouth functionality.
Care
Six Month Smiles uses brackets and wires so it has a lot more needed care than Invisalign alone. You will need to avoid certain foods and use special floss during your treatment. With Invisalign, the only extra care you will need is just brushing your teeth between meals and cleaning your aligners regularly. If you care deeply about having the freedom to eat any food in your life, Invisalign is the better option.
Learn More About Orthodontics in Blue Bell Today
Not sure whether Invisalign or Six Month Smiles is right for you? Contact our Blue Bell dentist to learn more about your orthodontic options at Dental Excellence of Blue Bell. Please call (610) 272-0828 to book a consultation with Dr. Siegel. Dr. Siegel will help you find the right treatment for achieving your specific goals.
