The most common question we hear from adults is some version of “can I do this without braces?” Usually the answer is yes. Sometimes it is “yes, but braces would be faster.” Here is how we think about it.
What aligners do well
Aligners are excellent at the things most adults come in for: crowding in the front teeth, small gaps, and relapse after braces as a teenager. They are removable, so you eat what you like and brush normally. Nobody at work has to know.
The catch is discipline. Aligners only work while they are in your mouth, and that means twenty-two hours a day. If you know you will forget them in a napkin at lunch, tell us. It is not a character flaw, it just means braces might suit you better.
When we suggest braces instead
Some tooth movements are simply easier with a wire. Rotating a canine, closing a large gap, or correcting a significant bite discrepancy tends to go faster and more predictably with brackets. We will tell you plainly if your case is one of those.
What both have in common
Retainers. Whichever route you take, your teeth will drift back without them. We include a set with every case and we mean it when we say wear them at night.
If you are weighing it up, book a consultation. The scan takes ten minutes and you leave with a preview of the result either way.