People with tooth spacing, placement, or bite issues have choices if they want to correct their smiles. Both braces and clear aligners are excellent for spacing and straightening teeth. Which kind of orthodonture you get depends on what your tooth or bite issues are.

Braces

Braces have been the go-to solution when teenagers or adults have malocclusions. Malocclusions are the dental term for bite issues in your mouth. There are three types of malocclusions: overbite, underbite, and crossbite. Overbites mean that when you bite down, your top teeth come down too far over your lower teeth. If you have an underbite, your bottom teeth come down in front of your top teeth when you bite down. Crossbites refer to teeth that don’t align the top teeth to the bottom teeth when you bite. In some types of crossbites, your teeth won’t close together at all.

Braces consist of brackets and wires. Brackets are cemented to your teeth with dental cement, and the orthodontist will then string wires through your teeth to move them into the right position. Braces are excellent at correcting severe issues with malocclusion, overcrowded teeth, and severely crooked teeth. However, braces can cause irritation in the mouth, and many adults don’t want to wear braces in the working world.

Aligners

Clear aligners have become an important part of orthodonture. They are made from heavy, clear plastic, and they are removable if you want to eat a meal or brush and floss your teeth. Clear aligners are perfect for people who have mild to moderate tooth spacing or straightening problems. Usually, if you have moderate to severe malocclusions or severely crowded teeth, clear aligners aren’t for you. Clear aligners are less expensive than braces, and the treatment time is shorter. However, clear aligners won’t fix your tooth problems if you lose them, forget to wear them, or don’t take care of them.