Enhance the appearance of your smile with affordable braces in San Antonio, Texas, with Nautical Dental and Braces. Dr. Eric Cornelius is dedicated to helping you or your child achieve their dream smile with braces. Dr. Cornelius offers traditional metal braces and clear aligners at Nautical Dental and Braces.
What is the Difference Between Metal Braces and Clear Aligners?
Orthodontic options, metal braces, and clear aligners in San Antonio, Texas, are great options to align and enhance your teeth. The main difference between metal braces and clear aligners is the visibility of the orthodontic. Metal braces are a more visible orthodontic system, while clear aligners are discrete.
Metal braces use a bracket and archwire system to straighten your teeth. A bracket is attached to each tooth with a bonding paste. Then, a metal archwire is attached to each bracket. Throughout the treatment, the archwire is tightened more and more until you reach your dream smile. On the other hand, clear aligners use a set of clear trays to align your teeth over time with each set of clear aligner trays.
What is the Process for Clear Aligners?
First, you will schedule a consultation appointment at Nautical Dental and Braces to get clear aligners. During your consultation, Dr. Cornelius will examine the health of your teeth and if you are a good candidate for clear aligners. Next, Dr. Cornelius will take an impression of your teeth. The impression is made digitally, and we will send it to a lab where they will design your first set of clear aligners. Once the aligners arrive at the dental office, your dentist will invite you back to try them on your aligners. Your dentist will ask you to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours per day. Then, you will visit the dentist every one to two weeks for a new set of clear aligners.
What are the Benefits of Clear Aligners?
There are several benefits to clear aligners. First, clear aligners give patients the freedom to remove their aligners whenever they like. This means that patients can eat the foods they want without worry. With traditional braces, patients are asked not to eat sticky or chewy foods because they can get in the braces. Patients can eat any foods they like with clear aligners, but they are asked to brush their teeth and rinse their aligners before putting them on. Patients also often have fewer dental concerns during and after wearing clear aligners. It is hard to brush and floss between the brackets and archwires with traditional braces. This can lead to a buildup of plaque and potential dental decay.
Why are Braces Affordable?
In the long run, it is more affordable to get orthodontic treatment and treat misaligned teeth than to not. At first orthodontic treatment, such as metal braces or clear aligners, may seem more expensive; however, if you do not treat your dental concerns, this could lead to more serious dental problems. For example, if your teeth are close together and misaligned, this could lead to bacteria developing and decay. You may have to pay for dental restorations to restore your smile long-term because of these dental concerns created by misaligned teeth. Talk to your dentist about the best way to care for your teeth and if orthodontic treatment can benefit you.
Orthodontic treatments such as traditional metal braces and clear aligners can enhance the appearance and function of your teeth. Orthodontic treatment is a good investment because it can increase your self-confidence and help prevent future dental concerns. For more information about affordable braces in San Antonio or to schedule an appointment, call our office.
