I’m a professional adult in his forties. My teeth need some work, especially now that I’ve been given the Public Relations position. I will be doing press conferences and speeches. I need to look my best. I’ve been doing some research and it appears I have two very good options to having braces without looking like a prepubescent boy— Invisalign and lingual braces. I’ve gone as far as I can just looking online and wondered if you had some insight into which would be better in my situation.

Samuel

Dear Samuel,

For those who haven’t done the research you have that are reading this blog, I’m going to give a quick explanation of each, along with their benefits. Then I’ll give my recommendation for your specific case.

Invisalign

These are clear plastic aligners which you slip over your teeth. They’re unnoticeable even at a conversational distance. Many people call them invisible braces. You can see a picture of them above to get an idea of what they look like. Your dentist, using an advanced software program will plan a precise treatment plan for you. Each pair of aligners will move your teeth a little further into their proper alignment. You’ll change out your aligners every two weeks.

Lingual Braces

These are traditional braces, placed behind your teeth so no one can see them. If you remember the old Little House on the Praire episodes, Melissa Gilbert (who played Laura Ingalls) wore them for several years. Her teeth were in desperate need of straightening, but they couldn’t use anything visible to the television audience. As you can see from the show, no one will be able to see them. Their biggest advantage is they can handle some more challenging cases which may not be a candidate for Invisalign.

My Recommendation for You— Invisalign

If you’re a candidate for Invisalign, I’d recommend that. Most adults find it difficult to speak when they have on lingual braces. Their tongues seem drawn to them. Plus, not everyone finds them comfortable. Braces make oral hygiene a bit of a challenge. When you’re talking about braces behind your teeth, there are some additional challenges as well.

With Invisalign, you can remove them. That makes your oral hygiene much simpler. Additionally, if you have a speaking engagement and find it challenging to speak normally, they can be removed while you speak. They tend to work much faster than lingual braces as well.

One other added benefit: You mentioned wanting to improve your smile. Teeth whitening will take years off your appearance. You’re able to do both procedures simultaneously with Invisalign, using the aligners as whitening trays. Then, you’ll have straight, white teeth. You’ll look like a celebrity.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.