Traditional braces are not an option for everyone, especially for adults who don’t like the idea of walking around with brackets on their teeth. Dr. Kirk Petersen DMD runs Hemet West Dental Office in Hemet, California, and talks here about why more and more people are opting for Clear Correct, a type of braces without braces.
A lot more adults are opting for straightening their teeth these days - but they don’t want to wear traditional braces. So about six or seven years ago a method was invented for straightening the teeth using clear plastic liner trays, which are similar to bleaching trays. It is the competitor to Invisalign, and it’s called Clear Correct.
What we do is we take impressions of the teeth as well as x-rays and photos, then we send them all to the lab, and in a couple of weeks they come back. You are then given various sets of trays, each of which you wear for two weeks. Each of the trays moves the teeth up to a quarter millimeter, and so if you were to wear them for a year, that would be 24 sets of trays.
Wear Them 24/7
You wear Clear Correct braces 24/7, except for eating and brushing and flossing. As the name implies, they are completely clear and about half a millimeter thick, and so from an average speaking standpoint they are virtually invisible.
The other plus point is that patients who wear Clear Correct do not have the issue of the brackets and the wires touching food, and poking at their cheeks and their tongues. And another benefit that Clear Correct provides is that while you are doing the treatment, you can whiten your teeth also using the aligners.
Different from Invisalign
Clear Correct braces are a bit different from Invisalign, mostly in the way that they are manufactured. With the Invisalign ones, the whole thing is done on a computer and the trays are milled. And that actually puts small grooves in the trays, which tend to make them a bit more visible.
With the Clear Correct ones, they are vacuum-formed, so they are much clearer, making them less visible. But the results are basically the same. And also the treatment times is about the same as regular braces. However, when you are finished, you can have a retainer made that is also clear.
Although more and more adults are choosing to have Clear Correct braces because they are invisible and can whiten their teeth at the same time, they are actually suitable from anyone aged 12 and up.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
