Choosing between Invisalign and composite bonding

Choosing between Invisalign and composite bonding

When your teeth experience alignment issues, you should carefully consider the most suitable solution to meet your dental needs.

In this guide, we compare Invisalign and composite bonding treatment options, and offer suggestions as to which might best restore your smile, better protect your teeth from gum disease and cavities, and maintain your overall oral health.

Invisalign treatment

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment for crooked teeth, which is designed to spare patients the conspicuous appearance of traditionally fitted metal braces.

Invisalign offers a form of teeth straightening that fits mouths with clear plastic customised aligners, called trays. These inserts are fitted snugly over the top and bottom teeth to discreetly correct alignment complications. They achieve this by applying gentle pressure to turn and shift teeth into aligning properly.

One of the main benefits of Invisalign treatment is that these aligners can be easily fitted and removed around meals, as well as brushing and flossing times, making them a popular option for people keen to avoid the hassle of metal braces.

Invisalign is commonly used to address gap teeth, overbite, underbite, open bite, crossbite and crowded teeth, in addition to misaligned primary and secondary teeth.

For optimal results, they should be worn anywhere between three and 12 months, and for 20 to 22 hours a day, depending on your teeth’s unique condition and timescale for realignment.

Composite treatment

Composite bonding, also known as dental bonding or teeth bonding, is a surgical intervention that uses dental composite to enhance or restore someone’s smile. It works by covering visual imperfections with a tooth-coloured resin to correct dental issues.

The resin is hardened in a process that relies on a laser or special blue light. The procedure involves cleaning and roughening the tooth’s surface to apply the composite resin, which is then moulded and polished to the desired shape and colour.

Lasting up to an hour, the procedure is painless and akin to getting a cavity filled, so it therefore requires no anaesthetic. With good care, the material can last between three and 10 years.

Bonding can be used to close gaps and spaces, change teeth shape, make teeth appear longer, disguise cracks, chips and discoloured teeth, and offer protection against gum recession, cavities and decay. It is also used to conceal stains or other surface flaws on the front-facing side of teeth.

Which solution is better for fixing teeth alignment issues?

It should be noted that Invisalign and dental bonding are both cosmetic procedures used by dentists to adjust maladjusted, gapped or out of shape teeth.

While composite bonding adds material to fill spaces between teeth, Invisalign aims to bring the teeth closer together, and the ideal solution will depend on the condition of each individual mouth.

Invisalign is known to work just as effectively at straightening bonded teeth as it does for natural teeth, on the basis that bonding is in place prior to installing clear aligners.

If bonding is carried out effectively, it will then be hard to determine bonded teeth from their neighbours. Provided the trays fit the teeth – natural or bonded – they will perform as they should.

While composite bonding is robust, it can chip. Some wearers have expressed concern about Invisalign harming bonded teeth; however, experts say that it isn’t harmful to composite resin, provided the aligners fit well. It is recommended that bonding is not carried out during the Invisalign process though, due to possible changes in teeth shape that might occur, resulting in trays not fitting the teeth as they should.

Invisalign works by shifting the whole tooth, whereas bonding only covers an external part of the tooth. In a scenario where more than 50% of the tooth needs replacing, the dentist will likely suggest a crown or implant as a solution, instead of bonding. Similarly, it is not advised when there is damage to the root, necessitating root canal surgery.

In some situations, patients may opt for both treatments, if they feel the cumulative impact will further enhance their teeth.

At first sight, Invisalign and composite bonding seem to offer very different functions, but the two cosmetic dental treatments often dovetail to create a straighter, more appealing smile. While there is no set sequence, most people have Invisalign done first, following by bonding to get the desired result.

Whether you are looking for composite bonding in Chester or Invisalign in Mold, Flint and other surrounding areas, set up an appointment today with our local advanced care team at Art of Dental Care. We are experts in restoring a winning smile.

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