Invisalign vs Braces

Brackets bonded to the teeth hold a wire that applies steady, continuous pressure day and night. Your dentist adjusts it at check-ins, and the teeth move into line. With Fastbraces®, the root and crown of each tooth move together.

With a series of custom clear aligners, each shaped to move your teeth a little further than the one before. You switch to the next set every one to two weeks, as directed.

Both straighten teeth well when they are matched to the right case. Your bite decides which one that is, so the choice is made at your personalized consultation, not in advance.

Invisalign, because the aligners come out and you brush and floss as usual. With braces, a floss threader or small interdental brushes help you clean around the brackets, and regular cleanings keep your gums healthy.

Either office is ready to help right away. For a lost aligner, you’ll be told whether to go back a set, move ahead or get a replacement; for a loose bracket or poking wire, orthodontic wax covers a sharp spot until your visit.

Some people notice a slight lisp for a few days with new aligners while the tongue adjusts. Braces sit on the outside of the teeth, so speech is rarely affected for long.

No. Hot and dark drinks can stain or warp the aligners, so take them out first. With braces, drinks aren’t a problem.

Yes with either. Wear a mouthguard made for braces in contact sports; aligners can come out for a game, as long as they go straight back in afterward.

Invisalign treats most mild to moderate crowding. For severe crowding, Dr. Godko tells you at your personalized consultation which approach your case calls for.

It changes the planning. Implants don’t move like natural teeth, and crowns and veneers change how aligners and brackets grip, so Dr. Godko reviews your existing work first. See dental implants.

Either option can often bring them back into line. Invisalign is a common choice for teeth that have drifted, and Dr. Godko recommends the one your case calls for.

Yes, with either option, because teeth need healthy support to move. Fillings and gum disease treatment are done in the same office.

Yes. Teeth can drift once treatment ends. Fastbraces® finish with a discreet fixed retainer wire behind your front teeth; for Invisalign, Dr. Godko explains the retainer plan for your case.

Teeth can shift throughout life, so retainer wear continues as Dr. Godko directs.

Both offices are ready to help right away. Small shifts are easiest to correct early, and Dr. Godko checks your retainer and your bite.

Yes, and straightening first can mean fewer veneers. In-office whitening, bonding and porcelain veneers are done in the same office.

Yes. Adults straighten their teeth with both, and many choose clear aligners for how discreet they are. Dr. Godko recommends the option that fits your bite and your routine.

Teeth only move while the aligners are in, so leaving them out slows progress and can stretch your timeline. If you know you’ll struggle to wear them, fixed braces do the work around the clock.

With self-managed aligners, you may never see a licensed doctor in person, and teeth don’t always move the way the computer predicted, with no one to correct course. At Deluxe, that is exactly what your checkups are for.

Ask what the plan includes, how often you’ll come in, what happens if your teeth need extra adjustment, and what the retainer plan is. Dr. Godko answers each at your personalized consultation.