The Pros and Cons of InBrace
One of the most common questions we receive during initial consultation appointments is about the pros and cons of each orthodontic treatment option we offer: InBrace, traditional braces, and clear aligners. While most patients are already familiar with what to expect from braces and clear aligners, they are often less familiar with InBrace. As a result, many patients have a lot of questions about InBrace. This blog post will comprehensively discuss the pros and cons of InBrace.
Pros of InBrace
Most Discreet Option
The greatest advantage of InBrace over clear aligners and braces is that it’s hidden behind the teeth, making it nearly invisible. Many patients have shared that they were able to complete their entire orthodontic treatment without anyone even realizing they were undergoing orthodontic treatment. We’ve even had several patients get married with InBrace in place, with no visible signs of braces in their wedding photos. For patients who prioritize aesthetics, need to maintain a professional appearance, or have significant life events coming up, InBrace is an ideal solution.
Compliance-Free
While clear aligners also offer an aesthetic solution similar to InBrace, they differ significantly in compliance requirements. Clear aligners are removable, requiring the patient to be diligent about wearing them 22 hours per day for the tooth movement to occur. Patients must remember to put their clear aligners back in to their mouths after eating, drinking, or brushing their teeth. In contrast, InBrace is bonded to the back of the teeth, so once it’s placed, it continuously works on aligning the teeth without the needing the patient’s compliance. For patients who want an aesthetic treatment option but worry about remember to wear clear aligners, InBrace may be the ideal solution.
Digitally Programmed for More Predictable and Efficient Movement
Traditional braces use an analog approach to orthodontic treatment, where orthodontists manually place brackets on the teeth and make continual adjustments to achieve an ideal smile. This process can be more time-consuming process than the digital approach that InBrace uses. InBrace uses advanced software to digitally position brackets to their ideal placement and custom-fabricate Smartwires based on a pre-planned, patient-specific smile. This programmed and personalized solution generally leads to more predictable and efficient treatment, often shortening treatment times and reducing the overall number of visits required to achieve your ideal smile.
Cons of InBrace
Initial Adjustment Period
All orthodontic treatment options – traditional braces, clear aligners, and InBrace – come with an initial adjustment period where it takes time to get used to something new in the mouth. For every option, the teeth will be sore during the initial tooth movement until the teeth get used to being moved. In addition to tooth soreness, like traditional braces can sometimes cause an initial and temporary irritation to the cheeks, InBrace can also sometimes cause an initial and temporary irritation to the tongue. The majority of patients become used to InBrace within two weeks and most report that they get so comfortable with InBrace that they forget it’s there. At Life Orthodontics, we also provide an oral mouth sore rinse to make this initial adjustment period easier.
Potential Impact on Speech
With any orthodontic treatment option, it’s normal to experience some initial changes in speech until your mouth adjusts. Since InBrace is placed on the tongue side of the teeth, some patients experience a temporary lisp until their tongue adapts. Most patients adjust within a few weeks, with their speech returning to normal. However, a minority of patients may experience a slight, persistent lisp. At Life Orthodontics, we provide our patients a speech exercise to help our patients learn how to speak with InBrace more easily.
Eating and Hygiene
While InBrace is considered the least intrusive option for lifestyle, there are still some adjustments to consider. Foods that are hard, sticky, or chewy can put stress on the appliance, so minor adjustments to diet are recommended to reduce the chance of damaging InBrace. Additionally, brushing and flossing around the brackets and wires can be a bit more challenging. As with any form of orthodontic treatment, a few extra minutes each day to maintain oral hygiene is necessary with InBrace. At Life Orthodontics, we also provide a water flosser and interproximal brushes to help clean around the InBrace system more efficiently.
Conclusion
InBrace offers a sophisticated, discreet alternative to traditional orthodontic treatments with numerous advantages, particularly in terms of aesthetics, compliance, and predictability. However, like any orthodontic solution, there will be an initial adjustment period for about 2 weeks along with some minor modifications to diet and oral hygiene. If you’re looking for an orthodontist who’s an expert with InBrace, Life Orthodontics is the best choice. Our orthodontists are the co-inventors and foremost authorities on InBrace. At Life Orthodontics, we proudly serve patients from all over Orange County: Tustin, Irvine, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Orange, Anaheim, and more!
