If you have crooked teeth that spoils your Smile you may want to consider Clear Aligners. Especially if they are just limited to one jaw or what we dentist would call a simple Dental Malocclusion. That means it is not so complicated.

If you don’t fancy wearing metal braces for 2-3 years then wearing clear aligners may be an option. Yes, it is still expensive but if you are in the age range between 20 to 35 years and if the case is simple you may get away with spending something like as low as RM 3,500 to RM 6,500. And for more complex cases it can go from RM 8,000 to RM 14,000.

Of course this depends on the Dentist checking and confirming your case is simple and clear aligners can do the trick. Clear Aligners are made out of transparent plastics and hardly noticeable when you wear it. There is also no problem of food getting stuck or any oral hygiene problem. And you don’t have to visit the dentist every month for check-up. So you can stay far away and yet choose this or any clinic to do the clear aligners for you as there is only limited number of visits initially.

However, don’t get over excited and rush to do it. It is a major investment for any young working adult. Make sure you really want to do it and the cost is something you can commit to. Getting your teeth corrected and improving your Smile is really worth the investment but still one must be able to afford it. If you do have financial constraints do speak to the dentist and discuss some sort of financial arrangements.

Here are some pros (positives) and cons (negatives) for each of the options:

Clear Aligners :

Pros :

There is no metal or ceramic brackets seen. In many cases other people don’t even realize you are using clear aligners

You have control over the appliance in case you need to take it out and discontinue for few hours or a whole night for that special event. This can be negative as well if you are not disciplined and keep removing and not putting it back after a short period of time.

You do not have to visit the dentist on a monthly basis. Hence, you can be in a distant location or even another country as most of the treatment period is self-administered. You do not need to take time of from work to visit the dentist! Self-administered is the key

In some cases the Aligners can achieve the objective of a functional appliance ( to expand the jaw) which is difficult with braces

Cons :

The cost and budget required is higher then the normal braces even though it is often advertised as cheaper but it is more often otherwise.

Apart from the higher cost the payment due is full payment upfront. Unless you can afford that of have saved up for it this can be a big dent in any young individuals budget and financial situation. (On the contrary as mentioned below, traditional braces are typically billed as deposit and RM 200 monthly payment)

The treatment plan is designed by a Artificial Intelligence (AI) software and not by a qualified dentist / orthodontist. How well the treatment plan is customized for your individual need can be a valid question.

Clear aligner are not possible for many people if they have to do extractions prior to start of the treatment plan for correction.

In many cases, the final angles and inclination of the teeth could be less ideal then the braces with metal / ceramic brackets which have more versatility in realigning the tooth. Although this can be very mild and not noticeable by the non-professional like dentist / orthodontist.