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You have had crooked teeth your whole life and you've finally reached the point where you are ready to do something about it. Now that you are ready to get your teeth straightened, you need to decide if you want traditional metal braces or Invisalign aligners. You may be wondering which the best solution is, but both orthodontic treatments have pros and cons. Let's start with cost. Depending on the length of treatment needed, in the United States Invisalign invisible braces typically cost between $3,500 and $7,000. On average, traditional metal braces cost around $4,500. In many cases, the cost for Invisalign and metal braces are comparable. After an evaluation with a cosmetic dentist or orthodontist, you can get a better idea of the costs. Now let's look at the time needed for treatment. Similar to cost, the length of treatment time varies by how crooked your teeth are. However, unlike cost, the length of treatment between Invisalign and braces are not typically comparable. Traditional metal braces may take two to four years to straighten your teeth, but Invisalign aligners typically take less than two years (12-18 months) to correct your teeth. Although the time factor is a large reason many people prefer Invisalign aligners over braces, an even larger factor is the appearance and comfort of the orthodontic devices. Metal braces are very noticeable when you smile. Also, the traditional orthodontic treatment have many wires and sharp edges that can cause pain to the wearer. Contrarily, Invsalign aligners are practically unnoticeable to others and have no sharp edges to cause discomfort to the wearer. Also, because Invisalign aligners are removable, food does not get caught as it does with metal braces and there is little trouble brushing and flossing properly, because there are no metal brackets to get in the way. Although the scales may be leaning towards Invisalign, the removability factor is actually a bonus for metal braces. Because Invisalign aligners are removable, it is up to the wearer to make sure the device is worn properly for at least 20 hours per day. If not, they will not be effective in straightening your teeth. So, if you don't think you are disciplined enough to use Invisalign, you should get metal braces. Consult our Leesburg cosmetic dentists to learn more about teeth straightening with Invisalign aligners.