Braces or Aligners: Which One Gives Faster & Better Results?

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Clear Braces or Aligners: the right teeth straightening solution.

When you’re working towards a straighter smile, two popular options often stand out: braces or aligners. But which one works faster—and which one works better?

There’s no universal answer, because the right choice depends on your specific needs. Both braces and clear aligners have their own advantages, treatment durations, and best-use scenarios depending on how complex your dental issues are. This guide will walk you through the key differences, so you can feel confident choosing the best path for your smile.

Understanding Traditional Braces

Not everyone is born with a perfectly straightened smile, which is why, traditional braces were introduced for teeth alignment. Braces are composed of metal brackets fixed on the surface of the teeth with the help of wires. They have been used for a variety of dental issues, including mild, moderate, and even severe dental misalignments. The treatment duration with braces varies depending on each individual and case severity.

What are Clear Aligners?

Orthodontics has evolved over time, offering discreet and effective alternatives for teeth straightening. Aligners, a good alternative to metal braces, have emerged as a popular and widely preferred treatment. They are composed of transparent plastic trays that are worn on the teeth to exert a gentle and consistent pressure on the teeth. Since they are made of plastic, they are barely visible and, unlike metal braces, not fixed on the teeth.

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Clear Aligners vs Traditional Braces

An image showing girls with Clear braces or aligners.
Clear braces or aligners.

Aligner vs braces has become the talk of the town for anyone wanting to get their teeth aligned. Your oral health plays a keen role in your overall well-being, which is why it is important to know everything about the type of treatment to make an informed decision. Below, you can find a detailed comparison of both types of treatments to help you choose the right straightening solution for yourself.

Appearance

Braces: They are composed of stainless steel wires attached to the metal brackets fixed on the surface of teeth. With their metal brackets, they are visible even from afar. It surely impacts the appearance of your smile; however, it provides effective results in the of alignment.

A close-up of a girl holding clear aligners.
Clear aligners

Clear Aligners

They are composed of transparent plastic material, which makes them barely visible. One of the edge points of having aligners is their discreet appearance.

Teeth Straightening Efficiency

Braces

Metal braces are known for providing effective alignment results. Braces are highly effective for mild to moderate to even severe dental issues. For instance, if you have mild teeth gaps or have a severe crowding issue, braces can be the right fit for both concerns.

Clear Aligners

They are only recommended for mild to moderate dental concerns. For severe dental issues, your orthodontist might still recommend braces that surely vary from case to case. It should be kept in mind that aligners can be used to align all issues, including gapped teeth, crowding, overbite, underbite, and more.

Orthodontic Treatment Time Comparison

Braces

Brace requires one to be patient to achieve the desired results. The average treatment duration for traditional braces ranges between one to three years. However, the time also depends on the severity of the case and varies from individual to individual.

Clear Aligners

Invisible aligners work faster and can start showing results in just four to six months. Similar to brace,s the results for aligners also depend on the severity of the case.

Aligner vs Braces

A table showing aligners vs braces to get a quick glance.

Features Braces Aligners
Appearance Noticable Barely visible
Effectivity Effective for all cases (Even Severe) Mild to Moderate cases
Treatment Duration 1 to 3 years 4 - 6 months
Wear Time Throughout the day 22 hours per day
Removable Fixed Easy to remove

Smilepath - The Ultimate Teeth Straightening Solution

An image of Smilepath Clear Aligners.
Clear aligners

Smilepath has been spreading smiles throughout Australia. If you are someone looking forward to teeth straightening and want to get a hassle-free smile transformation, Smilepath Clear Aligners can be your absolute partner. With our clear aligner plans, you can get the smile of your dreams in no time. With our varied treatment options, you can choose between day and night plans and get a smile makeover just like you want.

Why Choose Smilepath?

Remote Journey

What's better than getting your dream smile from that couch of yours? Smilepath offers the most effective at-home treatment. Yes, something you never thought of. Start your journey by taking a free smile assessment online and let our experts help you choose the best plan for your dental misalignment.

Affordable Excellence

No need to spend hefty amounts on your dream smile. Choose from any of our treatment plans and get the most affordable smile deals. In case you need more flexibility, check our easy monthly installment plans and get the most out of them.

NightOnly Plans

If you have a busy schedule pr a public-facing job, we have a smile hack for you. Straighten your teeth while sleeping without Night Only Clear Aligner plans. With the wear time of only 10 hours every night, you can get rid of those unwanted gaps.

Customer Support

Our remote treatment plan doesn’t mean you cannot get your queries addressed. In case of any query throughout the treatment, you can reach out to our smile experts.

Want To Know More About Aligners?

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Which Is Better: Braces Or Aligners?

In the pursuit of a perfectly aligned smile, teeth straightening treatments are opted for throughout the world. Both braces and aligners are well-known and effective treatments for teeth alignment. While braces bring effective results for mild to severe dental misalignments. Aligners come with the ease of an invisible journey. Your smile specialist can best suggest the type of treatment according to your case.

If you look forward to opting for aligners, Smilepath offers hassle-free teeth straightening with clear aligners. With our BPA-free customized aligners, you can enjoy your journey to the fullest and get closer to your dream smile.

FAQs

Which is faster, braces or aligners?

The average treatment duration with metal braces ranges between one to three years. On the other hand, aligners work wonders within four to six months. However, it should be noted that the duration varies depending on the severity of the case.

Do aligners work as well as braces?

Aligners are known for providing effective results as braces. However, aligners are mainly recommended for mild to moderate cases. Your orthodontist might still recommend braces for severe dental misalignments.

What is the fastest orthodontic treatment?

As compared to other orthodontic treatments, aligners are considered the fastest teeth straightening method.

Do aligners take longer than braces?

No, aligners actually take less time when compared to braces. You can get your misalignments addressed in just four to six months.

Citations:

Professional, C. C. M. (2025a, March 19). Teeth Braces. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24601-teeth-braces

American Association of Orthodontists. Adult Orthodontics (https://www3.aaoinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adult_Orthodontics15-cons-hl-1.pdf). Accessed 1/13/2023.

American Dental Association. Braces (https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/braces). Accessed 1/13/2023.

American Dental Association. Chewing Gum (https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/chewing-gum). Accessed 1/13/2023.

Lin E, Julien K, Kesterke M, Buschang PH. Differences in finished case quality between Invisalign and traditional fixed appliances (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35168256/). Angle Orthod. 2022 Mar 1;92(2):173-179. Accessed 1/13/2023.

Turner S, Harrison JE, Sharif FN, Owens D, Millett DT. Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34970995/). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Dec 31;12(12): CD003453. Accessed 1/13/2023.

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