Express Braces vs Traditional Braces: Pros & Cons
The treatment time for braces can vary from patient to patient depending on the severity of their case and what issues are being corrected. In general, the average time for braces our patients experience falls within the 18 months to 24 month range. Within this time frame, Dr. Park is able to correct a number of issues ranging from straightening your teeth to correcting jaw and bite issues.
Although having a full and complete braces treatment duration is what Dr. Park always recommends, over the years we have found that not all of our patients care as much about their bite as they do with simply straightening their teeth. This has led some patients to not choose any orthodontic treatment at all, or opt to get their braces off early against Dr. Park’s advice.
To help bridge the gap between a regular braces treatment or nothing at all, we’ve created two different options for braces treatment length. Our patients can choose between Express Braces and regular braces, with the biggest difference between the two being the treatment time. Express Braces is contained within a 12 month window, whereas our traditional regular braces takes more time to correct your smile and bite.
The Pros to Express Braces
We’ve created this option for patients who are most concerned with straightening their teeth quickly, which is the easiest goal to achieve within this timeframe. Our Express Braces treatment length option lasts 12 months regardless of the severity of your case. When choosing this option, our patients can select from various types of braces including traditional metal braces, Damon braces, or Damon Clear braces to have their treatment plan molded around.
Dr. Park and his team will do their best to fix everything they can within the 12 months that you have your braces. This makes Express Braces a great option for those who want an efficient and effective orthodontic treatment that will straighten their teeth in a shorter amount of time. The shorter treatment duration results in fewer office visits and therefore a more affordable price tag.
With this treatment length option, you don’t have to worry about getting a reduced quality of care. Our Express Braces option involves the same level of attention when crafting your treatment plan, but just stops after 12 months.
The Pros to Traditional Braces
Our traditional braces option is focused on correcting everything we can to ensure your smile is the absolute best it can be. We will ensure that all aspects of your smile are perfected.
This treatment length option goes beyond just straightening your teeth—we look at your bite, teeth alignment, palate spacing, and any other specific issues you want to correct or that we recommend addressing. This is the choice Dr. Park will always recommend for his patients as it ensures that all aspects of your smile and oral health is the best that it can be.
If your case is particularly complex, you might not be a good candidate for Express Braces since you could require a longer treatment time to obtain satisfactory results. Scheduling a free consultation will help us recommend what course of action would be appropriate for you and your goals.
The Cons to Express Braces
Since our Express Braces treatment is limited to a 12-month window, there will be areas of your smile and overall oral health that won’t be fixed. Typically severe bite and palate issues won’t be able to be fixed within our expedited treatment time for Express Braces.
Although most patients can achieve dramatic results from Express Braces, Dr. Park will let you know if he thinks your smile and bite issues are potentially a poor fit for this treatment during your free consultation. This will ensure you have proper expectations and can make an informed decision about your orthodontic treatment.
The Cons to Traditional Braces
The two main drawbacks to traditional braces is the longer treatment process and the higher price tag. Depending on your specific case, your regular braces treatment can fall anywhere within an 18 month to 24 month period. While that might seem like a lot of time at face value, many patients feel as though time flies once they get used to the metal hardware.
Regular braces is also more expensive than our Express Braces since the duration is longer. This incurs increased costs for more office visits and additional adjustments than what’s included in 12 months of Express Braces. If you’re financially able to choose regular braces, we believe the investment is well worth the results you’ll experience.
If you’re deciding between Express Braces and regular braces, we invite you to schedule a free consultation with us! During this consultation, Dr. Park will review your unique case and recommend a plan he thinks will work best to achieve your smile goals.
