Dr. Debra Fink is a recognized leader in providing St. Louis Invisalign care.

1. Invisalign vs. Braces
Which Should you Choose

2. Problems That Can Be Treated
Invisalign
• Moderate spacing, alignment
and bite problems
• Less effective for certain
complex cases for which fixed
braces should be used
BRACES
• MOVING TEETH UP AND DOWN
• MOVING CERTAIN TYPES OF
BACK TEETH
• CREATING ROTATIONAL
MOVEMENT
• UPRIGHTING TEETH

3. Aesthetics
Invisalign
• Removable plastic trays
• Designed to be undetectable
• Popular for those that want
discrete treatment
BRACES
• BRACKETS CEMENTED TO
TEETH
• OPTIONS SUCH AS LINGUAL
AND TOOTH-COLORED
BRACES THAT ARE ALSO
LARGELY UNNOTICEABLE

4. Duration of Treatment
Invisalign
• Similar duration to fixed
braces for similar cases
• New Accelerated Invisalign
option halves total
treatment time
BRACES
• DEPENDS ON SEVERITY AND
COMPLEXITY OF PROBLEMS
BEING TREATED
• NEW OPTIONS FOR
REDUCING TREATMENT TIME

5. Office Visit Frequency
Invisalign
• Approximately every 6-
12 weeks
• Determine treatment
progress and provide
new set of aligners
BRACES
• APPROXIMATELY EVERY
6 WEEKS
• DETERMINE
TREATMENT PROGRESS
AND TIGHTEN WIRES

6. Delays in Treatment
Invisalign
• Must be worn 20-22
hours a day or may
cause delays
• Lost aligners may result
in delays
BRACES
• AFFIXED TO TEETH SO
CANNOT BE REMOVED
• AFFIXED TO TEETH SO
CANNOT BE LOST

7. Cost and Insurance Coverage
Invisalign
• Cost depends on length of treatment
and severity of problems
• Cost often similar to fixed braces for
similar cases
• Covered by many forms of dental
insurance that cover fixed braces
BRACES
• COST DEPENDS ON LENGTH OF
TREATMENT AND SEVERITY OF
PROBLEMS
• MAY BE COVERED BY DENTAL
INSURANCE AS A CLASS IV
PROCEDURE, SUBJECT TO A NUMBER
OF COMMON RESTRICTIONS AND
LIMITATIONS

8. Comfort Levels
Invisalign
• Aligners have smooth edges that
tend not to irritate mouth
• Usually causes mild pain when new
aligners are inserted that can be
alleviated with over the counter
medication
BRACES
• WIRES AND BRACKETS MAY POKE AT
MOUTH, WHICH USUALLY ADJUSTS
OVER TIME AND BECOMES LESS OF
AN ISSUE
• USUALLY CAUSES MILD PAIN WHEN
WIRES ARE TIGHTENED THAT CAN BE
ALLEVIATED WITH OVER THE
COUNTER MEDICATION

9. Eating Restrictions and Oral Hygiene
Invisalign
• Aligners can and should be
removed before eating
• Aligners should be cleaned
before they are re-inserted into
the mouth
BRACES
• BEST TO AVOID HARD OR STICKY
FOODS AS THESE MAY DAMAGE
BRACKETS AND WIRES
• MUST THOROUGHLY CLEAN
BRACKETS AND WIRES AFTER
EACH MEAL

10. Dr. Debra Fink was recently chosen by St. Louis Magazine as one of the "Top Dentists
2014” and she is a recognized leader in St. Louis Invisalign care. She is a practitioner,
lecturer, author and researcher in the field of orthodontics and she attended Washington
University School of Dental Medicine for both dental and orthodontic training. Before
she became an orthodontist, she obtained a master's degree in research biochemistry
and participated in different areas of scientific and medical research. She has
continued to pursue her interest in this field and she recently initiated and participated
in the clinical research about alleviating TMD/TMJ at Washington University School
of Medicine.