Braces or clear aligners? An orthodontist’s take.
Clear aligners aren’t automatically better than braces. They’re different. The right choice depends on the bite, and honestly, on the person wearing them.
By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, DMD, MS · Board-certified orthodontist · Reviewed October 2026Most cases can be treated well with either braces or clear aligners when an orthodontist is planning them. Braces work whether or not anyone remembers anything. Aligners only work when they’re in your mouth, about 22 hours a day. For a lot of families, that one fact decides it.
What’s actually different
Both apply gentle, planned pressure to move teeth. Braces do it through brackets bonded to the teeth and a wire the orthodontist adjusts. Aligners do it through a series of custom trays, each slightly different from the last, planned digitally from a scan.
Always working.
- No trays to lose at lunch.
- Some foods are off the list: popcorn, hard candy, ice.
- Brushing and flossing take longer.
- Clear ceramic brackets are much less noticeable than metal.
- Kids who like picking colors get to do that at every visit.
Nearly invisible.
- They come out for meals.
- Brushing and flossing are normal.
- They only work when worn. Trays in a lunchbox don’t move teeth.
- Small tooth-colored attachments usually help them grip.
- Often fewer in-office adjustments.
Teens: the kid vs. the parent
For a lot of teenagers, the deciding question isn’t clinical. It’s whether they’ll actually wear the trays. Parents usually know the answer before anyone asks. A teen who loses retainers, forgets the mouthguard, or eats lunch in four different places is going to have a hard time with aligners.
Then there are teens who’d rather nobody noticed, play a wind instrument, or just hate the idea of brackets. Those kids often do well with aligners, because they want it to work.
Braces take the decision out of it. Some parents choose them for exactly that reason.
Angel Aligners and Invisalign
Invisalign is the name most people know, so it’s what most people search for. It’s one brand of clear aligner. Angel Aligners are another, made by Angelalign, and they’re the system Elate uses for most of its aligner patients. Elate does offer Invisalign as well.
The bigger point holds for any brand: the trays are only as good as the treatment plan behind them. Who designs the tooth movements, and checks that they’re happening, matters more than the logo on the box. Dr. Baharvand lectures nationally on clear aligner treatment, and the consult is the place to ask why Elate defaults to Angel Aligners.
On cost, aligners at Elate land close to braces. They’re not a premium-only option there.
When braces are usually the better call
There’s no strict rule, but braces tend to have an edge when a case needs a lot of rotation on certain teeth, when teeth need to be pulled down into place, or when wear is a real worry. Aligners handle much more than they used to. Whether your case is a good fit is exactly what the first visit is for.
Elate’s consult is free and includes a digital scan, and braces and aligners are offered at all three offices near Little Elm. Pick the easiest one.
Common questions
Are clear aligners as good as braces?
For many cases, yes, when an orthodontist plans the treatment. Aligners only work while they are worn, about 22 hours a day, so wear is often the deciding factor.
What is the difference between Angel Aligners and Invisalign?
Both are clear aligner systems from different manufacturers. Elate Orthodontics uses Angel Aligners for most aligner patients and also offers Invisalign. The orthodontist's treatment plan matters more than the brand.
Do clear aligners cost more than braces?
At Elate Orthodontics, clear aligners cost close to what braces do.
Talk to a board-certified orthodontist near Little Elm.
The first visit at Elate Orthodontics is free. Scans, an exam with the doctor, and exact pricing.