‘Controversy’ over invisible braces
Invisible brace products such as the Inman Aligner and Invisalign, both US-made types of invisible braces, have grown in popularity over the last few years, according to the West Australian newspaper.
However, the publication states that Dr Shelley Greenway, president of the Australian Society of Orthodontists, has called the much-acclaimed Inman Aligner a "reinvention of the wheel" and not a real development.
"We’ve come a long way from bands that used to be glued all the way around all of the teeth to little brackets that you literally stick on the teeth and they can be tooth-coloured," she remarked.
Dr Greenway claimed that clear aligners have risen in popularity due to patients’ desire for less obvious braces, but that in fact traditional wires are still the best option for patients.
On the other hand, Dr Richard Slattery, a Perth dentist, claims that use of the clear brace product Invisalign has doubled in the past year due to its comfort and ease of cleaning.
Katherine Hiegl, star of US series Grey’s Anatomy and romantic comedy Knocked Up, recently got married wearing invisible braces.
According to reports, the Hollywood actress wanted her teeth straight for her wedding photographs.
