When it comes to straightening your teeth discreetly, there are two popular options: Lingual Braces and Invisalign. Both types offer discrete advantages over traditional metal braces, but each type comes with its own benefits, considerations, and suitability.
At Walnut Grove, we’re here to help you choose the best treatment that aligns most with your lifestyle, goals, and smile.
What Are Lingual Braces?
Lingual braces are similar to traditional braces, but instead of being placed on the front of your teeth, they’re attached behind the teeth (on the tongue-facing side). This makes them virtually invisible when you speak or smile.
Pros of Lingual Braces:
- Completely hidden from view
- Custom-fitted for each tooth
- Suitable for complex orthodontic cases (including severe crowding or bite issues)
Things to Consider With Lingual Braces:
- They may cause temporary speech difficulty or tongue discomfort during adjustments
- They are more challenging to clean than other brace options
- Can be slightly more expensive due to custom design and specialized placement
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually move your teeth into place. Each set of aligners is worn for 1–2 weeks before switching to the next set of aligners in the series.
Pros of Invisalign:
- They are virtually invisible when worn
- Removable for eating, brushing, and flossing
- Generally, more comfortable than fixed braces
Things to Consider With Invisalign:
- Must be worn 20–22 hours per day for best results
- Not ideal for severe bite or alignment issues
- You’re responsible for keeping track of and cleaning the aligners
Which Option Is Better Suited for You?
| Feature | Lingual Braces | Invisalign |
| Visibility | Completely hidden | Less visible with clear aligners |
| Comfort | May cause tongue discomfort | Generally more comfortable |
| Removability | Fixed (non-removable) | Removable |
| Oral Hygiene | Harder to clean | Easy to brush and floss |
| Treatment Complexity | Good for complex cases | A wide range of cases are treatable with compliance |
| Speech Impact | Possibility to impact speech with a lisp early on | Minimal to no impact |
| Management of Braces | Easy to manage as they are fixed in place. | It requires more effort to manage. Aligners are patient-managed. |
Walnut Grove Orthodontist Is Here to Help!
At Walnut Grove, we believe your treatment should reflect your goals, comfort, and lifestyle. If you’re considering Invisalign or exploring lingual braces as a hidden solution, our experienced team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Ready to discover the best path to your perfect smile? Book a consultation with our team today to find out whether Invisalign or lingual braces are right for you.
Dr. Richard G. Standerwick, Certified Specialist in Orthodontics, is a native of Vancouver. He graduated high school at Burnaby Central Senior Secondary (1989) and received a BSc. in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia (1993). Dr. Standerwick completed his dental school education at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL) and returned to Vancouver (associated with Dr. R. W. Standerwick) and then Surrey, BC to practice dentistry (1997-2005).
Dr. Standerwick received his Certificate of Orthodontics and Master of Science in Dentistry in (2007). During his orthodontic residency, Dr. Standerwick developed a new method of cephalometric superimposition for growth and treatment analysis, and a new craniofacial growth model.