The Invisalign vs Braces comparison has been happening for over 2 decades now, and there are experienced voices on both sides of the conversation. But when it comes to your smile, it’s important to find a voice in Vancouver you can trust.
We want to help. The truth is, with traditional braces or Invisalign treatment, both options can get you a better smile.
But if you ask us, you deserve a whole lot more than a better smile. You deserve your best smile and at a better value than the alternatives.
In this post, we’ll give you the honest pros and cons of each treatment option – Invisalign and braces – so that you can confidently decide for yourself which one is best for your specific situation.
We’ll also tell you honestly why we only offer Invisalign treatment at Radiant Smiles – not traditional metal braces or ceramic braces – and how you and your smile get more value and better results because of it.
Keep reading to find out how you can get smile results you’ll love like:
- Finishing treatment up to 2x faster than average braces or Invisalign patients.
- Saving time with 50% fewer appointments than at other Vancouver practices.
- Enjoying up to 75% less discomfort during Invisalign treatment than typical patients.
The Basics: Invisalign vs Braces
First, some quick definitions of what exactly braces and Invisalign are. Both traditional metal braces and Invisalign aligners fit into the branch of dentistry called orthodontics.
For orthodontic treatment, doctors use different methods to apply light, controlled forces to your teeth which causes them to move and reposition.
What Are Braces?
Braces are a set of brackets bonded to your teeth. One bracket for each tooth. The most recognizable kind are metal braces, but ceramic braces and even clear braces are also available.
Each bracket is tied together into a set by wires and tiny rubber bands. Braces are fixed in your mouth – you have to have them on at all times. You can’t remove them at all during your orthodontic treatment.
What Are Invisalign Aligners?
Invisalign aligners are the most advanced clear aligner system in the world.
They are hard, durable plastic and Invisalign trays are custom-fit for your particular smile. They fit over your teeth and are what cause movement and straighten teeth into their correct position.
Like traditional braces, clear aligners usually use small bonded attachments, too.
Unlike traditional braces, however, Invisalign’s bonded attachments don’t have big brackets on each tooth. The attachments are very small buttons. They’re completely smooth and small enough that they don’t accumulate food – a big plus for your oral health.
Aligners don’t have to be clear, but they usually are – which makes them virtually invisible in day-to-day life. More on that later.
Though there are other brands of clear aligners, Invisalign clear aligners are the most advanced and the most common.
For the rest of the post, we’ll compare Invisalign vs braces specifically.
Is Invisalign Better Than Braces?
As we confessed to you upfront, the answer is clear to us. In our experience, Invisalign is significantly better than braces for you as the patient.
The technology behind Invisalign makes it possible for us to achieve amazing results for you that would be much more difficult or even – in some places – impossible to achieve with traditional braces (including metal braces, ceramic, etc.).
Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign patients at Radiant Smiles see great results like:
- Finishing treatment up to 2x faster than average.
- 50% fewer appointments for the same, great results.
- Up to 75% less discomfort during orthodontic treatment.
Invisalign clear aligners makes all of these and more possible for you at a competitive treatment price to what you would find at other top-rated orthodontists in Vancouver.
At Radiant Smiles, you’ll receive a whole lot more in treatment for the same cost as you would pay for Invisalign or braces somewhere else.
Traditional Braces vs Invisalign Cost in 2025
The first Invisalign vs Braces question we often get asked is about the costs. And the answer might surprise you.
While they used to be the more expensive option, Invisalign aligners cost essentially the same as traditional braces today.
But to give you the most honest answer possible, there is a whole lot more to the cost of braces and Invisalign than simply what you pay.
Keep reading for the whole picture. Let’s start with the financial price of orthodontic treatment for each.
Is Invisalign Cheaper Than Braces?
The price of braces and Invisalign are essentially the same today.
Many patients are surprised to find this out. When Invisalign first came on the market, it did cost more than braces as the premium alternative for getting your teeth straightened.
And while it is still known as the premium alternative to braces today, that has far more to do with some of its superior advantages compared to traditional braces than its price. Examples include:
- faster treatment times on average.
- far more discreet appearance and visual appeal than wearing metal braces.
- can treat essentially any case that traditional braces can, sometimes even more complex cases.
The results for your smile, we find, are much better and faster with Invisalign treatment.
In fact, there are cases we can treat with Invisalign treatment at Radiant Smiles that you wouldn’t be able to achieve for any price with braces. But more on that later.
4 Additional Costs With Invisalign and Braces
Besides the obvious financial cost of Invisalign and braces, there are other costs that play just as big of a role (if not bigger) on what you end up spending on your smile. Here they are.
1. Hidden Fees
Be aware that practices in Vancouver do not all approach fees in the same way. The price you’re quoted for orthodontic treatment may not always be the price you’ll actually pay.
Some practices charge extra for things you might consider a normal part of treatment. Make sure you ask your doctor about hidden fees before starting treatment.
p.s. At Radiant Smiles, we don’t believe in hidden fees, so you won’t pay any.
2. Comfort (or Discomfort) During Orthodontic Treatment
Traditional braces do not have the same level of precision that’s possible with Invisalign treatment.
No matter how experienced your orthodontist is, it will be impossible for them to avoid causing you a certain amount of discomfort every time your braces are tightened.
Invisalign clear aligners naturally allow for much more precision during treatment than braces. So starting off, Invisalign can save you a lot of discomfort.
With Invisalign, you also don’t have to worry about the metal brackets which can scratch your gums, or the metal wires that poke your mouth.
At Radiant Smiles, it gets even better. You can enjoy up to 75% less discomfort during treatment from average patients with our clinically proven technology that we offer to you as a part of your treatment at no additional cost.
It’s a huge value that you can’t find anywhere else in Vancouver, and it’s yours without increasing your treatment cost at all.
3. Number of Appointments
At most orthodontists in Vancouver, the average patient will have to sit through 20 or more appointments during treatment.
Leading orthodontists in the United States report that the average number of appointments patients sit through for treatment is evening higher – 24 appointments. And it’s increasing!
At Radiant Smiles, you can do better. Our patients typically need only half the number of appointments to own their best smile as average orthodontic patients in Vancouver.
4. Length of Your Treatment
This one is so important, we gave it a whole section later in this post with charts and graphs so you can see how much is possible for your treatment.
But here’s the short version: Invisalign is proven to be faster than braces.
Shorter treatment will save you time. And saving time saves you money.
At Radiant Smiles, you can save a whole lot of time and money because most patients finish treatment 2x faster than the average patient at other orthodontists in Vancouver.
Invisalign vs. Braces, Which is Faster?
In multiple studies, it’s been shown that Invisalign works faster than braces.
Traditional braces are often faster to start treatment, but to call them faster is very misleading. The average treatment time for braces is about 20.6 months in the last published research (this time keeps getting longer by the way).
In comparison, clear aligners like Invisalign had an average treatment time of 16.19 months – noticeably shorter.
But get this: average Invisalign treatment times at Radiant Smiles is 50% shorter than even average Invisalign treatment elsewhere.
By the 4-month mark of treatment, here’s the amount of progress for your smile when you do Invisalign at Radiant Smiles compared to going with typical Invisalign or Braces somewhere else in Vancouver.
So yes, Invisalign is faster than braces. And at Radiant Smiles, it can be up to 2x faster.
We use clinically-proven technology that accelerates your teeth movement without causing any additional discomfort. In fact, it reduces your discomfort.
In just 10 minutes of use each day, it can get you your best smile twice as fast as everyone around you will get theirs at other orthodontists in Vancouver.
Do Braces or Invisalign Hurt More?
Traditional braces typically hurt more than Invisalign treatment.
Invisalign’s design naturally allows for much more precision during treatment than braces. The way braces are designed doesn’t allow for the same precision as Invisalign aligners and often results in more discomfort during treatment.
More ways that braces can hurt more than Invisalign:
- The start of treatment can be especially painful with the amount of pressure put on your teeth.
- Metal brackets that can scratch your gums.
- Wires that can irritate and poke your mouth.
Patients at Radiant Smiles avoid even more discomfort – up to 75% less – with proven technology at no additional cost. Get a free consultation and find out more about how enjoyable your treatment can be.
Can Invisalign Treatment Handle Complex Cases Like Traditional Braces?
Yes, Invisalign treatment can handle virtually any case that traditional braces can treat.
Whether you have crooked teeth, an underbite, an overbite, or something else, get a free consultation at Radiant Smiles today to see how we can help you see your best smile up to 2x faster than elsewhere in Vancouver.
Conclusion
In the Invisalign vs Braces comparison, there is no ‘wrong’ answer. Both can be good treatment options.
But if you’re looking for more for your time and investment in your smile, there is only one great answer: Invisalign in Half the Time
If you care about receiving the most value for your money and top-level focus on your smile, we made Invisalign at Radiant Smiles for you.
Get a free consultation today to see how you can own your best smile in half the time, and walk away with a personalized treatment plan for getting there. All at no cost to you.
