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Braces or Clear Aligners: A Guide for Meriden, CT Patients

By FisherVista
Feldman Orthodontics explains the differences between braces and clear aligners for Meriden patients, emphasizing the importance of retainers for lasting results.
Braces or Clear Aligners: A Guide for Meriden, CT Patients

Adults and teens in Meriden, Connecticut considering orthodontic treatment generally choose between two paths: fixed braces or removable clear aligners. Feldman Orthodontics, which serves Meriden patients from its nearby Cheshire office, treats patients with both. Four board-certified orthodontists — Dr. Jonny Feldman, Dr. David Feldman, Dr. Kelly Morrison and Dr. Preeti Chandhoke — practice across the group's three Connecticut locations.

Braces use brackets bonded to the teeth and an archwire that applies continuous pressure. Because the appliance is fixed, it works without relying on the patient to wear it, and it handles a broad range of movements including complex rotations and bite correction. Clear aligners use a sequence of custom trays, each worn for a set period before moving to the next. They are removable for eating and cleaning and are far less visible, which is why adults searching for clear aligners in Meriden, CT often start there. The trade-off is compliance: the trays only move teeth while they are in the mouth.

Teens frequently choose aligners when sports or musical instruments make fixed appliances awkward, though braces remain the better fit for many adolescent cases. Anyone comparing braces in Meriden, CT is assessed individually rather than steered toward a default.

Treatment planning at Feldman Orthodontics uses digital scanning and 3D imaging rather than relying solely on traditional impressions. The scan captures precise measurements of tooth and jaw position, giving the orthodontist a detailed view of alignment issues and supporting a more accurate plan from the start. For patients travelling from Meriden, remote monitoring is available in qualifying cases and can reduce the number of in-office visits during active treatment.

Younger patients are seen for early orthodontic evaluations at around age 7, consistent with American Association of Orthodontists guidance. Early assessment lets developing issues be identified and, where useful, addressed before they become more complex.

Retention is the part of treatment patients most often underestimate. Once braces or aligners have moved teeth into position, retainers hold them there. Teeth naturally tend to drift back toward their previous positions, and without consistent retainer wear that drift can undo the result over months or years.

Retainer fitting and follow-up appointments are included in the practice's treatment approach, with monitoring visits scheduled to confirm the correction is holding. "The retainer is not an afterthought — it is what makes the result permanent," said the Feldman Orthodontics team.

Patients looking for an orthodontist in Meriden, CT can book a complimentary consultation at the Cheshire, Wallingford or North Haven office. Surgical orthodontics is available for cases involving skeletal discrepancies.

More information is available at Feldman Orthodontics.

FisherVista

FisherVista

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