Invisalign clear aligners utilize a next-gen approach to straightening your teeth, utilizing a custom set of clear aligners created for you and only you. These aligners are made of smooth, comfortable, and virtually invisible plastic that you wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners for about 20-22 hours daily, your teeth will gradually and gently shift into place. We will send you home with a series of custom-made aligners, and you pop in a new set every 7 to 14 days, depending on your individualized treatment plan. Invisalign clear aligners are great for adults and teenagers who choose a more discreet yet effective orthodontic treatment to improve their smile. The benefits of Invisalign over metal braces include:
- Much more comfortable to wear
- Discomfort is minimal
- Virtually invisible. Most people don’t even notice you’re straightening your teeth
- Invisalign is about the same price as traditional metal braces and is covered under most insurance policies
- Removable aligners so no food restrictions
- Easier to clean
- No need for emergency appointments to fix a broken bracket or pokey wire
- Office visits are less frequent, averaging every 8-12 weeks
Invisalign may be the alternative to braces you have been looking for. Using 3-D graphics to design aligners, Invisalign is easy to wear.
With the most up-to-date procedures available at our office, you will always have the smile you want. Invisalign is one of the most recent developments in the orthodontic field and is an alternative to braces.
How does it work?
Invisalign is a series of orthodontic appliances that straighten and align crooked, gapped, and crowded teeth. We take a state-of-the-art impression of your smile and create a personalized treatment plan. Every few weeks, you’ll swap out your custom-fit aligners to apply pressure to gradually shift your teeth into a healthier and more aesthetically-pleasing placement. And, during your time with Invisalign, you’ll be able to remove them for two hours a day! This means you can eat your favorite foods, brush and floss thoroughly, and maintain excellent oral hygiene.
Invisible teeth straightening with visible results
Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten your teeth without the use of braces. Invisalign uses 3-D computer graphics to create “aligners”, clear appliances that are simple and easy to wear.
How Do Clear Aligners Work?
At your initial consultation, your orthodontist will evaluate to see that you are a candidate for either Invisalign. If it is determined that clear aligner treatment is the best course for you, we will use the Itero scanner to take precise, 3D images of your teeth. Your orthodontist sends these images and a detailed treatment plan to the manufacturers who fabricate your custom aligners with excellent precision. Your aligners will be delivered to you at our office. You will return to our office for additional aligners on a customized schedule that best suits your tooth movement and busy life. You will wear your aligners 22 hours a day. Each aligner moves selected teeth a small amount. The number of aligners (and the length of your treatment) will depend upon the severity of your malocclusion and your treatment goals. Once active aligner treatment is complete, you will be given a retainer to maintain your new smile. There are various retainer options, and we will discuss which are best for your needs. Many Invisalign patients choose a similar clear aligner for a retainer and/or a fixed or permanent retainer glued behind the teeth.
Are you a candidate for Invisalign?
Most people are candidates for Invisalign, but the following are exceptions:
- Patients who smoke and are either unable or unwilling to quit during treatment would be unable to wear Invisalign. Smoking can cause discoloration of the aligners, making them appear stained and unappealing.
- People who lack the motivation to wear the aligners for at least 20 hours a day may not be good candidates for this method. As an Invisalign patient, you have much more control over your treatment, but you must follow your orthodontist’s instructions. Inadequately wearing your aligners may necessitate costly mid-course corrections to even out your treatment.
- Kids too young to take the necessary steps to care for their Invisalign aligners are unsuitable candidates.
- Seniors who lack the manual dexterity required to take the aligners on and off are also not good candidates. Failure to perform the primary orthodontic care required to remove the aligners and clean the teeth beneath can result in decay and other complications.
Correcting smile imperfections
Along with being invisible, the aligners are also removable, which allows you to eat and drink whatever you would like whenever you would like. With no metal or wires to worry about, Invisalign is also more comfortable. In clinical research, Invisalign is a proven method.
Proper aligning
Invisalign aligners are worn for a certain period of time, usually about two weeks, and then replaced with the next aligner. This moves teeth little by little, and with only certain teeth allowed to move, the controlled movements result in an efficient force delivery system.