Upgrading Your Smile With Invisalign
Hi, today we're talking about Invisalign. I get asked by patients about Invisalign a lot, and there is more to it than just cosmetics. Yes, we can use Invisalign to improve the appearance of teeth by straightening them and making them look beautiful.
I did that for myself. My teeth had moved back to a position I didn't like after having had traditional braces when I was a kid. I corrected them with Invisalign and now wear my Invisalign retainers every night.
Beyond cosmetics, there are good reasons to do orthodontics, including Invisalign. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean. We can access them more easily with a brush and floss. I've had multiple patients with very crooked teeth develop cavities and gum disease because they can't keep them clean. So, there's definitely a good reason to straighten them. You keep them healthier and can keep them longer if they are straightened.
The second reason is to reduce wear and tear because our bite may not be correct. I have patients who say, "My bite doesn't feel right. It's uncomfortable. I want to change it. I don't really care what it looks like, but I want it to feel better." That's a very legitimate reason to get this done. If our bite is not right, we can experience chipping, cracks, and breakage. Our teeth and fillings will wear faster. So, it's a very good idea to consider orthodontics like Invisalign to correct the bite.
What is the process for getting Invisalign at Beachside Family Dentistry?
If you want to get Invisalign, you come in, and we do a scan and take some photographs. We send that to Invisalign, develop a plan, and receive our aligners. These are the aligners. We wear them 22 out of a 24-hour day. We take them out to eat, brush, floss, and put them back in.
I was one of those kids with braces, and once a month, I would go to the orthodontist who tightened them or put on a new wire. I hated it when a new wire went in because your teeth would hurt for 3 to 5 days, making it hard to bite into things. You don't get that with Invisalign. You're making smaller movements more frequently. You're changing aligners once a week. With smaller, more frequent movements, we can often move the teeth faster with Invisalign than with traditional orthodontics. Will that work for you? Come in for a complimentary consultation, and we'll find out.
Why is Invisalign good for you besides cosmetics?
I also get asked by patients why Invisalign is good for you besides cosmetics. Many people want the aesthetics of a nice, beautiful smile with straight teeth. I did Invisalign on myself, but it's also healthier to have straighter teeth because we can keep them cleaner if they're not so crooked. Particularly in the front, crooked teeth are very hard to keep clean.
I've had multiple patients develop cavities where the teeth overlap because they can't clean them properly, or they get gum disease for the same reason. It is much easier to keep straight teeth clean and therefore healthier.
The Invisalign system not only corrects alignment, it also corrects problems with a patient’s bite.
Problems like the following respond to Invisalign treatment:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Cross bite
- Open bite
I also have patients who don't care about the appearance but can tell their bite is not good and want it fixed. A correct bite has less chance of breakage, chipping, or cracking of teeth and the edges of front teeth. You need fewer crowns and fillings, and this results in less wear on the teeth, making them more comfortable. As I said, patients come to me because they're uncomfortable, and they become more comfortable once their bite is corrected. So, it's much more than just cosmetics.
The problems associated with crooked teeth go far beyond simply having a less-attractive smile. It is much harder to keep a crooked smile clean. Toothbrushes and floss just don't fit into some of those tiny spaces. Decay and gum disease are therefore more common.
What's the difference between Invisalign and traditional braces?
Anyone who has ever worn metal braces understands the advantages of the Invisalign system of orthodontia. When wires are cemented to the teeth for traditional orthodontic treatment, several problems arise: discomfort, unsightly appearance, dietary restrictions and difficulty cleaning the teeth.
The Invisalign system eliminates all these problems. Instead of wires, a patient receives a series of clear acrylic aligners. They begin wearing aligner number one and after a couple of weeks, they begin wearing aligner number two and so on through the series. Week by week, aligner by aligner, their teeth move into the right positions.
One of the best features of Invisalign aligners is the fact that you can remove them for meals or for cleaning. Patients no longer need to avoid their favorite crunchy or sticky foods. Plus, it’s easy to brush and floss the teeth when the aligners are out.
Please talk to us about orthodontic care with Invisalign. Let’s find out if you are a perfect candidate for this treatment.