It’s no secret that straight teeth can give you an aesthetically pleasing smile, but they can also benefit your oral health.
At Crystal Smiles Dental in Livermore, California, Colin Young, DMD, and our dental team understand your desire for straight teeth. When you come in for a consultation, we give you an assessment to determine the many benefits of straightening your teeth with Invisalign that includes giving you a smile that you’re proud of while benefiting your oral health.
Benefits of having straight teeth
Having straight teeth can correct several issues, including:
1. Protruding teeth
When your teeth stick out, they’re more prone to injury or dental trauma. In addition, an overbite can cause complications, such as speech impediments and damage to your teeth and gums. Invisalign can correct your overbite and give you straight teeth.
2. Improper bite
An improper bite can wear your teeth down and cause them to chip. You can also have issues with grinding your teeth if you don’t have an aligned bite. Our treatment brings your bite into its correct alignment, allowing you to bite down properly.
3. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
Crooked teeth can cause your jaw to be off-balance, causing extra stress on your temporomandibular joints, which can result in the dysfunction of your jaw’s joints. A realignment of your teeth can relieve this issue.
4. Sleep apnea
Orthodontic issues can cause sleep apnea, which is a disorder that causes breathing interruptions while you’re asleep. Issues that can contribute to blocked airways include a dental arch problem, teeth misalignment, and jaw misalignment. Our Invisalign customized plan can treat your sleep apnea, eliminating its symptoms, and in some cases, eradicating it completely.
During your consultation, our team examines your oral health to determine how straight teeth can improve your issues and enhance your smile.
How Invisalign works
If you’re a candidate for braces, we use Invisalign to straighten your teeth. The patented SmartTrack® system uses clear aligners that you change out every few weeks until your teeth reach their desired straightness.
To begin your treatment, we first take images of your mouth with a state-of-the-art digital scanner. We then create your aligners from the imaging, which involves a highly customized plan.
You wear your aligners 20-22 hours a day, removing them only to eat and brush your teeth. After a few weeks, you switch to your next set until your teeth and bite are fully aligned.
You can start to see results as early as a few weeks. You can expect to wear your aligners anywhere from 6-18 months, depending on your treatment plan.
We monitor you throughout the process, making sure your teeth stay on track to reach your desired outcome. When you complete wearing your last set of aligners, we provide you with a customized retainer to keep your teeth straight and in place, preventing them from moving back into their original position.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Young about starting your Invisalign treatment plan to straighten your teeth, contact our team by calling, texting, or booking your appointment online today.