Everywhere you look, you see beautiful uniform smiles with straight, healthy teeth. Chances are, the smiles you’re admiring have been enhanced with Invisalign® treatment. In fact, around 9 million Americans have had Invisalign treatment.
Here at Crystal Smiles Dental in Livermore, California, our talented cosmetic dentist, Colin Young, DMD, offers Invisalign treatments for teenagers and adults who want perfect smiles but don’t want to deal with a mouth full of metal brackets and wires. In this blog, Dr. Young explains what Invisalign is and lists five benefits of Invisalign treatments.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a system that uses clear, plastic aligners to straighten teeth. First, Dr. Young examines your teeth and takes images to determine if Invisalign is right for you. If it is, he uses the images to map out the necessary migration of your teeth. Then, he sends the map to an Invisalign lab where your aligner sets are made.
Each aligner set in the series is slightly different from the one before it. You wear each set for about two weeks, and when you take out your last set, you have the smile of your dreams.
Benefits of Invisalign
There are many reasons why Invisalign treatments are often better than traditional orthodontic treatments. Here are five of them:
1. Nearly invisible
One of the main benefits of Invisalign treatment is that the aligners are nearly invisible when you wear them. They’re made of clear BPA-free plastic and are custom-made to fit your teeth precisely. You don’t need to deal with a mouth full of unattractive and distracting metal.
2. Relatively comfortable treatment
Invisalign is also more comfortable than traditional orthodontic treatment. The aligners don’t have any sharp edges that could irritate your cheeks or gums. You also don’t have to have uncomfortable treatments to tighten or adjust your braces. You’ll experience some pressure from your aligners, but it will be less compared to traditional braces.
3. No food restrictions
Ideally, you should wear your aligners 22-23 hours each day, but you can take them out to eat. This means you don’t have to give up any of your favorite foods. You can continue to sink your teeth into nice crisp apples or tear into a steak without the fear of breaking a wire or bracket.
4. Clean your teeth easily
Another benefit of being able to take out your aligners for brief periods is that you can brush and floss your teeth normally. You won’t need to work around metal braces, which can make it challenging to thoroughly clean your teeth and prevent tooth decay.
5. Enhance your smile quickly
In most cases, Invisalign can correct smiles in just 12-18 months, whereas traditional orthodontics can take much longer. Every patient has different needs, so we provide thorough consultations before recommending treatment or estimating how long it will take.
To learn more about Invisalign and to see if it can help you, book an appointment online or over the phone with Crystal Smiles Dental today.