Invisalign® Makes it Easier Than Ever to Straighten Your Teeth
Can’t beat the convenience of Invisalign
The process of straightening your teeth and creating a better smile is more convenient when you choose Invisalign. Let’s talk about how braces work and the difference between Invisalign and traditional braces.
All types of braces, including Invisalign, reposition your teeth by placing enough consistent pressure on each tooth to make it move through the supporting bone. This is a step-by-step process that’s achieved by applying pressure, giving your teeth time to move, then adjusting the pressure to nudge them to move a little more. With enough adjustments, your teeth gradually straighten.
The principle is the same for all orthodontic treatments, but the process you go through is different. With traditional braces, a bracket is bonded to each tooth, an archwire is slipped through each bracket, and then the orthodontist manually tightens the wire. When it’s time to change the pressure, you go back to the office for a manual adjustment.
By comparison, with Invisalign, you place a clear, soft-plastic tray over your upper and lower teeth. Done. You wear the same aligners for one or two weeks, then you take those out and switch to the next set in your Invisalign series. You already have the series at home, so you simply trade one for the next throughout your treatment.
How do you get your series of aligners? When you come in for your first visit, we create a 3D impression or image of your teeth, talk with you about the changes you want to make, then we carefully map out how every tooth must move to achieve your results.
We send the plan along with the image of your teeth to the Invisalign lab, and they create a custom-made series of aligners that gradually move your teeth by creating new pressure with each aligner.
You’ll still come in for a quick check-up occasionally, so we can be sure your teeth are moving as planned, and we’re always available if you have questions, but you don’t have to go through tedious manual archwire adjustments.
Straighten your teeth in less time with Invisalign.
You’ll spend less time in the dental chair with Invisalign, which is great, but that’s not the only time advantage. With Invisalign, most patients have a beautiful new smile in 12-18 months. By comparison, the average treatment time with traditional braces is 18-30 months.
Oral care is easier with Invisalign.
You can imagine what it’s like to clean your teeth when you have brackets and metal wires in the way. Despite the challenge of cleaning around traditional braces, it’s essential to clear all food particles out from around and under the metal.
Patients with metal braces resort to specialized brushes designed to reach around the wires, and they need to use a floss threader to slip floss under the wire and between their teeth. In other words, daily dental care turns into a time-consuming process.
How do you clean your teeth with Invisalign? The same way you always do. You simply take out the aligner trays, brush and floss your teeth, brush the trays, then put them back in place. Not only is it easy to keep your teeth clean and healthy with Invisalign, but it also takes less time.
Forget about food restrictions with Invisalign.
You can take your Invisalign aligners out while you eat, which means you can enjoy all your favorite foods. With metal braces, you’ll need to cut food into small pieces and be careful about chewy, crunchy, hard, and sticky foods.
However, you’ll need to be diligent about putting your aligners back in after you eat and brush. It’s essential to wear your Invisalign trays for 20-22 hours daily to be sure your teeth get the consistent pressure needed to move your teeth as planned.
With Invisalign, it’s easier than ever to eliminate a gap between your teeth or straighten crooked teeth. If you have any questions or you’d like to schedule an appointment to learn more about Invisalign, call Dr. Olson at (512) 212-5231, or request an appointment online.
