Invisalign Q & A
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic aligners to straighten your teeth. You wear your aligners comfortably for at least 20 hours every day, removing them only to eat and brush your teeth. You can’t see the Invisalign trays while you wear them, so you don’t have to worry about unsightly brackets and wires, and they’re more comfortable than traditional braces as well.
Which conditions can Invisalign improve?
The skilled team at City Smiles Dental and Orthodontics recommends Invisalign for a variety of mild to moderate orthodontic conditions, such as:
- Crooked teeth
- Gap teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Misaligned teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Open bite
For severe or complex orthodontic conditions, your experienced orthodontist may recommend traditional braces or other types of orthodontic devices. If you do need traditional braces, City Smiles Dental and Orthodontics offers metal, clear, ceramic, and other braces options to best address your individual needs.
Am I a candidate for Invisalign?
Your provider at City Smiles Dental and Orthodontics performs a comprehensive consultation to determine your candidacy for Invisalign. This includes a review of your health history, a dental exam, digital X-rays, and an information session about the Invisalign system.
Invisalign isn’t just for adults. Teens can enjoy the same Invisalign benefits. Aligners designed for teenagers include a blue compliance indicator, so parents can monitor the amount of time that their teen wears their aligners each day.
For patients with budget concerns, City Smiles Dental and Orthodontics also offers “Gusaligners,” an in-house brand of clear aligners invented by Dr. Salas.
How does Invisalign work?
If your provider decides that you can benefit from Invisalign, they use a high-tech intra-oral scanner to create 3D images of your teeth. Your dentist uses these images to design your customized Invisalign treatment plan.
This plan, or “road map,” predicts the path of each tooth from its current location to its final position after treatment. The Invisalign laboratory uses your road map to create your custom aligners using a specialized 3D printer.
You wear each aligner for a few weeks, changing to the next aligner according to your plan, and visit your dentist every few months to monitor your progress. Each aligner puts gentle pressure on your teeth to guide them toward their final position. An AcceleDent mouthpiece, which fits around your aligners, can speed up the process, potentially cutting your treatment time in half.
To request an Invisalign consultation at City Smiles Dental and Orthodontics, call the office or book an appointment online today.