Dec. 10, 2018
Are you tired of confidence-knocking, crooked teeth? Maybe you wish you could straighten your teeth but just the thought of metal braces sends shivers down your spine. Invisalign could be just the answer.
As the name suggests, Invisalign is a set of virtually invisible aligners that are designed to move your teeth slowly but surely into that straight smile you’ve always wanted.
Wires and brackets can make anyone feel self-conscious, not to mention the dreaded idea of giving up your favorite foods while you’re undergoing treatment. But clear aligners are the ideal alternative to traditional metal braces.
Here’s why Invisalign trumps metal braces.
1. Invisalign is comfortable
The aligners are made of a clear plastic that’s gentler on your mouth compared to traditional orthodontics.
In fact, there’s not a metal wire or bracket in sight that’ll scratch, rub, or poke at your soft oral tissue. Invisalign aligners are soft and smooth and adjusted to fit your mouth perfectly.
Invisalign is also more comfortable since there aren’t any wires to tighten. With braces, there are several times during your treatment when wires must be changed for tighter ones to shift your teeth into position. This process, along with each adjustment period, is uncomfortable and even painful.
Invisalign is not painful. When you change your aligners, you may experience a mild pressure, but the discomfort may only last a day.
2. Invisalign is quicker
There are a number of options available for teeth straightening. But, if you want the shortest treatment time, Invisalign is the way to go.
With braces, you’ll need to undergo treatment for around 2 years to see results. With Invisalign, the average treatment time is just 6–18 months.
3. Invisalign lets you eat whatever you want
When you get traditional metal braces, you have to give up some of your favorite hard, chewy, and sticky foods.
With Invisalign aligners, you don’t have to give up anything during your orthodontic treatment. This is particularly good news if you love foods like carrots, apples, peanuts, or caramel.
In fact, when you undergo Invisalign treatment, you don’t have to avoid sticky or tough-to-chew foods, since you get to take your aligners out to eat, brush, and floss.
4. Invisalign is soft
Metal brackets are known to scrape the soft tissue in your mouth. What’s more, if the long wires haven’t been properly trimmed, they tend to prick the inside of your cheek.
On the other hand, clear aligners are more comfortable since there are no sharp edges in sight. Each set of aligners throughout your treatment are designed specially to sit comfortably in your mouth and gently move your teeth into the desired position.
During the first couple of days wearing new aligners, you might feel a little pressure on your teeth. This pressure is a good sign, meaning the aligners are shifting your teeth into alignment. That temporary discomfort is well worth your journey to a beautiful smile.
Best of all, Invisalign aligners don’t need to be tightened during your appointments. Rather, we will monitor your progress before you get the next set of aligners in your treatment series.
5. Better oral care
With regular braces, home care can be quite a daunting prospect. You need special floss threaders and brushes to get under those wires and around the brackets. It just takes a long time. Unfortunately, this lack of proper oral home care can lead to cavities both between your teeth and around the metal brackets.
With Invisalign, your home care routine doesn’t have to change. All you do is remove the aligners and brush and floss as before. Simply pop the aligners back in when you’re done.
Book an appointment at Lansdowne & Herndon Smile Design to discover if Invisalign treatment is right for you.