What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a teeth straightening system that takes a modern approach to orthodontics. As an alternative to metal braces, Invisalign uses clear plastic trays that fit over the teeth to gently shift them into proper alignment. This system can correct many common orthodontic issues including overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, crowding, and more.
Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign offers many benefits as a teeth straightening system:
- The clear aligners fit snugly to your teeth, making them virtually invisible. Most people won’t even notice that you are wearing them.
- The aligners are removable for eating, brushing, and flossing your teeth. You don’t have to worry about what you eat or change your oral hygiene habits.
- The aligners are made of smooth, flexible plastic that won’t irritate the soft tissues of your mouth. They shift your teeth gradually and gently for less discomfort.
- Invisalign is comparable in cost to other orthodontic treatments. If your dental insurance includes orthodontic coverage, Invisalign should qualify.
- Invisalign provides results in a shorter amount of time than braces in most cases.
The Invisalign Process
Here is a step-by-step overview of the Invisalign process:
- Evaluation. The first step is an evaluation of your teeth to determine whether or not Invisalign will be effective for you.
- Impressions and Images. The next step is to make digital impressions and images of your teeth. These are entered into the Invisalign computer software program to plan your treatment.
- Aligners are created. The computer software plans your treatment and your aligners are created according to the specifications from your impressions.
- Wear your aligners. You receive a complete set of aligners from your dentist that will see you through your entire treatment. Wear them according to your dentist’s instructions, usually for about 2 weeks each, switching to the next set in order.
- Retain your results. When you have completed your treatment and have achieved the desired results, you will need to wear retainers to keep your teeth in that position.
Are You a Good Candidate for Invisalign?
If you have mild to moderate orthodontic issues you may be a good candidate for Invisalign. This system can treat many common orthodontic conditions, but some cases may be too complex for Invisalign. A simple evaluation will allow us to make a recommendation regarding Invisalign vs other orthodontic treatment.
Why Choose Lakeville Dental?
One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is that you don’t need to go to an orthodontist. Lakeville Dental provides Invisalign treatment right here in our office. We can perform an evaluation to determine whether or not Invisalign is right for you and have an open discussion with you about it to ensure you are making an informed decision. You will only need to come in about every 8 weeks or so for us to monitor your progress.