Invisalign® treatment uses the same orthodontic principles as metal wire and brackets to straighten teeth. Both teeth straightening approaches apply gentle, steady pressure to move specific teeth in a desired direction. Like traditional braces, Invisalign® addresses tooth imperfections, such as crowded, gapped, or moderately misaligned teeth.
The Invisalign® approach to teeth straightening is simple – just wear each clear plastic aligner tray for the suggested length of time (usually 2 weeks), and replace it when the new tray arrives in the mail.
Getting started with Invisalign® is easy. The process starts with a visit to our dentist, who can help you determine if you are a good candidate for Invisalign®. Next, we will take photos, scans, and x-rays of your teeth, mouth, and face to help us develop your personalized treatment plan. We’ll send the records to Invisalign®, where technicians will create the series of plastic aligner trays you will wear over your teeth. You will start treatment when your first set of aligner trays are ready.
Each set of aligner trays moves your teeth a small distance in a predetermined direction. Replacing the aligners regularly keeps your teeth moving in the right direction until you achieve the desired outcome. You will visit our dentist once every 6 to 10 weeks to monitor your progress. Treatment typically takes 1 to 2 years, on average.
To get the most out of treatment, you will need to wear your Invisalign® trays at least 20 to 22 hours each day. After completing treatment, you will need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth from drifting out of their ideal location.
Invisalign® is different from traditional wire-and-bracket braces in a number of ways, including:
Metal wires and brackets are bulky, uncomfortable, and very obvious. Made from clear plastic, Invisalign® clear aligners are comfortable and nearly invisible.
Invisalign® is effective for treating crowded teeth, gapped teeth, misaligned or crooked teeth. The clear aligner trays can also address overbite that causes your top front teeth to stick out beyond your lower front teeth and underbite in which your lower front teeth jut out in front of your upper front teeth. Invisalign® can resolve an open bite in which your top front teeth do not meet your bottom from teeth when your mouth is closed, and crossbite in which your top front teeth fit behind your lower front teeth.
The cost of Invisalign® is comparable to, if not slightly less than, traditional metal braces. The national average for Invisalign® cost is $3000 to $5000, while metal braces cost $3000 to $7000.
The wires and brackets of conventional braces can make it hard to brush your teeth, and flossing is a time-consuming chore that requires a special flosser. Invisalign® makes it easy to practice good oral hygiene: simply remove your Invisalign® and rinse it in cool water, brush and floss as normal, and then put the clear aligner tray back in your mouth. Clean the Invisalign® trays once a day to prevent bacteria and plaque buildup.
Today’s braces are sturdier than ever before, thanks to advances in orthodontic technology, but certain foods can still damage the rubber bands, wires, and brackets. This is especially true of foods that are hard, sticky, or chewy. People who wear metal braces are often stuck with a soft diet consisting of mashed potatoes, noodles, yogurt, and peanut butter and jelly. What’s worse is that they often have to give up their favorite health and snack foods, such as popcorn, tacos, pretzels, hard cookies, raw vegetables, fruit, pizza, and corn on the cob.
Invisalign® requires no special diet – just remove your aligner before you eat, enjoy your favorite foods, and rinse your mouth before putting the Invisalign® tray back in.
King Dental offers teeth straightening with Invisalign®, along with a wide variety of other dental services. We provide the Invisalign® treatment Huntsville residents rely on for appealing, beautiful, and healthy smiles – contact us today at (256) 880-1884 to schedule an appointment.
