You may want to straighten your smile so that you look great at work, school, or when you’re out with friends. You may also want to feel more confident when speaking in public or conducting meetings.
Invisalign is a modern dental treatment that uses clear, removable aligner trays to correct teeth alignment issues. It’s a quick and easy way to get your dream smile without having metal braces.
No Food Restrictions
With traditional braces, there is a long list of foods that patients must avoid to ensure their orthodontic work does not become damaged. This is not the case with Invisalign, since aligners are removable. This means you can eat whatever you like as long as the aligners are removed prior to mealtime. While eating, you can also brush your teeth and floss to prevent food particles from becoming stuck in the braces and creating an environment for bacterial growth that can lead to tooth decay.
You must also be careful not to drink any hot beverages while wearing your aligners, as this can cause them to stain or warp. You should also not chew gum while you have your aligners in place, as the sticky residue can cling to them and encourage bacterial growth. If you want to have a snack, it is best to stick with soft foods such as yoghurt or apples that are not hard to chew.
Chewing hard or crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and even some hard-raw vegetables such as carrots can crack your aligners and require them to be replaced. This can have a negative impact on your treatment as the cracked aligners may not move your teeth in the correct direction. It is also recommended to use a reusable straw when drinking warm beverages in order to reduce the risk of them damaging your aligners.
No Drapes
Do you hate looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing crowded, misaligned teeth? Well, that doesn’t have to be your reality anymore. Decades ago, metal brackets and dark-colored wires were the orthodontic treatment of choice, but today you have much more inconspicuous options to choose from. One of these options is Invisalign, which is discreet and efficient and is a great solution for busy professionals.
Invisalign has a lot of advantages over traditional braces, including a more comfortable treatment, less iatrogenic discomfort, unhindered oral hygiene and fewer food restrictions. However, it also has some limitations, particularly in the correction of severe skeletal malocclusions.
It’s a removable appliance, which means that it can be taken off when you’re eating and drinking (although we recommend only doing this for hot foods/drinks as the aligners may distort) and when brushing and flossing your teeth. This can be a good thing as you can eat and drink whatever you want without restriction, but it can also be bad as you might not wear your aligners for enough hours to help move your teeth into their desired positions.
Another drawback to Invisalign is that it’s prone to trapping plaque and other damaging substances on the surface of the aligners. This can occur if you don’t clean your teeth and the trays properly. If this happens frequently, you might end up with stains on your teeth and gums when the Invisalign is removed.
No Expense
With traditional metal braces, you need to visit the dentist often to have the wires tightened or to replace broken brackets. This is not the case with Invisalign, which eliminates the need for wires and metal, reducing the costs associated with treatment.
The cost of Invisalign depends on the type of dental insurance you have, the area you live in, and the dentist’s practice policy. Most (PPO) dental insurances cover Invisalign, though some only cover up to 50% of the total cost of the treatment.
Some patients choose to save money on their Invisalign treatment by buying aligners online or through a mail-order company. However, these “invisible braces” are not made by orthodontists and don’t use SmartTrack material, which is specially designed to help teeth move into their correct positions. In addition, these companies don’t have any of the expertise or monitoring that orthodontists provide.
While the cost of Invisalign may be a bit higher than some other orthodontic treatments, it’s important to remember that the overall health benefits can be more significant than just improving your smile. Straighter teeth and a better bite can reduce the risk of future dental problems, such as tooth decay or gum disease. And crooked or misaligned teeth can make it difficult to clean them thoroughly, boosting the risk of bacterial growth that could lead to more serious health issues.
No Pain
Invisalign is a safe, effective and convenient way to straighten your teeth. However, some patients experience pain during the early stages of their treatment. The pain is usually mild, and it subsides as the teeth move into their correct positions. It is also worth mentioning that the discomfort of having your teeth moved is far less than what you would experience with traditional orthodontic treatments such as metal braces.
The initial discomfort is often caused by the trays themselves. Fortunately, the Invisalign company has made a lot of improvements over the years to make the trays more comfortable. The trays are now made with SmartTrack material that has more give than previous versions. This patented plastic allows the trays to fit more snugly around your teeth while still being easy to insert and remove.
You may also experience some discomfort from the aligners themselves rubbing against your gums and cheeks. A good way to reduce this friction is by using orthodontic wax. This is a soft, moldable material that can be placed over the most irritating areas of your aligners to help protect your mouth.
If the pain from your Invisalign trays is severe, over-the-counter medication can be used to ease the pain. These medications include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil). Although this pain is not pleasant, remember that it will only be temporary. The end result of a straighter smile is well worth the discomfort that you will have to endure.