Straight teeth and a lovely smile can go a big way in making you confident in facing the world and improving your mental and physical health. Realizing this, millions of teens and young adults subject themselves to the embarrassment, awkwardness, discomfort, and inconvenience of wearing traditional metal braces on their teeth. Even though it is well-known that wearing braces can help you get a confident and bright smile, the negatives prevent many people from going in for the treatment or discontinuing it after some time. For those who have crooked or crowded teeth that make them afraid to smile and prevent them from maintaining optimal oral health, Invisalign comes as a breakthrough. If you are hesitant to open your mouth due to uneven teeth and are reluctant to undergo the awkwardness and pain of wearing traditional metal braces, you need to consider Invisalign. It is a technologically advanced tool for straightening crooked teeth.
Benefit From Invisibility
The most noticeable differences between traditional metal braces and Invisalign are the material and the appearance. Conventional braces are made of metal wires that look ugly in the mouth and spoil your appearance. However, the aligners and brackets of Invisalign are made of transparent high-impact BPA-free plastic that is almost invisible when worn and allows you to smile confidently. While the function of both metal braces and Invisalign is the same, and their primary use is the improvement of the alignment of teeth for a better smile and improved oral hygiene, the technology employed by Invisalign is more accepted by young and modern people.
Other significant benefits of Invisalign include convenience, comfort, and reduced length of treatment. You can remove Invisalign aligners from your mouth any time you like, which means you can remove them for eating and brushing. It is in stark comparison with metal braces that need to remain in place on your teeth for the entire course of treatment that may last for as long as two years. Apart from eating food becoming more comfortable, you need not worry about biting into sticky or hard foods that would have either gotten stuck in the aligners or damaged them. Moreover, with the facility of removing the plastic aligners, your dental hygiene can improve as you can brush and floss better. That you can remove Invisalign also means that you can go without them if you like on a special occasion like a wedding, birthday party, an important presentation, etc. However, dentists advise that for the treatment to be effective, you should keep the aligners on for at least 20 hours daily.
While the treatment length depends on the case complexity, anecdotal evidence shows that Invisalign at Kate Brayman DDS lasts for 6-18 months compared to metal braces that need to stay in place for as long as two years. On top of this, the plastic trays in your mouth are more comfortable than pieces of metal wires. Also, you need to remember that metal braces need to be tightened every four months by the dentist, but with Invisalign, you need to visit the dentist only twice a year, and that too for a quick checkup. The only drawback is that Invisalign may be considerably more expensive and may not be covered by all dental plans, so you need to work out the finances before committing yourself to the treatment. According to Forbes, the cost depends on the length of the treatment and the complexity of the case.
How Does Invisalign Work
In a distinct difference from metal braces, Invisalign comprises aligners made of transparent hard plastic. Dentists provide computer-generated digital images and impressions to Invisalign to develop custom solutions for every patient to correct the alignment of teeth. While conventional braces use fixed metal wires to pull the teeth into the correct position, Invisalign uses a series of plastic molds over several months to force the teeth into their desired positions. Instead of having to visit the dentist every four months to tighten the wires of the braces, all you need to do is to change the Invisalign tray at home by yourself and reserve the six-monthly visit to the dentist for a check-up.
The Invisalign Process
Invisalign treatment begins with an initial consultation with a dentist experienced and trained in the Invisalign treatment process. During this meeting, the dentist will explain what Invisalign is, the treatment process, the likely treatment period, and the estimated cost of treatment.
Once you decide to go ahead, the dentist will take ex-rays and photos of your teeth, mouth, and face from multiple angles and positions to prepare a map of the way forward. Sometimes, the dentist may also take a lateral cephalometric x-ray to estimate the relationship between the cheekbone and the jaw for the best teeth alignment. The dentist will also take several impressions of the teeth to base the design and fabrication of the aligners. The dentist may apply composite patches to each tooth to help the aligners have a better grip. The dentist will remove these small patches after the end of the Invisalign treatment easily and without causing discomfort. If the teeth are too crowded, the dentist may perform inter-proximal reduction to create more space between the two teeth.
After the Invisalign braces are ready, the dentist will call you for the first fitting. The dentist will review the various sets of trays and understand your comfort level or if the tray is moving in your mouth. You can expect the aligners to feel tight and strange, but you should get accustomed to the feeling quickly. Initially, your teeth may ache and be sensitive, but these sensations should ease quickly, especially after you use toothpaste formulated for sensitive teeth. You may also experience some difficulty speaking for some time as the tongue will take some time to get used to the space restrictions.
Conclusion
Invisalign will lend a new dimension to your life because now you can feel more confident that you are taking the right steps in a process that will yield straighter and more evenly-spaced teeth and you can impress people with your dazzling smile. With the success of the treatment, you will not only look beautiful but feel more beautiful and confident.