Invisalign Clear Aligners

When you hear the word "orthodontics," what comes to mind? Probably a young teenager whose teeth are covered by a latticework of metal. There are indeed many orthodontic patients who fit that description. However, there now exists an increasingly popular alternative to traditional metal braces: Invisalign® clear aligners.

As the name implies, Invisalign clear aligners are made of almost invisible polyurethane plastic. Rather than being cemented or bonded to the teeth as metal or clear braces are, clear aligners are completely removable — for important social occasions, for eating, and, most importantly, for tooth-brushing and flossing. This advantage can also be a disadvantage: It means you must resist the temptation to take your aligners out more than is advised. Here are some other advantages of the Invisalign system:

Invisalign clear aligners work the same way traditional braces do: by applying carefully controlled forces to teeth to move them into a better position. But they are not made of metal; instead, they are made of clear, flexible plastic.

Here's how it works: Our experienced, highly-trained doctors utilize digital treatment planning software to uniquely develop a series of aligners that are customized to your teeth and bite. Our knowledge of tooth movement and biomechanics enables us to go above and beyond the basic software algorithms that can limit and delay results. This movement will be broken down into perhaps several dozen stages. For each stage, we will instruct Invisalign to manufacture two plastic mouth "trays" or "aligners," one to fit over your top teeth and one for the bottom. You will wear this first set of trays for two weeks, for a minimum of 20-22 hours per day. You will then move on to the next set of aligners in your series to accomplish the next stage of gradual movement. You will keep doing this until your teeth are correctly aligned. Our doctors will check on your progress in-office regularly and intervene as needed to get you the best and most efficient outcome. As with any orthodontic treatment, patient cooperation is crucial.

As mentioned above, one of the main advantages of the Invisalign system is that the trays can be removed for easy cleaning. So please don't neglect to do this! You'll need to brush your teeth after every meal or snack so that food and plaque do not get trapped in the aligners, which could promote tooth decay and gum disease. Your aligners, too, will have to be cleaned regularly; you can do this by brushing them and then rinsing them with lukewarm water.

Also, please keep in mind that while wearing clear aligners is very different from wearing braces, the importance of retaining your post-treatment results is exactly the same. You'll want to be sure to wear your retainer(s) exactly as prescribed after your treatment is completed to protect your investment in a beautiful new smile.