Have you been dreaming about a straighter smile? In the days of yore, your only option may have been traditional metal braces with wires. Fortunately, orthodontic technology has come a long way in recent decades, and many people with crooked teeth are good candidates for Invisalign. What is Invisalign? It’s an orthodontic treatment built around clear aligners that slowly move your teeth into the right position. Not only are they less conspicuous than braces, but also they’re more comfortable and convenient. If you’re interested in learning more about this reliable treatment, you’re in the right place. Scroll down to learn everything you need to know about Invisalign.
What Is Invisalign?
How Does Invisalign Work?
After scanning your mouth and taking x-rays and photos, your dental team will create a custom treatment plan. Then, a lab will manufacture your aligners, which you must wear regularly, following the instructions provided by your dental team. As the months pass by, the aligners will do their magic to transform your smile. To learn more about this process, check out our blog post How Does Invisalign Work?
Benefits of Invisalign
Some benefits of Invisalign are obvious, like gaining straighter teeth with a virtually invisible orthodontic treatment. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that Invisalign can impact your life in a variety of ways, from your self-confidence to your dental health. To discover all the advantages it offers, check out our blog post Benefits of Invisalign.
How Invisalign Can Improve Your Bite
“Bite” refers to the way in which your upper and lower teeth fit together inside your mouth. If your teeth don’t fit together properly, you have a malocclusion, which can lead to jaw pain, excessive or uneven tooth wear, muscle problems, headaches, embarrassment, self-consciousness, and more. Fortunately, Invisalign is a great fix for many of these issues. You can explore bite issues in several of our blog posts: How Is Your Bite Supposed to Look?, How to Fix an Underbite, What Is an Open Bite?, How to Correct an Overbite (or Deep Bite), What Is a Crossbite?, and How to Prevent Future Bite Issues.
How to Get Invisalign
Although Invisalign is manufactured by Align Technology, you can’t purchase it from the company directly. Instead, you’ll need to locate an accredited office — like Wilkinson Dental! If you’re a little confused about the steps you need to take, review our blog post How to Get Invisalign.
How to Clean Invisalign Trays
Because you must wear Invisalign aligners for 20 to 22 hours each day, it’s important that you keep them clean. In addition to following some basic rules — like not eating anything while wearing your aligners, drinking nothing but water while wearing your aligners, and brushing and flossing your teeth regularly — you’ll need to add a few steps to your daily oral hygiene routine. To learn more, check out our blog post How to Clean Invisalign Trays.
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
Although Invisalign aligners are very comfortable and delightfully inconspicuous, you’re probably wondering how long you must wear them to gain a straight smile. Although the answer varies from patient to patient, you can get the gist by reading our blog post How Long Does Invisalign Take? We’ll also explain some factors that can influence your treatment timeline.
Is Invisalign Painful?
Is discomfort inevitable with a teeth-straightening treatment like Invisalign? If you want to better understand what to expect on the pain front, check out our blog post Is Invisalign Painful? In addition to answering the titular question, we explore how you can make the treatment more comfortable.
Is Invisalign Worth It?
Obviously, the answer to this question is a matter of personal opinion. But to help you decide if Invisalign is a worthwhile investment for your unique situation, we explored circumstances in which it may be wise to invest in Invisalign. We also looked at cases in which Invisalign doesn’t make much sense. Make an informed decision by reviewing our blog post Is Invisalign Worth It?
Invisalign vs. Braces
Both traditional metal braces and Invisalign can effectively straighten your smile. To determine which option is best for you, you’ll need to consider factors like the treatment time, the rules regarding food, the devices’ appearance, and, of course, your dentist’s opinion. Learn more in our blog post Invisalign vs. Braces.
Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club
You may have heard about a trendy new alternative to Invisalign called Smile Direct Club, which also uses clear aligners to straighten teeth. However, it’s important to note that the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) issued a consumer alert regarding Smile Direct Club and similar direct-to-consumer orthodontic companies, warning that these treatments could cause irreversible damage to patients’ oral health. Learn more about the oral health community’s concerns in our blog post Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club.
Invisalign Tips and Tricks
If you want to get the most out of your Invisalign treatment, you must follow the directions provided by your dental team. In addition, we encourage you to use our blog post Invisalign Tips and Tricks to learn more about the ins and outs of Invisalign. For example, have you heard of chewies? Invisalign users sometimes use these products to improve the fit of their aligners.
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What is Invisalign? By exploring our full collection of Invisalign-related blog posts, you can learn everything you need to know about this effective and potentially life-changing orthodontic treatment.
And if you’re interested in straightening your teeth with Invisalign, contact Wilkinson Dental if you live in or near Springfield, MO. We use Invisalign to correct overcrowded teeth, misaligned teeth, gapped teeth, and bite problems, including overbite, open bite, crossbite, and underbite. Check out these before-and-after photos. Finally, to schedule your complimentary consultation, please give us a call at 417-708-0556 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!