Invisalign has helped millions of people to feel good about their smiles. Your smile is the first thing that people notice about you. If there's something about it that you want to improve, talk to your orthodontist about whether Invisalign may be a good option for you.
If you live or work in the San Francisco Bay Area and you're looking for the very best Invisalign dentist near San Jose, choose Santa Teresa Dental Center. Our experienced team has treated countless orthodontic cases, providing straight smiles to teen and adult patients of all ages. Call us today to schedule your no-pressure consultation!
Invisalign Is Fast
The idea of taking steps to correct an underbite or even gaps between your teeth can be daunting. In essence, any action that you take will require time and a high level of commitment on your part. Invisalign will only work if you use it as directed. If you give up before you reach the best and, you won't experience the changes that you desire.
One of the important things to know about Invisalign is that it is fast. Invisalign often produces results in less time overall than traditional braces. This means you'll spend less time getting to the final result you and your orthodontist have in mind if you choose Invisalign than if you select metal braces.
Patients who wear metal braces start seeing noticeable results more quickly with those but it takes longer to complete the entire treatment. Despite that, with Invisalign, you'll also notice the initial changes fairly quickly. Many patients start seeing changes in their teeth after two or three months.
Even though you may not see the changes that occur in a week, your teeth will shift minutely after you've been wearing your aligners for that long. That's why you'll need to go in and get a new set of aligners. Your teeth have changed position so your previous aligners will no longer reflect the new shape of your mouth. You'll frequently need new sets to keep pushing your teeth so they become straight.
Invisalign won't usually focus on the teeth that are already straight. That's an important difference between it and traditional metal braces. Invisalign works on one tooth at a time, gradually correcting that tooth without causing unnecessary discomfort.
Many people won't need Invisalign treatment for longer than 18 months. Some patients get the straight teeth that they want in as little as 12 months. Several factors influence the length of time taken to get your bite corrected, including how often you wear your thermoplastic aligners.
If you're disciplined and wear your aligners for the minimum recommended time per day, you'll see results more quickly than if you forget to put them on every now and then. There are also factors that are beyond your control, such as the shape of your jaw and your genetics. However, things like your diet affect how quickly your aligners work and so, you should discuss the effect of your meal choices with your orthodontist.
Invisalign Is Efficient & Reliable
One of the things to know about Invisalign is that it's reliable. You can predict the kind of results you'll get with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Each set of aligners is made specifically to fit the shape of your teeth and your orthodontist knows where each tooth will move to after an approximate period of time.
Invisalign aligners shift your teeth in any direction that is needed to correct your bite. They can do all that's required to give you straight teeth. They may be smooth and less intimidating than metal braces but they do what they are supposed to. Each aligner is uniquely customized to you and alters your teeth over time.
Your teeth move vertically, horizontally, and are even gently rotated over time to achieve a visually pleasing result. Since each thermoplastic aligner is engineered for you, the right amount of force is always exerted in the right place.
The amount of shifting that will occur in your mouth is calculated to minimize the degree of discomfort that you feel. However, this is not the only factor that your orthodontist takes into consideration. They also consider gum growth and each set of aligners allows your gums to gradually grow to support the new position of your straightened teeth.
Invisalign is extremely reliable and you can actually see what your teeth will look like in 12 months. Since each set of aligners is made with 3D images of your mouth, a time-lapse video can be produced. This will encourage you, as you'll see how your teeth will move into position.
The animated preview of the changes lets you know in advance what to expect. This gives you a sense of preparedness as you face the months ahead. You'll even understand the sequence in which changes in your mouth will take place.
Invisalign Is Virtually Invisible
Braces used to be thought of as an option for children alone. However, many adults want to correct their smile later in life. They want to do it discreetly, without the inconvenience of questions from anyone they know.
Invisalign provides a greater level of discretion than traditional braces. You can get the look that you want without having other people trying to interfere in your life or decisions. One of the things to know about Invisalign is that while it's clear, it's very strong.
Since it's clear, your Invisalign aligned won't show up in photographs as distinctly as metal braces would. It's important to care for your aligners as recommended, to keep on having them look smooth. They should always be cleaned with a soft cloth or a soft bristle brush.
Using a hard bristle brush could result in scratches on the surface. This type of damage ruins the transparent look of the dental appliance. It makes them more readily visible at a glance, so avoid scratching them.
Invisalign Is Easy To Remove
While Invisalign does cause some discomfort, it is manageable. It will correct crooked teeth gradually, so it causes less discomfort than some other options. Talk to your orthodontist about what you can expect in terms of pain and the steps that you can take to alleviate it.
You can feel comfortable eating many of the foods you like. In fact, you can even remove your Invisalign aligners even now and then. You just need to make sure you wear your aligners for at least 20 hours a day to correct misaligned bites. That's much better than traditional metal braces, which stay in place 24/7.
You won't have to worry about adjusting to a different oral hygiene regimen, as you would with metal braces. Simply ensure that you clean your aligners every time you brush your teeth. You can use special cleaning creams to remove bacteria and debris from the aligners or you can clean them with toothpaste.
Invisalign Treats People Of All Ages
Some people may have been told that they are only eligible for metal braces. This can be discouraging if you really wanted to use this correction method. Talk to orthodontists if you're really interested in using this technique to enhance your smile. One of the things to know about Invisalign is that it covers a wide range of problems and you should never count yourself out.
Young children are sometimes unable to use Invisalign. Despite that, you should never assume your own children won't qualify. If children are not recommended, it's sometimes because their teeth are growing too quickly for them to use the system.
Invisalign works well with a wide range of problems that can affect your bite. If you have gaps among your teeth, it can close those spaces to give you greater comfort when you're eating your favorite cuisine. Similarly, it helps with crowded teeth if the crowding is not severe.
Hundreds of thousands of people with an overbite, crossbite, or underbite have also experienced the relief that comes when these thermoplastic aligners are applied. However, the option is not available for every case and you would need to be examined by an orthodontist to know if it could be considered for you.
If you have severe malocclusion, you may still be able to benefit from Invisalign. Four types of misaligned bites can be fixed by using Invisalign and if you have a misaligned bite, it may fall into one of those four categories.
Schedule Your Invisalign Consultation With Santa Teresa Dental Center!
Invisalign makes smiles beautiful - the discreet way! Call us to learn if this cutting-edge treatment is right for you!