Invisalign - A New Approach to a Beautiful Smile

It used to be in order to achieve a perfect smile comprised of a row of straight bright white teeth, a few years wired into bulky metal braces was required. Well, times have changed and now a beautiful smile can be achieved through the use of Invisalign, the modern approach to teeth straightening.

Metal braces are the current main stream approach to straightening teeth. Children as young as ten years old are outfitted with brackets, wires and rubber bands, and must endure 2-3 years of visits to the orthodontist for adjustments and new wire applications. With an average cost of $3-5,000.00 braces are a large commitment for parents to make on behalf of their child’s smile.

Invisalign is a newer approach to teeth straightening that many people will find is less invasive, less time consuming and requires less restrictions for maintenance and care. The use of clear plastic custom made aligners in place of brackets and wires allows a patient a more discrete approach to straightening their teeth. Adults who have long dreamed of improving their dental health, as well as the appearance of their teeth, may be apprehensive to spend several years committed to bulky metal braces. With the aligners, clear and easily removable 'guards' can be taken out when a need arises. In the case of a business lunch or a presentation, a patient may choose to remove the aligners in order to feel comfortable around co-workers or clients, and afterwards they can simply slip the aligners back into place. With metal braces, food restrictions are necessary in order to protect the wires and brackets, but with use of the aligners, there are no 'off limit' foods, because the patient removes them prior to meals.

Brushing and flossing teeth can prove to be a time consuming chore when maneuvering around brackets and wires is required. Invisalign aligners can be removed, cleaned and set aside prior to the patient performing their normal teeth cleaning routine. The aligners are cleaned and sanitized with a special care kit provided by the dentist or orthodontist, but in the event the patient is away from home, they can be cleaned with a toothbrush and a lukewarm water rinse.

Fewer visits to the orthodontist are needed with Invisalign, because adjustments are done with the aid of the custom made aligners. About every two weeks, the Blue Dot Wear Indicator notifies the patient (or parent of patient) when a new aligner should be applied and the old one set aside, so unless discomfort or a problem with fit arises, visits to the doctor can be unnecessary for several weeks. Fewer visits to the orthodontist means less time away from school or work, which can be a relief for both the patient and their parents.

The cost for Invisalign is about the same as metal braces and most insurance companies will cover a portion of the process. An initial visit to the orthodontist is necessary to establish whether or not the aligners will work for a particular patient. In the case of veneers, bridges and other previous dental work, the aligners may not be possible, but a dentist or orthodontist will be able to determine which is the appropriate teeth straightening process for each individual patient.

Article Tags: Metal Braces

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