Invisalign: The Modern Approach to Braces

It wasn't long ago that straightening your teeth meant spending years with your mouth full of unattractive metal. The bane of adolescents the country over, these braces did little to improve your dating prospects. Today, there are alternatives. One such alternative is Invisalign, an appliance developed to ease the transition to a straighter smile. The product is designed for those people who can't stand the thought of hiding their teeth for the next two years while the metal braces do their work. Though not everyone is a candidate, those who are can smile brightly while they wait for the orthodontics to straighten them out.

Invisalign has been around since 1999. In many ways, it resembles a mouthpiece, such as the type worn by boxers. It completely covers the teeth, but does so in an unobtrusive way (unlike a boxer's mouthpiece) and is much less visible than braces. It didn't take long for the appliance to become immensely popular, particularly among adults who would have felt extremely self conscious about walking around with metal braces, which are traditionally associated with someone going through those terribly awkward teenage years. 

What may surprise you is that the direct predecessors to Invisalign have actually been around for more than fifty years. Removable aligners designed to adjust the bite of the mouth have been around since the 1940s and these new products are simply updated versions. As a treatment, most people will require around 30 aligners to cover their upper and lower teeth. Treatment time will vary, depending on the severity of the occlusion, but many adults are finished before a year's time has passed.

There are a number of dental conditions that Invisalign can be used to correct. Among these are crowded teeth, where the jaw is simply not big enough to handle the particular layout of the teeth. Others have used the applications to correct an overbite, occlusion, and tooth movement that occurs after traditional braces have been removed.

If you have orthodontic work you need done, consider finding an orthodontist who offers Invisalign as an option. It usually takes much less time than traditional braces and you won't have to worry about the appearance of your smile while the product does its job. Of course, not everyone is a candidate for the product. Have a frank talk about your options and both you and your orthodontist can come to a conclusion about what treatment will give you the best results.