Straightening crooked teeth and having a bite that lines up well are both essential to the aesthetics of your smile, as well as your oral health. Invisalign can help with both of these issues. Dr. Drew Shulman, a cosmetic dentist in Philadelphia, discusses the benefits of Invisalign.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is an alternative to traditional braces for mild to moderate orthodontic concerns. Instead of using metal brackets and wires, Invisalign uses a set of clear plastic aligners to move your teeth into place. The plastic is thin enough to be comfortable but durable enough for everyday wear.
The Benefits of Invisalign
There are many reasons why people have been choosing Invisalign over traditional braces. First, they’re much less visible than traditional braces. The clear aligners are perfectly fitted to your teeth, meaning that they blend in extremely well. It’s hard for anyone to tell that you’re wearing them unless they’re specifically looking for them.
Invisalign also makes it easier to keep up with your oral health. Though you do have to wear the aligners for around 22 hours each day, you can take them out to brush your teeth or eat. You don’t have to learn new methods to make sure you’re brushing and flossing properly around brackets and wires. You also don’t have to remove any foods from your diet because they would get stuck in or break the traditional braces.
Clear aligners are more comfortable than metal brackets and wires. The plastic they’re made of is designed to avoid irritating any of your soft tissue. When you have metal braces, you sometimes have to use wax to prevent the metal parts from digging into the soft tissue on the inside of your lips and cheeks.
Lastly, Invisalign usually has a shorter treatment time than metal braces. Typically, you see final results in about a year. You don’t have to make as many trips for checkups either. With metal braces, they need to be tightened by a professional every month. With Invisalign, you can get a few checkups throughout your treatment time just to make sure things are progressing smoothly.
The Invisalign Process
To start, you’ll have a cosmetic dentistry consultation in our office. Dr. Shulman will talk to you about your cosmetic goals and do an examination of your smile. We want to make sure Invisalign is the right treatment option to get you the results you want. With our technology, we’ll take digital impressions of your teeth so that the aligners can be custom-made.
Once you have your aligners, you’ll wear them around 22 hours a day for an average of two weeks each. Each aligner set will slowly move your teeth into the right position.
Invisalign at Your Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist
Does Invisalign sound like the right solution for your smile? Call us or schedule an appointment online.