When you were younger, you spent two unbearably long years wearing clunky, awkward metal braces. It was all worth it when you saw beautifully straight teeth smiling back at you in the mirror. After a few years, however, you misplaced your retainer. Now your teeth have shifted back to almost the same level of misalignment they were at before getting your braces. You wish more than anything that you could have straight teeth, but you dread the thought of wearing braces again. Fortunately, there’s an alternative – Invisalign. Read on to learn what it is and how it can benefit you.
How Invisalign Works
Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign is comfortable and discreet. You’ll have to wear a set of clear plastic aligner trays over your teeth. These aligners will gradually exert a gentle force on your teeth to shift them into a straight position. You’ll switch to a new set of aligners every couple of weeks. Each set is designed to move a tiny portion of your smile at a time until the whole thing is perfectly straight once more. You’ll be expected to visit your cosmetic dentist once every six weeks or so to receive more aligners and make sure your treatment is going smoothly.
In order for your aligners to work properly, you’ll have to wear them for at least 22 hours a day. Essentially, this means you’ll only remove them to eat, drink, and clean your teeth. Moreover, you’ll have to brush your teeth after eating and before placing your aligners back in. This prevents them from becoming stained and therefore noticeable. It also keeps bits of food from getting stuck in the aligners and causing tooth decay and gum disease.
Benefits of Invisalign
These clear, comfortable aligners allow you to enjoy several advantages that braces simply don’t offer, such as:
- Nearly full invisibility
- Removable for easy brushing and flossing
- Shorter treatment time on average
- No dietary restrictions
- No irritation to the tongue or inside of the cheeks and lips
- Comfortable and snug fit
- Less time in the dental chair because there is no need for tightening
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
It’s difficult to give you a price estimate for Invisalign treatment without coming in to see your cosmetic dentist for an evaluation. The total cost of your treatment will depend on a few different factors, such as your age, the severity of your misalignment, and your dedication to wearing your aligners. The good news is that more and more insurance companies are beginning to cover the cost of Invisalign, at least partially. Again, seeing your dentist for an Invisalign consultation is the best way to figure out how much you’d have to pay to have straight teeth once again.
If for whatever reason you didn’t wear your retainer after getting braces, hope is not lost for you having a straight smile again. Ask your cosmetic dentist about using Invisalign to get your smile back on the right track.
About the Author
Dr. Andrew Nawrocki obtained his doctorate in dental medicine in 2008 from the University of Florida’s College of Dentistry. Since then, he has also earned a Specialist Certificate in Prosthodontics, a master’s degree in Dental Science, and a Fellowship with the International Congress of Oral Implantology. He is also a certified Invisalign provider, so he can help you straighten your smile again. To learn more, contact Dr. Nawrocki’s practice at (386) 677-1046.