Most adults remember what it was like to wear braces during the height of their teen years. Enduring a year or two of metal mouth was worth the results of straighter teeth and better oral health, but what if there was a way to enjoy those benefits without the clunky metal braces? The good news is, you can.
An Alternative Approach to Conventional Braces
Invisalign is the modern approach to traditional orthodontics, and its popularity is due in large part to its invisible appearance. In contrast to the mass of metal wires and brackets pinned permanently to the front of your teeth for the whole world to see, Invisalign comes in the form of insertable trays that secure to the back of your teeth, completely out of sight.
The only people who will know you are wearing them are the ones you tell; they really are that transparent. So how does this miracle of modern dentistry work exactly?
Everything You Need to Know About Invisalign
The preliminary consultation is the most important part of the Invisalign process. This is where your dentist will evaluate whether you are a good candidate for the procedure. He or she will check the current state of your teeth and may take digital x-rays of your mouth to determine the specific challenges posed for straightening them.
While Invisalign is available for children and adults, there are a couple factors that can disqualify you from treatment. The main ones include people whose teeth may require replacing with dentures or implants in the future, as well as children who have not yet lost all their baby teeth.
Once you have been approved for the procedure, your Sierra Dental team will take impressions of your teeth, photographs, and additional x-rays and send them to the Invisalign where your custom set will be made in the company’s dental lab. Your impressions will be scanned with 3D imaging software to produce the braces specific to your mouth. This step is critically important, since it can make or break the results of the treatment. You will test wear the braces once they arrive in our office, where we will ensure they are a proper fit.
From there, you’ll be instructed to wear the aligning trays in two-week intervals. Your teeth will move roughly 1/10 of a millimeter with each successive tray. This will continue over the course of the next several months, until the desired results are achieved.
If you have additional questions or would like more information about Invisalign, don’t hesitate to contact our staff at Sierra Dental, today!