Invisalign® for Adults
Your teeth are a major contributing factor to the quality of your smile. If you have crooked teeth, the quality of your smile is significantly affected, as is your confidence. Not only that, but crooked teeth can also significantly impact your oral health, leading to issues such as uneven tooth wear, gum recession, an increased risk for cavities and gum disease, and bruxism. Traditionally, crooked teeth have been treated with metal braces. As an adult, however, braces may not be the ideal solution. Wearing braces as an adult can affect your professional life as well as your social life. At Naborowski Orthodontics, we can provide you with an alternative treatment to braces with Invisalign.
The Issues With Metal BracesMetal braces are the traditional treatment for correcting alignment issues with your teeth. This treatment uses brackets and wires to achieve beautifully straight teeth and an enhanced smile. The wires work to move your teeth, gradually shifting them into the correct alignment and then help to stabilize your teeth while your jawbone and periodontal ligaments heal around them.
While treatment with braces is incredibly effective, there are several downsides. One of the biggest disadvantages is that they are very prominent in your smile. Their visibility can lead to self-consciousness. Trying to work with clients or hosting a meeting can be made much more difficult when you have a mouth filled with shiny metal. Braces can detract from what you are trying to say and can give others the wrong impressions about you. Another major disadvantage is that they can be uncomfortable. The brackets could rub against your intraoral tissues, leading to painful sores during your treatment.
InvisalignInvisalign is an alternative treatment to traditional braces. This treatment uses plastic aligners to realign your teeth rather than brackets and wires. The aligners are clear. When they are set in place on your teeth, they become practically invisible; No one will be able to tell that you are wearing them.
Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners are removable. To achieve the best results, they should be worn between 20 and 22 hours a day. They should only be taken out to eat and to brush your teeth.
How Invisalign WorksInvisalign aligners are made from digital impressions taken of your mouth. Specialized software allows us to visualize every step of your treatment and you can see your new smile before you even begin treatment.
Treatment with Invisalign involves the use of a series of aligners. Each set of aligners is meant to be worn for two weeks at a time. Each set is slightly different, which aids in helping your teeth to gradually move to the correct positions. Depending upon your situation, you may go through up to 30 sets of aligners.
The Benefits of Invisalign for AdultsInvisalign aligners provide several significant benefits. These benefits include:| • |
Discreet treatment. Your aligners are clear, rendering them invisible when they are set in place on your teeth. When you speak, the attention of your audience will be on you and not on your mouth.
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Removable aligners. Removing your aligners means that you can enjoy all of your favorite foods. You can also brush and floss your teeth normally.
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Greater comfort. The aligners are smooth, so they will not irritate your cheeks.
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Fewer office visits. You are provided with several sets of aligners, meaning that you do not need to come in every four weeks for an adjustment.
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Shorter treatment. Generally, treatment with Invisalign is shorter than with traditional braces. Treatment times average between 9 and 15 months with most patients seeing results in less than a year. |
If crooked teeth are affecting your smile, but you are not keen on the idea of traditional metal braces, Invisalign may be the solution you have been looking for. Call Naborowski Orthodontics today at (630) 543-5051 to learn more and schedule your consultation. |
