When it comes to a winning smile, straight teeth are one of the key ingredients. Despite what you may see when you scroll through your social media feed, very few people are born with perfectly straight teeth.
If you’re one of the many with a less-than-perfect smile, you may be looking at options for straightening your teeth. Though traditional braces may be the first thing that comes to mind, you should consider an alternative. Invisalign® is an orthodontic treatment that might make a better fit.
At Embassy Row Orthodontics in Bethesda, Maryland, our experienced orthodontist, Wayne Hickory, DMD, MDS, uses Invisalign to fix many smile imperfections. We want to share some of the many advantages of choosing this innovative teeth-straightening system.
Let’s start with the most obvious advantage of Invisalign, the nearly invisible aligners. Unlike the brackets and wires of traditional braces, the Invisalign teeth-straightening system uses clear plastic aligner trays that gently and effectively move your teeth into a straighter position.
The aligners are made from a patented thermoplastic called SmartTrack®. This innovative material fits comfortably and snugly around your teeth, making them almost undetectable. Invisalign lets you correct your smile imperfections without anyone even knowing.
In addition to being discreet, Invisalign aligners are comfortable. The clear aligners have a smooth surface that won’t irritate or damage any of the sensitive tissue in your mouth.
Another advantage you get when choosing Invisalign over other orthodontic treatments is the ability to remove your aligners. Though we recommend you wear your aligners for 22 hours a day, you can take them out to eat and brush and floss your teeth.
With Invisalign, you don’t have to worry about what you can and can’t eat. Fixed braces are strong and durable, but you need to avoid foods that might get stuck in between the brackets and wires, like popcorn kernels and sticky candy.
The removable aligners also make it a lot easier for you to brush and floss your teeth.
And when you have a special event, you can remove the aligners and enjoy yourself without feeling self-conscious.
We use Invisalign to improve smiles for patients of all ages, including children and teens. According to the American Association of Orthodontists®, children should have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7.
At this early age, we focus on treatments that widen the arch, which may prevent the need for more extensive orthodontic care later in life. We use Invisalign aligners designed specifically for children for this initial orthodontic treatment.
And, of course, our teen and adult patients love the comfort and discretion Invisalign provides as they get a more perfect smile.
Thanks to Invisalign’s innovative design and patented materials, we can correct misaligned teeth a lot faster. Most of our patients get the smile they want from their Invisalign treatment within 12-18 months. By comparison, traditional braces take 12-36 months.
We design individualized plans for each patient. But to get quick results, we typically recommend you switch to a new set of aligners every week or two. And with Invisalign, we only need to see you in our office every 12 weeks.
With advances in orthodontic care, you have many options for obtaining a more perfect smile.
To learn more about the advantages of Invisalign and how it can correct your misalignment, call our office or request an appointment online today.
