Isn’t modern dental technology great? Years ago, there used to be only one option for people needing to get their teeth straightened: metal braces. With metal braces, there is no hiding the fact that you are in the middle of a lengthy dental treatment. This is the main advantage of clear aligners, their discreteness. This makes them a more desirable option to people of every age. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about clear aligners.
Treatable Cases
Here are the different cases that can be corrected by clear aligners:
- Overbite: When the upper front teeth close in front of the lower front teeth
- Underbite: When the lower teeth protrude in front of the upper front teeth
- Crowded teeth: When there isn’t enough space in the jaw for the teeth to fit normally
- Crossbite: When the lower and upper jaws don’t match up normally
- Gap teeth: When there are extra spaces between the teeth
- Open bite: When the bite of the top and bottom teeth don’t match up
- Baby and Permanent Teeth: Designed for growing children who have a mixture of baby and permanent teeth
- Straighter teeth in general: To just create an overall more beautiful smile!
What They Are Like
The great news is that you can continue to eat all of your favorite foods. You remove your clear aligners before you eat and drink. Then you brush your teeth before putting them back in. You get to keep brushing and flossing just like you normally do. You don’t have to worry about wires or brackets breaking or getting in your way. Because your clear aligners are practically invisible, many people will not even notice that you are wearing them at all. Ideally, you need to wear your clear aligners 20-22 hours a day to achieve the best results.
Getting New Aligners
Each set of aligners you receive will be worn from about 1-2 weeks, depending on what your doctor prescribes. Plan on visiting your doctor every 6-8 weeks to check on your progress, and pick up new sets of aligners. You can expect to feel a bit of discomfort or extra pressure for a couple of days when you begin wearing a new set of aligners.
Caring for Your Aligners
Your clear aligners need to be brushed nightly with your toothbrush, so that they stay clean and fresh. Invisalign® also offers an optional cleaning system that keeps the aligners looking crystal clear.
Conclusion
Clear aligners like Invisalign® have encouraged people who have never even considered getting braces before to seriously give it a second thought. Because they are almost clear, they have revolutionized the way that people think about teeth straightening. One of the most appreciated aspects about clear aligners is that you get to remove them whenever you eat. This means there are no restrictions to what you can eat. Freedom and improved aesthetics make clear aesthetics a clearly improved choice for many people today.
Call us today to learn how you can benefit from clear aligners!
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