Perhaps your crooked, crowded, and gapped teeth have bothered you for years, but you have not done anything about them because the last thing you want is a mouthful of metal braces. For adults in your situation, New Haven Dental Group may have the perfect solution: Invisalign in Woodbridge. Discreet, comfortable, and effective, this revolutionary system is the premier way people around the world are choosing to straighten their teeth.
The reason Invisalign® is so special is that instead of using brackets and wires to move teeth, it instead utilizes a series of lightweight, transparent plastic aligners. A patient simply wears an individual set for about 2 weeks for 20 – 22 hours a day before moving onto the next. Once you have worked your way through the entire series, your teeth should be in their ideal positions. Throughout your treatment, you will visit us for periodic checkups.
To discover if Invisalign® would work for you, the best thing you can do is schedule a consultation here at New Haven Dental Group with your dentist in Woodbridge. After a thorough exam, we will let you know if clear aligners are a good fit for your circumstances. They are suitable for many different types of patients! In fact, this treatment can often correct a range of mild to moderate orthodontic issues, including:
Crowded, overlapping teeth can trap food between them, increasing your risk of decay and gum disease. They may also hit one another at odd angles and be prone to breakage. Fortunately, Invisalign® is often able to shift the teeth so each one has the space it needs to function optimally.
Gapped teeth may be the result of genetics, a large jawbone, or certain non-nutritive habits. This issue can leave your gums vulnerable to harm, and many people believe that gapped teeth are unattractive. Invisalign® aligners can shift the teeth so they are closer together, thereby reducing or eliminating extra space between them.
A subtle, small overbite is both normal and natural. However, if the front teeth rest too far in front of the bottom teeth, a number of complications can result. For example, you might experience speech difficulties and biting problems. Invisalign, usually with the help of special accessories, can correct many cases of overbite.
An underbite occurs when the bottom teeth rest in front of the top teeth. This can adversely affect speech, facial aesthetics, and more. Invisalign, along with rubber bands or other accessories, is a good option for aligning the jaws and addressing many mild to moderate cases of underbite.
If some of your bottom teeth rest in front of your top teeth, you have an issue known as a crossbite. This can increase your risk of speech problems, jaw pain, broken teeth, and more. The good news is that Invisalign may be able to shift your teeth and align your jaws to completely correct your crossbite.
An open bite is an issue that occurs when there is a vertical gap between the top and bottom front teeth, even when the back teeth are touching one another. Invisalign can usually shift the teeth in a way that closes an open bite and results in improved speech, facial aesthetics, and oral function.
Invisalign is one of the most popular orthodontic options available in modern times; millions of people have already successfully completed treatment. When you understand the many benefits it offers, it is easy to see why so many people are drawn to it! Not only it is effective, but it can fit in with even the busiest lifestyles. Would you like to learn more about some of the specific benefits of Invisalign? Continue reading below.
The appearance of Invisalign aligners is a major selling point of this treatment. They are made of a patented form of clear plastic, which is made to almost disappear when it is placed on the teeth. There are no metal brackets and wires to interfere with your smile’s beauty and confidence!
Traditional metal braces use brackets and wires to straighten the teeth. These parts can irritate the soft oral tissues in the mouth, leading to sore spots and pain. Invisalign, on the other hand, is made out of a smooth plastic that is designed to rest comfortably against the gums. (Of course, you may still experience some minor discomfort when you switch to a new tray and it is placing pressure on your teeth.)
With traditional metal braces, you need to navigate around metal brackets and wires when cleaning your teeth. That can be challenging and a bit time-consuming. Invisalign is different. Because the aligners are removable, you can brush and floss with normal techniques. Cleaning the aligners themselves is also quite easy.
Most Invisalign patients need to visit us every 6 – 8 weeks for a checkup. These appointments are usually quite brief, typically lasting just 15 – 30 minutes. We simply check on your progress, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with additional aligners and/or any necessary accessories to keep your treatment moving forward.
The last thing you want is for your orthodontic treatment to damage your self-confidence. A great feature of Invisalign is that it may actually boost the way you view yourself. That is because its aligners are clear and discreet. You can even remove them for a few moments for photo ops and special occasions.
With traditional braces, it is important not to consume certain foods that could damage the brackets and wires. In contrast, Invisalign aligners are removable. You simply take them out of your mouth at mealtimes, eat whatever you want, take care of your oral hygiene, and then replace your aligners. No foods are really off-limits!
The cost of Invisalign® varies from case to case. It depends on things like the degree of your dental misalignment, how many aligners you will need, and other factors. During your consultation, we will be able to provide you with a price estimate. We can also assist you as you explore ways to make Invisalign® more affordable, such as insurance, financing, and money-saving offers that our practice regularly makes available.
Are you interested in getting Invisalign® in Woodbridge? Our team is ready to guide you through the treatment process. Before you schedule your consultation, however, you may want to learn more about the road ahead. To help you out, we have put together a list of some frequently asked questions about this treatment. If you do not see the specific information that you were looking for, give us a call so we can personally assist you.
The average treatment time with Invisalign® is roughly 12 months. However, your treatment may take significantly more or less time; it depends primarily on the degree of your dental misalignment. Patients with relatively minor tooth crookedness may need to wear aligners for only 6 months or so. Those with more severe orthodontic issues may use Invisalign® for up to 18 months or longer. When you visit your cosmetic dentist in Woodbridge for an Invisalign® consultation, we will be able to provide a timeline estimate for your treatment. We can also give you pointers for making your process as efficient as possible.
Invisalign® uses smooth plastic aligners that are designed to rest comfortably against the cheeks, teeth, and gums. However, they do apply some pressure to the teeth, which can naturally cause some discomfort. The pain tends to be at its worst when first starting Invisalign® and when transitioning to a new aligner.
You can mitigate your discomfort by sipping on cool water, taking pain relievers if necessary, and switching to a new aligner just before you go to bed. If you ever experience any severe pain, give us a call. It is possible that something is wrong with one of your aligners.
Once you work your way through all of your aligners, we will verify that your results are what we hoped for. Then, we will provide you with a retainer. If yours is removable, you should wear it full-time (20 – 22 hours a day) at first. Eventually, you may be able to progress to wearing it only at night.
Wearing your retainer as recommended is critical for the long-term success of Invisalign® treatment. Without it, your teeth could easily drift back out of place, effectively undoing all of your hard work up to that point.
If the damage is minor, you might be able to continue wearing a broken aligner. You just have to be extra cautious when you are taking it in and out of your mouth. For more severe damage, you should give us a call. Do not try to glue an aligner back together or wear it if it is significantly warped or broken. We might recommend that you go back to wearing a previous aligner until we can order a replacement for the one that is no longer usable. Alternatively, you might be able to move on to your next aligner a few days early.
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