What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is the brand name of an orthodontic treatment that corrects the same problems as metal braces. The big difference is that Invisalign eliminates all of the unsightly metal and uses clear plastic dental trays that are virtually invisible.
How does Invisalign work?
The team at Tucson Premier Smiles creates a digital scan of your teeth, which means you can avoid the uncomfortable process of traditional impressions. More importantly, digital scans create a 3D image that’s more accurate.
Your provider uses the image to create a plan that shows how every tooth needs to move to straighten your teeth and fix any alignment problems. The image and plan go to a team at Invisalign, who produce your plastic aligners.
The Invisalign aligners consist of two trays made from clear plastic. You wear one on your upper teeth and the other on your lower teeth. The shape of each tray places pressure on your teeth.
You wear the first pair of trays for a week or two; then, you replace them with the second pair in your series. You continue this process until you wear all of the trays in the series.
Each new pair of aligners is slightly different from the previous set, so they put new pressure on your teeth. This constant pressure gradually makes your teeth move into their new positions.
How long do I wear Invisalign aligners?
One of the advantages of Invisalign is that you can remove the trays when you eat and brush your teeth. That makes it easy to keep up with your dental hygiene, and you don’t need to worry about avoiding certain foods like you do with metal braces.
But you must keep the aligners on for 20-22 hours every day if you want to achieve the best results. On average, treatment with Invisalign lasts 12-18 months. By comparison, metal braces take 18-30 months to move your teeth into their ideal position.
Will I need to wear a retainer?
Yes, you will wear a retainer to prevent your teeth from slipping back into their old position. At first, most people wear their retainers all the time, but you can gradually cut back until you only wear them at night.
Your retainers will be just as invisible as your aligners if you get clear plastic retainers from Invisalign.
Tucson Premier Smiles offers different levels of Invisalign to meet your unique needs. To learn more, call the office or book an appointment online today.
