Orthodontics & Invisalign
We are proud to now offer, Invisalign. If you have teeth out of alignment, let us show you what Invisalign can do for you. Straight teeth are healthier teeth – they allow for easier and better hygiene, improved periodontal (gum) health, decrease the risk of excessive wear and much more.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a revolutionary system that inconspicuously straightens misaligned teeth.
If you are interested in Invisalign and our doctors have determined that you are a candidate for treatment, we will take a 3D impression of your upper and lower dental arches that will be sent to the Invisalign manufacture, Align Technology. Invisalign technicians will use software to simulate a series of movements that your teeth will transition through until they attain the desired position, as determined by Dr. Nick or Dr. Chelsea.
Your 3D impressions and the simulated tooth movements are used to create a series of clear, plastic trays designed to progressively shift your teeth into the correct position. The aligners are comfortable to wear and removable for easy eating, brushing and flossing. No metal brackets or wires. Just pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your Invisalign treatment is complete.
Candidates for Invisalign
Candidates for Invisalign typically experience mild to moderate misalignment affecting the teeth or bite including:
- Crowded teeth
- Teeth separated by unattractive spaces
- Overbite
- Underbite
The duration of treatment varies but the average treatment time is about one year. Patients can remove aligners at any time but to achieve the best results, aligners should remain in position for at least 22 hours each day.
The aligners are designed to exert pressure on certain teeth in certain directions, in response, those teeth will begin to shift into the desired position. Once the desired tooth movements have been achieved, a new set of aligners can be started, exerting different pressure or the same or maybe even different teeth. Altogether, the series of aligners will accomplish the entire straightening process. It is important that each aligner is worn for the desired amount of time so that once one aligner in the series is complete, the next aligner can pick up and continue to carry things forward.