Consider Your Teeth-Straightening Options With Invisalign
Not long ago, there was only one option for getting a beautiful, straight smile: traditional wire and bracket braces. Braces are a teeth-straightening device affixed to the wearer’s teeth, sometimes for years. They are designed to straighten teeth as well as correct any other issues that deal with crowding, spacing, crossbites, overbites, or underbites. In the year 2000, Invisalign was introduced as an alternative to traditional braces, forcing its way into orthodontists’ offices by consumer demand. If you want straighter teeth, you may consider Invisalign, a teeth-straightening device revolutionary in that it is removable.
There are many advantages to choosing Invisalign over bracket and wire braces. The most obvious one is that it is invisible and removable, so not only is Invisalign more discreet than traditional braces, but the aligners can also be taken out while the wearer is eating, which eliminates the food restrictions put on wearers of wire and bracket. Invisalign aligners are made of a clear, smooth, BPA-free plastic, so they are more comfortable than traditional braces, which can irritate the mouth. Wearers of both traditional braces and Invisalign aligners will experience a certain amount of discomfort from tooth movement. They are both at risk for tooth discoloration as well, but Invisalign wearers can avoid staining by brushing after every meal.
Invisalign is not the right solution for everyone. The success of Invisalign depends a great deal on the wearer because it is the responsibility of the wearer to make sure (s)he is wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours a day, so self-discipline is key. The nature of the aligners also limits their effectiveness in correcting back tooth bite issues, and they are not ideal for patients with bridgework. They are also not designed to rotate canines or premolars or to move teeth vertically.
Visit Lifetime Smiles, your adult and pediatric specialist for cosmetic dentistry in Austin to find out if Invisalign is right for you!