Do you have an uneven smile, such as crooked teeth, crowding, or overlapping? Not only does misalignment harm your smile’s overall appearance, but this can have a negative impact on oral health as well. Fortunately, we will not only correct your uneven teeth, but can often do so without the use of metal braces. Find out how your Charles City, IA, dentist treats uneven smiles with clear Invisalign® aligners in today’s blog.
A Braces Alternative
Metal braces correct smiles with tension. Metal brackets are placed onto the front-facing sides of the teeth and connected with an arch wire. By adjusting the tension in the wires, we can begin to reposition the teeth. While effective, few teens and adults are eager to go this route, even if they desire a straighter smile. However, with Invisalign® we don’t need wires or brackets. Instead, the patient wears a series of aligners created from a clear plastic material. The aligners gradually move the teeth to optimal positions, often in as little as a year!
Creating Your Custom Aligners
We start treatment by assessing the cause and extent of your misalignment, making sure this is the best choice for your smile. We then take detailed pictures, impressions, and measurements of your smile, which we then use to design and craft a series of aligners. Each set in the series is made specifically for the patient, ensuring a comfortable fit and treatment with precision and accuracy! We can help teens and adults alike enjoy a more attractive and healthy smile by correcting misalignment, as better alignment has been shown to lower the risk of cavities, gum disease, TMJ disorder, and bruxism (teeth grinding).
The Treatment Process
The patient starts by wearing a set for between 20 and 22 hours every day. After about two weeks, he or she moves on to the next set in the series. The total treatment time will vary, but usually takes a year for adults and up to 18 months for teens. The aligners can be removed before you eat, so no need to alter your diet. You also have a much easier time brushing and flossing your teeth, as you don’t have to work around metal orthodontics. If you have any questions about addressing your misalignment, or about the clear braces system specifically, then please contact our team today to learn more.
Ready to Try The Invisalign® System?
Don’t live with poor smile alignment, instead talk to our team about a clear and comfortable solution. To learn more about our approach to cosmetic orthodontics, schedule a visit by calling Central Park Dentistry in Charles City, IA, today at (641) 228-1115. We also proudly welcome patients from Osage, New Hampton, and all surrounding communities.
