Why Invisalign Aligners May Be Right for You

If you are currently unhappy with the appearance of your smile, you might be interested in using Invisalign to improve it. Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners are nearly invisible, so few, if any, people can tell that you are wearing them. Most people are good candidates for this teeth-straightening option, and they are quite happy with the results. Here’s a look at Invisalign and the dental issues that it resolves almost effortlessly.

Dental Conditions That Invisalign Can Fix

Invisalign can resolve many types of dental problems. Teeth that are not aligned If you have any of the following dental alignment issues, you are probably a good candidate for Invisalign:

• Crossbite
• Underbite
• Overbite
• Open bite
• Gapped teeth
• Misaligned teeth

You’ll need to have an initial consultation with your dentist to determine if this is the right procedure to fix your alignment issues. Your dental provider assesses the situation and gives you an immediate answer. It’s that easy!

Yes, You Do Need to Wear Your Aligners All Day and Night, but It’s Easy

Invisalign is meant to be worn approximately 22 to 23 hours a day. The trays can be removed while eating and performing oral hygiene tasks, but they should be worn the remainder of the day and night, each and every day until you are finished with this process. Depending on your ability to adapt, it might take only a couple of hours to get used to wearing your invisible braces all day and night. At the most, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.

At first, you might find yourself tempted to remove your aligners for longer periods of time, out of forgetfulness or even laziness. It’s important to resist this urge for two reasons. First, it makes it more difficult to get used to wearing them, and second, you might disrupt the teeth-straightening process. Either way, you won’t get the results that you want as quickly.

You might wonder why anyone would risk taking longer to straighten their teeth by leaving their aligners out. In most cases, it is probably more a case of “I don’t feel like brushing and flossing so that I can put my aligners back in,” than a case of “I don’t feel like going to get my trays right now.” It only takes two minutes to brush your teeth when you have Invisalign, and it’s much easier to do so than if you had traditional metal braces.

Initial Discomfort Is Minor

Some patients might experience minor discomfort when they first begin to wear their Invisalign trays. In the beginning, the trays might feel uncomfortable simply because they are new, and you aren’t used to wearing them. Since the trays are designed to shift the teeth into new positions, it only makes sense for them to feel slightly uncomfortable. This discomfort doesn’t last long at all.

The tightness and pressure caused by new trays shouldn’t encourage you to take the aligners out and wear them less than the recommended time. It would mean a slower progression in tooth movement. If you keep them in, the discomfort goes away in as little as an hour to perhaps a day or two.

Difficult Dental Issues Can Be Resolved with Invisalign

Moving teeth up or down isn’t an easy task to accomplish. Rotating a tooth is another challenge if you are trying to straighten your teeth to create the perfect smile. Since it is difficult to predict how long it will take to rotate a tooth or move one up or down, your dentist will not be able to provide you with a clear idea of how long it will take to do so.