If it seems that with each passing year, the smiles of people around you are becoming straighter, whiter, and brighter, you aren’t imagining it. Advances in cosmetic dentistry have led to a spike in people of all ages seeking treatment to alter their smiles and seek more confidence through an oral appearance tune up. In the past, achieving straighter teeth was something that only wealthy children had the luxury of. In recent years, however, orthodontic treatment has become more affordable and more and more children are getting braces every year. However, if you missed out on braces as a child and the alignment of your teeth causes you grief, don’t fret! There are still options to enhance your smile! While there is absolutely nothing wrong with an adult wearing traditional metal braces, for a variety of reasons, many adults find that they do not want to sport metallic brackets for years at a time. While this conundrum used to leave people stumped, today there is a third option between keeping your crooked smile or wearing braces! Invisalign is here to help.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a product that works similarly to traditional metal braces, in that it uses pressure to slowly maneuver teeth into a new position over time. The difference with Invisalign is that this product uses custom made clear plastic trays that fit almost perfectly over your teeth to achieve this end. Every one to two weeks, the tray is changed out for one of a slightly different shape that will help guide teeth to a slightly different place. Over time, teeth move to their desired, straight location.
What are the benefits of Invisalign?
As the name suggests, Invisalign is nearly invisible. These clear plastic trays are hardly noticeable to the naked eye, unless someone is adamantly studying your mouth. Because of this, Invisalign wearers get all of the benefits of braces with none of the metal! Additionally, Invisalign is entirely removable, so eating and drinking isn’t a problem the same way it is for people with metal braces.
So what’s the catch?
While Invisalign may seem too good to be true, for most patients this isn’t the case! However, some people find the cost difference between Invisalign and traditional braces to be too prohibitive. While the price of clear braces has dropped since their introduction, they still cost more than their metallic counterparts. Additionally, patients with severe oral health needs will likely need to seek help from traditional braces as Invisalign is only designed to straighten moderately crooked teeth and not more extreme cases.
If your budget is a bit cushier and your oral needs aren’t too complicated, Invisalign may be the answer you have been waiting for! It’s never too early to talk to your dentist about starting on the path to altering your smile and increasing your confidence.
If you think Invisalign may be right for you, schedule your appointment to talk to your dentist and give us a call at Manus Dental in Yorkville, Lake Zurich, and Hyde Park today!