Crooked, uneven teeth can take a toll on your smile, confidence, and oral health. While traditional braces can be a great solution, many adults don’t pursue treatment because they don’t want the visibility (or the potential hassle) associated with brackets and wires.
Fortunately, Invisalign® offers an alternative, straightening your smile without brackets or wires. Here, Abir Faraj, DDS, at Novi Family Dentistry in Novi, Michigan, explains how Invisalign works and why it’s so popular with our adult patients.
Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic aligners, devices that look similar to tooth whitening trays. These aligners are custom-made and designed to fit snugly over the contours of your teeth.
Each set of aligners has a slightly different shape, and when worn in sequence over time, they gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment, similar to the way wires work in traditional braces.
Your aligners are created using digital technology to capture images and measurements of your teeth. These images are fed into a computer that determines how your teeth need to move to achieve proper alignment. Finally, a special computer system creates your unique sets of aligners based on your personal data.
Invisalign aligners are clear, making them virtually undetectable while you’re wearing them. They’re also removable, meaning you can brush and floss like you normally do and enjoy all the foods you love without worrying about damaging your brackets or wires.
Traditional braces are on your teeth 24/7, 365 days a year, continually moving your teeth into their proper positions. For Invisalign to work, you need to be willing to wear your aligners 20-22 hours each day for the best results. Removing them too often or forgetting to switch aligners on schedule can cause delays that extend your treatment and affect your results.
You also need to swap out each set of aligners on a prescribed schedule to keep your teeth moving into position. Most patients switch aligners every 1–2 weeks, depending on their provider’s plan.
Even though Invisalign looks a lot different compared to traditional braces, aligners can treat nearly all the same issues as traditional braces, including:
That said, Invisalign generally isn’t the best choice for more complex issues, like severe bite problems. Our team can determine during your evaluation whether you’re a good candidate.
It’s important to note that straighter teeth don’t just improve the way your smile looks. Teeth that are straight and aligned create fewer spaces for bacteria and plaque to collect, and they’re also easier to clean. That can mean a lower risk of cavities, uneven wear, gum disease, and tooth loss over time.
Another important benefit is that while traditional braces treatment can take 2-3 years, many people with Invisalign complete therapy within 12-18 months. This can be a real game-changer for adult patients who don’t want to fit a longer treatment period into their lifestyle.
Still have questions? We can help. To find out more about Invisalign and whether it might be the right choice for you, book an appointment at Novi Family Dentistry today by calling 313-646-7903 or scheduling online.
