Invisalign is a bracket-free way to straighten the teeth of teenagers and adults. Instead of having brackets glued to your teeth and connected by wires, Invisalign uses clear retainers to help straighten your teeth, which are less noticeable and require fewer visits to the dentist during the course of treatment.

Understanding Invisalign for Teeth Straightening

Invisalign utilizes a series of trays that you place over your teeth for a certain number of hours each day. When you wear the trays, they slowly shift your teeth until they are straight. Most people need to change their trays every one to two weeks while they are undergoing the teeth straightening process.

The Advantages of Invisalign

Invisalign offers several advantages over traditional braces. The biggest benefit is that the aligners are not noticeable. This means that your coworkers, friends and family members may not notice that you are wearing them.

No Need to Change Your Diet

The retainers are removable, which means you can take them out when you eat or drink, and there is no reason to adjust your diet during treatment like you would with traditional braces. However, it is important not to eat or drink anything but water while you are wearing your aligners. If food particles or liquids that are not water get into your aligners, it could lead to plaque and tartar buildup as well as cavities and tooth decay.

Less Change to Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Your oral hygiene routine will be similar to your regular oral hygiene routine, except that you will need to thoroughly brush your teeth and floss prior to inserting your aligners after eating in order to remove all food particles.

You can Still Play Sports and Be Physically Active

When you play sports or exercise, all you have to do is remove your aligners and store them. If you play a sport that requires a mouth guard, after you remove your aligner, simply insert the mouth guard. With Invisalign, there is no risk of getting cut by metal brackets or wires if you accidentally bump your mouth or get hit by an object while playing your favorite sport.

Great for Teens and Adults

Invisalign aligners are great for adults and teens. Many teens do not want to be seen with a metal mouth or risk braking brackets while trying to adjust their diets and oral care routines in order to avoid the increased risk for cavities associated with braces and improper oral hygiene. Since the retainers are virtually invisible and removable, these problems are eliminated.

Many adults who did not have braces as teenagers and who had braces but their teeth moved back may be good candidates for Invisalign. Since the aligners are visually invisible, they will not dramatically affect your appearance when you smile or open your mouth, which means you can wear them while working and during job interviews.

Just Remember to Keep Your Aligners Clean

You will also need to clean your aligners on a regular basis. This can be accomplished by brushing them with toothpaste, using a denture mild cleaner, using retainer cleaning tablets or using the Invisalign cleaning kit. Our dentist in Jacksonville can help you determine the right cleaning method for your aligners.

Are You a Good Candidate?

Invisalign can be used to treat many different bite problems in teenagers and adults. If you have crooked teeth, twisted teeth, gaps in your teeth or an overbite, underbite, crossbite or open bite, you may be a good candidate for Invisalign. Our dentist can help determine if you would benefit from Invisalign or other teeth straitening option.

Invisalign with Dr. Tiffany K. Shields in Jacksonville

Our dentist, Dr. Tiffany K. Shields in Jacksonville, Florida can examine your mouth and teeth to determine if you would benefit from Invisalign. If you are a good candidate, our dentist will take detailed x-rays of your teeth and jaw and order your new aligners.

To learn more about Invisalign and to schedule an appointment, call us at 904-731-0777.