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correct your smile without braces
invisalign
Want a straighter, more even smile in Richardson, but want to avoid wearing traditional metal braces? Dr. Toni Engram at Flourish Dental Boutique is here to help. At our office, we specialize in Invisalign treatment. Learn more below, or contact us today for a consultation.
What Is Invisalign?
Understanding the basics
Invisalign consists of a set of clear plastic “aligners.” These aligners look similar to a teeth-grinding night guard or a retainer. When worn, they are designed to gently shift your teeth toward the proper position, similarly to braces.
Unlike braces, though, they’re removable, and you’ll swap through many different pairs of aligners during your Invisalign treatment. Each set of aligners is designed to continue gradually moving your teeth toward their desired position.
With Invisalign, you can easily correct minor-to-moderate orthodontic issues with your smile without wearing bulky metal braces. It’s an ideal choice for patients of all ages, but is particularly popular with older adults who want to straighten their teeth.
The Benefits
of invisalign
Firstly, Invisalign is completely invisible when worn, and it does not affect your speech. This means nobody has to know about your Invisalign treatment unless you want them to, making it ideal for older adults.
Invisalign can also be removed to brush and floss, and to eat and drink. This makes oral hygiene easier, and also means there are no dietary restrictions, which makes your life more convenient.
Overall, Invisalign is also more comfortable than braces. There are no metal components to poke or irritate your oral tissue, and your aligners will adjust your teeth with more gentle, even pressure compared to traditional braces.
what to expect
the invisalign process
After you’ve been approved, you’ll come to Flourish Dental Boutique, where Dr. Engram will take scans and/or dental impressions of your teeth. Then, she will work with Invisalign to develop your smile treatment plan and create your Invisalign aligners.
You’ll come back into our office to pick up your aligners in a few weeks, and you’ll get instructions from Dr. Engram on how to wear them and care for them. Typically, each set of aligners is worn for about 2 weeks for 20-22 hours or longer per day.
Then, you’ll come into Flourish Dental Boutique every 4-6 weeks to get a quick checkup from Dr. Engram, and to get your next several sets of aligners. This basic process will continue until your treatment is complete.
how long does
invisalign take?
Treatment with Invisalign typically takes about a year. This means that it’s quite a bit faster than braces, which usually must be worn for a minimum of 18-24 months.
However, the actual time it takes to treat your smile can vary based on the extent of your orthodontic issues. If you have minor problems with your smile, you may enjoy a faster treatment, while more serious problems may require additional treatment time. Dr. Engram can provide you with an accurate treatment time estimate after your consultation.
What are the advantages of invisalign
compared to other options?
Invisalign has a lot of great benefits compared to other orthodontic treatment options, such as traditional metal or ceramic braces. The most obvious benefit is that your treatment will be much more subtle, as nobody will be able to tell that you’re wearing your Invisalign aligners.
This makes Invisalign very popular with older adults, who may be uncomfortable with the idea of wearing bulky, obvious metal braces. With Invisalign, you can correct your smile without anyone having to know about your treatment.
Invisalign also typically has a shorter treatment time compared to braces. On average, patients will require about 12 months for their Invisalign treatment. However, this can vary quite a bit depending on your situation. Some patients may require longer or shorter treatment times.
Also, Invisalign tends to be quite a bit more comfortable compared to braces. This is because your aligners are made out of smooth plastic, and there are no metal bits and pieces that can irritate your mouth. Braces can irritate and poke your cheeks, lips, and tongue, which can even lead to painful sores over time. This is not a concern with Invisalign.
You also don’t need to worry about dietary restrictions with Invisalign. You will need to remove your aligners every time you eat or drink (except water), but there is no need to avoid certain foods.
In contrast, it’s recommended that you avoid certain foods like nuts, popcorn, gummy candy, and tough, chewy foods when you wear braces. But with Invisalign, you can still eat your favorite foods without worry!
how often will i need
to schedule progress visits?
This depends on your treatment plan. But usually, you will need to come and see Dr. Toni Engram about every 4-6 weeks for a progress visit. During your appointment at Flourish Dental Boutique, Dr. Engram will examine your mouth, compare your tooth position to your treatment plan, and ensure that your treatment is progressing properly.
At this time, you will also get your next few sets of aligners, as well as instructions on how long to wear each aligner. Most of the time, each set of Invisalign aligners will be worn for 2 weeks.
Then, once you’ve received your next several sets of aligners, you’ll just schedule your next follow-up appointment, and you’ll be sent home. The entire process usually takes only about 15 minutes, so it’s very fast and convenient.
Will My Speech be affected
by my invisalign aligners?
No. Once you’ve adjusted to wearing your Invisalign aligners, they will be completely invisible when worn, and will not affect your speech at all. However, you may have some minor speech difficulties when you wear your aligners for the very first time.
This is because your mouth needs to adjust to the presence of your aligners. When you start wearing them, your mouth will start creating excess saliva.
This may make you sound a bit “slushy” when you talk. This happens because your mouth detects the presence of a foreign object, and its natural reaction is to produce more saliva.
The good news is that your mouth will adjust to your aligners quickly, usually within a few days, and this issue will quickly go away as your mouth gets used to the presence of your aligners. he best dentistry is often the least dentistry.
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