Invisalign – Austin, TX
The Clear Path to Straight Teeth
Without Metal
Not only do many people find crooked teeth to be less attractive, but crooked or misaligned teeth also make it more difficult to keep up with your oral care. If the thought of wearing traditional metal braces makes you cringe, then you’re going to like Invisalign’s clear aligner technology. With Invisalign, straightening teeth is as simple as wearing your clear aligners every day over the span of several months. To see if Invisalign in Austin is right for you, give Dr. Ifraitekh a call today!
Why Choose Snow Dental for Invisalign?
- Requires a Fraction of Treatment Time Compared to Braces
- Removable for Easy Oral Care and Meals
- Fully Transparent Qualities Prevents Changes in Appearance
How Does Invisalign Work?
When you begin your Invisalign treatment, you’ll be given a full series of clear aligners. Each pair is designed to represent a different stage of your realignment. You’ll wear each pair of aligners for about 22 hours per day, only removing to practice oral care or eat meals. Once you’ve worn a specific pair for about two weeks, you’ll move on to the next pair in the series until you’ve worn all of them. Overall, Invisalign treatment takes between 8 and 12 months to complete.
Benefits of Invisalign
Like many other patients, you may be considering Invisalign over traditional braces because the aligners are clear, making them virtually undetectable. While that’s certainly a noteworthy benefit, it isn’t the only reason you should consider this popular orthodontic treatment. Below, you’ll find a few additional perks!
Removable Aligners
As mentioned above, having clear aligners ensures that no one around you will be aware that you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment. Another perk of Invisalign aligners is that they are removable. So, if you want to take them off before a first date or work meeting, you can! All we ask is that you keep them on for a minimum of 20 hours each day. After all, if you don’t wear them for the majority of the day, there’s a chance that you’ll fall off-track with your treatment plan.
Improved Comfort
In addition to being a bit of an eyesore, traditional braces aren’t the most comfortable. In fact, it’s very common for patients to deal with mouth sores and soft tissue irritation during the teeth-straightening process. That’s not the case with Invisalign! Since the aligners are crafted from smooth plastic and custom-made to fit the contours of your teeth, you won’t have to sacrifice comfort during your orthodontic treatment.
Shorter Average Treatment Timeline
If you don’t like the idea of wearing metal brackets and wires for at least two years at a time, we have good news: you may not have to! Invisalign can straighten teeth and realign uneven bites in just 12-18 months. There are even some cases where patients achieve the results they desire in just 4-8 months. Ultimately, it comes down to the severity of the existing orthodontic problems as well as how well you follow the treatment guidelines, like wearing your aligners for 20+ hours a day.
Freedom to Eat Your Favorite Foods
Because the aligners are removable, you don’t have to sacrifice your current diet! Just make sure that you take them off before eating or drinking anything other than water. To prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems from adding weeks or months onto the backend of your treatment, we also encourage our patients to eat healthy, well-balanced meals while also cutting back on sugary and starchy snacks.
Hassle-Free Dental Care
Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are removable. So, you don’t have to change your oral care habits just to accommodate them. No special oral hygiene products or cumbersome dental hygiene regimens. Instead, just brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash like usual. Then, clean your aligners with a damp, soft-bristled toothbrush and clear, mild dishwashing liquid.
Living with Invisalign Aligners
Living with Invisalign requires knowing what to do to make sure your aligners stay in the best shape so that your teeth will move in the right direction over time. The last thing you want is for a delay to occur, so learning how to take care of your braces as well as the dos and don’ts of wearing them is essential. Fortunately, our team at Snow Dental is here to go over the following tips to make the process easier.
Wearing Your Trays 20-22 Hours a Day
Abiding by the 20-22-hour rule is not a suggestion if you want to keep your treatment on track. Instead, you’ll need to wear your trays for this amount of time each day to ensure your teeth continue to move into their proper position. Apart from taking them out to eat, drink, and give them thorough cleanings, your aligners should remain in your mouth.
This is what makes them different than traditional braces that are affixed to your teeth. Invisalign comes with greater responsibility and commitment – something you’ll want to make sure to consider before agreeing to start treatment.
Cleaning Your Aligners
Invisalign aligners can attract a lot of harmful bacteria, dried saliva, and food particles throughout the day. As a result, keeping them clean is vitally important not only for their longevity but also for your oral health.
Each morning and night, you’ll want to clean your trays using a soft-bristled toothbrush, lukewarm water, and clear soap. You can also invest in Invisalign Cleaning Crystals if you prefer. This can remove plaque accumulations, keeping your aligners healthy day after day.
It’s also helpful to soak your aligners once a day in a denture cleaner for a deeper clean.
Eating & Drinking
There are no food restrictions that come with Invisalign, which is a significant benefit for most patients; however, the one thing you must remember to do is to remove your aligners before eating or drinking. Water is the only thing you can have while wearing your trays, but you’ll need to make sure it is not hot, as it will warp the material. Everything else can be harmful or stain your braces, so your trays must come out.
After finishing a meal, you’ll want to make sure to brush and floss your teeth (or at least rinse your mouth with water) before reinserting your trays. Giving your aligners a quick rinse is also helpful.
Losing or Damaging a Tray
When receiving your Invisalign aligners for the first time, you’ll find it advantageous to purchase one or two protective cases. These are designed to protect your trays so that they do not become damaged over time.
Losing or damaging one or both of your aligners can cause a setback in your treatment timeline. It’s too easy to place your trays in a napkin while eating, only to accidentally throw them away or walk off and forget them. Instead, place them in their case and into your purse or pocket so that they remain protected in a secure location.
You’ll also want to be mindful about not leaving your aligners within reach of small children or pets.
Routine Check-Ins
Throughout treatment, our Snow Dental team will require that you come in for regular follow-up appointments. Although you’re unlikely to spend much time in our office, these visits allow us to review your progress and ensure everything is moving along smoothly. If we detect any changes or believe you are not wearing your aligners as often as you should, we may need to make adjustments before moving forward.