Invisalign is an easy way to straighten crooked teeth. Teens and adult patients can use this discreet orthodontic treatment. It is one of our most popular cosmetic dental treatments in Burlington, NC. Invisalign helps create healthy, beautiful, straight smiles.
Dr. David Matsko of Fuller Dental is a Burlington, NC Invisalign provider. With years of experience and extensive training, Dr. Matsko uses state-of-the-art digital technology to design and create a series of custom aligners that will gradually fix teeth and the bite.
Every patient presents with unique dental health concerns. This is why we provide complete and personal care for each patient. After a consultation, Dr. Matsko will create an Invisalign treatment plan to meet your goals and achieve optimal results.
How Does Invisalign® Work?
This series of custom aligners is clear, plastic, and very thin. Each set is made specifically for the patient. The aligners are made of strong, clear material that will fit snugly against the teeth. Invisalign is ideal for patients with mild to moderate orthodontic concerns.
Invisalign can treat overbites, underbites, cross-bites, minor malocclusion, close gaps in teeth, and straighten crooked teeth.
Patients wear the aligners for about 22 hours a day. They must wear each set of aligners for about two weeks. Each set of aligners will gradually shift teeth into proper alignment.
Dr. Matsko will discuss the exact treatment time with the patient. This will depend on their goals and oral health needs. Most people finish treatment in about 6 to 9 months. However, some may achieve the desired results in as few as 3 or 4 months.
Why Straighten Crooked Teeth?
When patients come to our office wanting to straighten crooked teeth, it’s usually because they don’t like how they look. However, crooked teeth can have many negative impacts on oral health.
Crooked teeth are much harder to clean than straight teeth. They come together at odd angles and are often crowded and cramped. In some cases, you may not be able to get dental floss between them. Some areas of your teeth may be impossible to clean correctly, even with a thorough dental cleaning in our office. Even if you’re practicing a diligent oral health routine, you’re at a high risk for conditions like tooth decay and gum disease.
Crooked teeth also cause an uneven bite. When your upper and lower teeth come together, pressure evenly distributes throughout all of your teeth. When your teeth are crooked, some teeth experience more pressure than others. These teeth wear down faster and are more susceptible to damage and decay. That makes those teeth smaller than others, further contributing to your uneven smile.
An uneven bite is one of the main causes of TMJ disorders. The jaw joint doesn’t track smoothly and starts to break down because it’s slightly out of alignment. TMJ has serious consequences for your oral health. Symptoms include pain and tension throughout your jaw and face, clicking and popping when you open and close your mouth, and your jaw getting stuck in certain positions or unable to move in particular ways.
What are the Benefits of Invisalign?
Invisalign provides many benefits compared to traditional methods like metal braces. Many patients desire it because it’s practically invisible when worn. Metal brackets and wires are very prominent on teeth when you smile, which can make patients self-conscious and cause them to hide their smiles. With Invisalign, it’s hard to tell you’re wearing it. This boosts patient confidence and makes them smile more easily in public.
Those metal brackets and wires also irritate the soft tissues in your mouth, which can be painful. They rub against the inside of your lips and cheeks, causing sores unless you put wax over the brackets. It’s also easy to pinch soft tissue or get it stuck in odd areas of your orthodontic restoration. Invisalign uses a smooth plastic that doesn’t irritate the gums or soft tissue.
The treatment with metal braces is usually longer than that with Invisalign. Braces often take years to align your smile, while the average Invisalign treatment time is 12-18 months. It’s cheaper, too, because it’s a shorter timeframe. You also don’t have to come into the office as much. Metal braces work by tightening the wires each month to shift your teeth, which requires an office visit. You change your Invisalign aligners by yourself at home.
It’s easier to perform an oral healthcare routine with Invisalign. You take out your aligners to clean them, and brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. With braces, you have to ensure you’re brushing and flossing diligently and correctly around the brackets and wires. This sometimes requires learning new techniques or using special tools. If you don’t clean your teeth properly during treatment, you can have outlines of the brackets on them when they come off.
Invisalign doesn’t require you to remove any foods from your diet. You can’t take your aligners out every time you eat, so there’s no risk of damage. Hard and sticky foods can break wires or get stuck in the various mechanisms. You must avoid things like popcorn because of the hard kernels and chewy candies.
Caring for Invisalign
You must care for your aligners properly to ensure your treatment progresses as it should. To start, never eat or drink anything but water while your aligners are in. Eating anything with the aligners scratches and damages them, so they may not work effectively. Staining foods and drinks will discolor the aligners, causing them to lose their transparency, which makes them more visible on your teeth.
Rinse your aligners with warm water every time you take them out. At least once daily, clean them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste or mild soap. This will remove any food particles and bacteria that accumulate throughout the day.
Deep clean and sterilize the aligners at least once a week. Special soaks are available for aligner cleaning. This eliminates any stubborn bacteria that don’t get eliminated with your daily cleanings. Without cleaning your aligners, bacteria build up, causing odors and posing a danger to your health.
When you aren’t wearing your aligners, store them in a ventilated case. Never close the case without ventilation, as that creates prime conditions for bacterial growth. The case also protects your aligners because you always know where they are. If you take your aligners out to eat and put them in a napkin, it’s easy to accidentally throw them away.
Lastly, never clean your aligners with hot water or leave them in direct sunlight or heat. Heat warps the plastic, so they won’t fit right. They may melt completely if you leave them on a heater or in a similar place.
Invisalign FAQs
Invisalign is a popular choice to straighten crooked teeth. Learn more about the process by reading the answers to these frequently asked questions.
Does Invisalign treatment work faster than traditional braces?
Invisalign uses a series of aligners rather than brackets and wires bonded to your teeth. The aligners gently guide crooked teeth into alignment. You will switch them out every few weeks as you progress through the series. There are fewer visits to your dentist since you will not need to tighten your braces. Most people finish treatment in a year or less.
Are there any food restrictions while wearing Invisalign?
Invisalign clear aligners fit snugly over your teeth; you can take them out to eat. With the aligners, you will not have to worry about pieces of food becoming stuck between the brackets and wires of traditional braces. Therefore, you can eat whatever food you like.
Simply remove your aligners before you eat. Once you are done eating, you put them back in as soon as possible. Rinse your mouth or brush your teeth before putting your aligners back on.
Do my teeth require special care while wearing Invisalign?
No. Besides eating more comfortably, removing your aligners allows you to brush and floss your teeth better. Traditional braces require careful attention and a special cleaning brush to thoroughly clean away plaque and tartar around the brackets and wires.
By contrast, Invisalign allows you to brush and floss your teeth without obstruction. This will improve your chances of keeping your smile clean and healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment.
What happens if I don’t wear my Invisalign for 20-22 hours daily?
If you’re not wearing your aligners for the proper amount of time each day, your treatment time will be affected. It’s necessary for the aligners to ensure that the teeth are moving and become set in these positions. If you’re slacking on your daily wear time, it continually extends how long your treatment will take.
Can I speed up my Invisalign treatment?
No, attempting to do so can be very dangerous for your smile. Just because you no longer feel sore after changing your aligners doesn’t mean that you’re good to move on to the next set. Your bones and teeth have to adjust and get set in these positions. Changing the aligners faster means that your mouth doesn’t have time to do that. Your teeth become loose, and you risk them falling out if you continue to do it.
Am I an ideal candidate for Invisalign?
Invisalign is for patients who have mild to moderate orthodontic concerns. If you have more severe issues, you may require orthodontic appliances and/or metal braces for a successful result. You also have to be disciplined and responsible with your oral healthcare routine and wear the aligners for the correct amount of time. If you’re prone to misplacing things, another teeth-straightening option might be better.
Request An Invisalign Consultation
Learn more about Invisalign from Fuller Dental and how it can benefit oral health. To request an appointment with Burlington, NC dentist Dr. Matsko, contact Fuller Dental or request an appointment online.
Dr. Matsko will help you determine which orthodontic treatment will provide optimal results for a healthier, more beautiful smile. Patients will receive a thorough oral health exam and bite analysis.