Invisalign aligners are a removable, clear plastic set of teeth trays that gradually straighten your teeth over time, making them a viable alternative to traditional metal braces. They’re also clear, meaning they’ll blend in seamlessly with your smile as you wear them. When your aligners are in place, they apply constant but gentle pressure to your teeth and shift them into place little by little. They are custom-made to fit your mouth specifically and are replaced periodically as your teeth move into their desired position.

Unlike traditional braces, you can eat and drink whatever you like during the course of your treatment without worrying about breaking or bending a wire or bracket. You can also brush and floss as usual. The only thing you need to avoid is chewing gum since it can stick to the plastic of the aligners and cause tiny tears in the material. This is also something your dentist will warn you about before you get started. Otherwise, enjoy all of the foods you love without worry!

How Do Invisalign Aligners Work?

Every patient’s treatment plan is different, but generally, you begin by wearing a new set of aligners every two weeks until your teeth are straight and beautiful. You only remove the aligners to eat, drink, brush, and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move – little by little, week by week – until they have straightened to the final position your orthodontist has prescribed. You’ll visit your doctor periodically for checkups to ensure your smile is progressing as planned. 

How Invisalign Improves Oral Health?

Invisalign aligners can help improve your oral and overall health in the following ways:

• Help maintain comfort & tooth structure

Consistent use of your aligner will help to maintain your comfort and the structure of your teeth. Unlike with metal braces, you won’t have to worry about the hassle of brackets that are uncomfortable or wires that are poking into your mouth. You’ll be able to maintain a clean mouth without having to worry about food getting caught in brackets or accidentally poked by wires.

• Maintain the appearance of the smile

You’ll also be able to maintain the natural beauty of your smile while undergoing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign clear aligners. Traditional metal braces can make it more difficult to keep your smile white, as certain foods can become lodged in the hardware of your braces. With Invisalign, you’ll be able to confidently straighten your teeth without worrying about staining the color of your smile!

• Do not affect your food habits; hence, overall health is improved

The aligners are removable, so you can continue to eat all of your favorite healthy foods. Since there is no food restriction, this helps improve your overall health as well.

• Fewer chances of gum disease and tooth decay

Since the aligners are removable, they allow for maintaining a normal oral hygiene routine. This helps to avoid cavities and gum disease caused by poor oral hygiene when you cannot brush and floss as easily when you have traditional braces.

• Helps better chewing

By straightening your teeth and keeping your teeth healthy, you’ll be better able to enjoy all of the benefits of having straight teeth. This includes having a confident smile and being able to properly chew your food and speak clearly.

Schedule an appointment with Arden Dental Center to learn more about taking care of your oral health. We are located at 531 E. Roosevelt Road, Suite 100, Wheaton, IL 60187. Contact our team at (630) 529-0303 or visit our website to book a consultation.