Despite the fact that we’re not sure if our kids are heading back to “actual” school this fall or the Zoom variety, there’s one universal truth — many of them will be sporting braces. And when you’re a kid at that impressionable age, who wants a mouth full of metal? That’s what will happen if they have the metal bands, poking wires, and visual mess that makes up traditional braces.
But now, thanks to advances in tooth straightening, teenagers and adults have an invisible choice. What? That’s right, invisible. It’s called Invisalign.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign isn’t really new dental technology. It originated in the late 1990s and has been developed and improved to the point where it is very popular and effective today. Rather than metal bands and wires, Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic aligners to straighten the teeth. Each aligner is worn for a period of two weeks and then is discarded and replaced by the next in the series.
Clear benefits
Because the aligners are made of clear plastic, they are almost invisible when doing their job. Even from conversational distance, people can’t see the Invisalign aligners on your teeth. Plus, the hassles of trying to keep your teeth clean and having to do things such as cutting corn off the cob don’t happen with Invisalign. You simply take the aligner out to eat, and brush and floss your teeth! And there aren’t any wires poking your cheeks or bands rubbing your lips.
How does the process work?
Not every straightening case can use Invisalign, but Dr. Strober/Messer/Butkofski will see if you’re a good candidate. If so, we’ll take x-rays and make impressions of your teeth and bite. We do this with the iTero scanning system. The Invisalign software then takes that data and creates a 3D image of your teeth. Our dentists then plot out the movement of the your teeth into their final locations. We send that data off to Align Technology, the makers of Invisalign, and the series of aligner trays are created in their automated facility. The aligner trays are shipped to our Edison, New Jersey offices, and you come in and we get started straightening your teeth.
So, say goodbye to teenage “metal mouth” comments and put your teenager in Invisalign. Call the team at Gentle Dental, (732) 549-5660, and ask about Invisalign.
