Why Invisalign Might Be a Better Option Than Traditional Braces

For decades, getting orthodontic treatment to straighten crooked teeth, correct a misaligned bite, and attain a flawless smile meant one thing: Wearing fixed wire-and-bracket braces for a certain amount of time, having regular in-office adjustments to advance your treatment, then wearing a custom wire retainer until your smile was set. 

Not anymore. Thanks to groundbreaking advances in orthodontic technologies, old-fashioned braces are no longer the only path toward revealing your best smile: Invisalign® clear aligners can help you get straight teeth and a perfectly aligned bite — all without the hassle of having to wear conventional braces. 

As cosmetic dentistry experts who specialize in smile makeovers, our skilled team at Hazel Dell Dentistry knows that for many people who seek orthodontic treatment, nothing beats the comfort, convenience, and virtual imperceptible appearance of Invisalign. 

Here, Dr. Suzette Nikas and Dr. Chelsea Laucher offer five reasons it may be a better option for you. 

1. Versatile treatment application

Invisalign is a revolutionary orthodontic system that uses a series of clear, custom-fitted aligners to straighten crooked teeth, close gaps, and correct bite misalignment. 

On top of fixing protruding teeth and resolving mild to moderate spacing issues, Invisalign can resolve virtually any bite problem, including overbites, underbites, crossbites, open bites, and hard-to-treat deep bites.  

In short, Invisalign is an excellent treatment option for most of our orthodontic patients; chances are, it can also address your smile needs. 

2. Precision-crafted clear aligners

The Invisalign system combines sophisticated 3D imaging (iTero Element® digital scanner) with specialized computer software (ClinCheck®) to help us build a perfect digital road map to your new smile. Then, we translate that digital road map into a detailed treatment plan and a custom set of clear aligners, or trays, that you wear from start to finish.  

Like regular braces, Invisalign clear aligners use applied force to make targeted, incremental changes in tooth position and bite alignment until your smile is right. Each precision-fitted aligner is fabricated to make its own prescribed changes, transforming your smile one step at a time.  

3. Built-in efficiency and advancement 

The average Invisalign patient progresses through about two dozen clear aligners throughout their orthodontic treatment. Your treatment plan determines how many aligners you need and how long you must wear each tray (one or two weeks) before advancing to the next one in the series.  

Whereas old-school braces must be adjusted by hand during regular office visits to keep your treatment progressing as planned, Invisalign offers more convenient efficiency in the form of built-in timing, control, and advancement. 

Although our team does check your progress at regular intervals to ensure you’re advancing as planned, you can expect fewer office visits than you’d have with regular braces. Absolutely no painstaking adjustments to keep you on track. 

4. Total comfort and convenience 

Made from precision-contoured SmartTrack® material, Invisalign trays are more comfortable and easier to put in and take out than other clear aligner trays. Because they’re trimmed to fit closely against your teeth and follow your gumline perfectly, Invisalign aligners won’t scrape your gums or damage your enamel. 

Even better, they’re fully removable. While you must wear your aligners for 20-22 hours each day to keep your treatment on track, you can conveniently take them out when it’s time to eat, brush, and floss — happily, you don’t have to meticulously clean around, under, and between wires and brackets with a water flosser. 

5. (A virtual lack of) appearance 

When we ask our Invisalign patients what they like most about wearing clear aligners, the answer we hear most often — from tweens and teens as well as adults — is their discrete, virtually invisible appearance. 

While most people are happy that Invisalign can straighten their teeth and realign their bite more efficiently, conveniently, and comfortably than wire-and-bracket braces, what they tend to love most about clear aligners is what they can’t see.  

If you want people to notice your smile — not your orthodontic appliance — Invisalign is the best orthodontic solution for you. To find out how it can transform your smile, call or click online to schedule a consultation at Hazel Hill Dentistry in Carmel, Indiana, today.