If you’re a busy professional, you might feel like your window for orthodontic treatment has passed. You’ve worked hard to cultivate your mature image, and the last thing you want to do is commit yourself to years of traditional metal braces.
Thankfully, traditional braces aren’t your only option anymore. At Bethesda Sedation Dentistry, Dr. Deborah Klotz and Dr. Robert Schlossberg offer Invisalign® to help you achieve the straight, beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.
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What Is Invisalign®?
Invisalign® is a clear orthodontic system designed to progressively straighten teeth without unsightly brackets and wires. This alternative to traditional braces can often be an excellent option for closing gaps and spaces, realigning crooked teeth, and even correcting issues such as overbites, underbites, or crossbites. Thanks to the transparency of Invisalign® aligners, you can look forward to greater discretion as you work towards your goal. In fact, no one except your cosmetic dentist and whomever you choose to tell may ever know about your braces.
How Does Invisalign® Work?
Invisalign® improves tooth alignment via a series of clear, removable aligners that are customized to meet your needs. Made of a flexible plastic material, the trays are designed to apply a gentle amount of force to specific teeth at precise times throughout the treatment process. Every aligner tray is slightly modified from the previous one to help gradually shift teeth into an ideal position over the course of treatment.
Invisalign® vs. Braces
In addition to being virtually invisible, Invisalign® offers numerous benefits over metal braces and other traditional orthodontic systems. These can include:
- Increased comfort (no brackets or wires to deal with)
- Fewer office visits for monitoring of treatment
- Improved convenience—aligners can be removed to eat, drink, brush, and floss
- Shorter overall treatment period
Ultimately, Invisalign® gives you much more freedom than you would have with traditional braces. Along with a beautiful, straight smile, the end result will be a renewed sense of confidence and improved oral health.
What Is the Invisalign® Treatment Process Like?
If Invisalign® is determined to be the right orthodontic solution for you, Dr. Deb or Dr. Rob will start the treatment process by using our 3Shape TRIOS® technology to custom-design your set(s) of removable aligners based on an ideal progression of tooth movement for your unique case. Once made, you will be instructed to wear each aligner approximately 20–22 hours every day for a certain period of time before moving onto the next one in the set. Throughout the Invisalign® process, you will be asked to return to the office periodically for your dentist to evaluate your progress and provide you with your next set of alignment trays. The total number of office visits and quantity of aligners needed will be dependent upon your specific needs and smile goals.
Accelerate Treatment with AcceleDent® Optima™ and Aura
To help accelerate your Invisalign® treatment, our dentists offer AcceleDent® Optima™ and AcceleDent® Aura. By employing gentle SoftPulse Technology®, the AcceleDent® Optima™ and Aura devices work to speed up the gradual tooth movement created by Invisalign®, often helping patients straighten their teeth in about half the time it would take without the device.
To use AcceleDent® Optima™ or Aura, simply situate the special mouthpiece over your Invisalign® aligners, bite down carefully, and activate the device. Once activated, AcceleDent® creates small vibrations that are clinically proven to facilitate tooth movement—similar to the way micro-pulses help stimulate healing in broken bones. As an added benefit, AcceleDent® offers a mobile app that syncs to the AcceleDent® device, providing usage information for treatment monitoring as well as achievement awards for motivation and praise.
By using AcceleDent® Optima™ or Aura for approximately 20 minutes (or as recommended by Dr. Deb or Dr. Rob) every day, you may be able to greatly expedite your Invisalign® treatment without sacrificing your end results.
How Long Does Invisalign® Take?
Total treatment time to achieve ideal results with Invisalign® takes an average of about nine to twelve months, though this period may be shorter or longer based on your unique case. In addition to the extent of your orthodontic concerns, factors that can influence the length of treatment include how often you wear your aligners and whether or not AcceleDent® technology is utilized—the latter of which is designed to help shorten the Invisalign® process.
Does Invisalign® Hurt?
Most Invisalign® patients describe feeling “pressure” as opposed to pain or discomfort—which is actually an indication that the aligners are shifting the teeth as designed. In comparison to traditional metal braces and other orthodontic systems, Invisalign® is considered much more comfortable.
How Much Does Invisalign® Cost?
At Bethesda Sedation Dentistry, the exact cost of Invisalign® is dependent on each patient’s specific treatment plan. Elements that can impact the total expense of treatment include the complexity of the case, how many aligners are required, and whether AcceleDent® technology is employed.
To obtain a personalized Invisalign® quote, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rob or Dr. Deb. During your appointment, your dentist can assess your unique needs, formulate a custom treatment plan, and provide a detailed breakdown of all associated fees. If desired, a member of our team can also speak with you about dental financing options to help make Invisalign® as affordable as possible.
For more information about Invisalign® or to schedule an appointment, please contact us today.
