Do your kids need their teeth straightened? Did you wear braces when you were younger, only to end up with teeth that are crooked again? You may be worried that with orthodontic treatment, you or your kids will have to endure two years wearing metal brackets and wires, rubber bands, and attending painful monthly visits to have braces tightened. Lucky for you, traditional metal braces are a thing of the past. Now there’s Invisalign. A system of clear, removable trays that are practically invisible, Invisalign straightens teeth in less time than traditional braces, for about the same cost. If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign for adults or teens, call our Ft. Worth dental office at (817) 737-6601 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Nikki Green or Dr. Robert Leedy.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a revolutionary alternative to metal bracket and wire braces. It involves multiple sets of clear acrylic aligners that will gently shift your teeth into proper position. The aligners are removable for cleaning and eating, and they require no bands or wires. As opposed to traditional braces, Invisalign typically straightens teeth in just 12-18 months. And since the aligners are clear, nobody has to know you are wearing them, except you and the doctor.
How Does Invisalign Treatment Work?
The first step in treatment is a consultation with Dr. Green or Dr. Leedy. The doctor will review your medical and dental history and talk with you about the results you hope to achieve. When all of your questions about the process have been answered, and you and the doctor have decided Invisalign is right for you, we will schedule your second appointment, which is when the fun starts.
When you come in for the next appointment, the doctor will take digital images of your mouth and feed them into the Invisalign software. A custom treatment plan will be created, telling us how long you should wear aligners and how many sets you will need to complete treatment. Most patients wear 20 to 30 sets of aligners for two weeks each, over a period of 12-18 months. The aligners should be worn for 20-22 hours each day and can be removed when you’re eating. Staying within these parameters is key, because if you do not wear the aligners for 20-22 hours a day, the treatment will take longer than expected, and you run the risk of relapsing.
When a treatment plan is made, the doctor will send it to an Invisalign lab, where all of your aligners will be created. The lab will deliver your aligners to our office, and when they arrive, you will come back for a third visit. At that time, you will receive your first few sets of aligners and information on how to care for the appliances. Once you have that first set of aligners, your journey to a beautiful smile begins. You will only need to return to our office every six weeks or so for a quick checkup and your next few sets of aligners. When you have completed treatment, the doctor will provide you with a retainer to ensure that your teeth stay in place.
Is Invisalign for Everyone?
Yes! Excellent candidates for Invisalign treatment include adults with misaligned teeth or wide spaces between their teeth. We also use the treatment for patients with an overbite or underbite, and those with malocclusion, which is an improper fit between the upper and lower teeth that can lead to teeth grinding (bruxism) or TMJ disorder.
However, Invisalign isn’t just for adults. In fact, the makers of Invisalign created a special program just for teens. Invisalign Teen works just like the adult system, but it has a few unique features to help your teen stick with the treatment plan. The aligners in the Invisalign Teen program feature a blue dot that fades as they are worn. If the dot does not fade, you will know your child is not in compliance.
The folks at Invisalign also realize that teens have a lot going on, and occasionally misplace things. For this reason, they have included a bonus of six extra aligners over the course of treatment, at no additional cost. That means if Johnny takes his aligner out at football practice and it ends up in the towel bucket, or Gina leaves hers on her lunch tray and accidentally throws it away, you just need to call out office and we will order a replacement.
Call for a Consultation Today
If you or your child are in need of braces and want to learn more about Invisalign, call our Fort Worth dental office at (817) 737-6601 today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nikki Green or Dr. Robert Leedy. We are excited to help you find the smile of your dreams!
