People in Phoenix want to be as informed as possible when making decisions about something as important as their smile. That includes knowing the advantages and disadvantages of any cosmetic dental procedure you are considering. Phoenix patients who are considering Invisalign should know what to expect before making that commitment.

You probably already know that Invisalign is great for cosmetic reasons. Because the aligners used to straighten your teeth are transparent, they are not nearly as noticeable as traditional metal braces. Invisalign allows you to correct the alignment of your teeth discreetly. The aligners are also smooth, making them much gentler on your mouth than traditional braces, which can rub and even cut your lips and tongue. They put less pressure on your teeth, usually causing fewer headaches and sore jaws than fixed appliances do.

Because you can take the aligners out, you don’t have to avoid sticky foods like wearers of traditional braces do, which is nice. However, the aligners must be removed every time you eat, and you should brush your teeth and clean your aligner before replacing it after a meal. This can become inconvenient, especially if you like to eat out. If you aren’t careful, you may even misplace your aligner. And the longer you leave your aligner out, the less chance it has to do its job. Metal brackets and wires continually act on your teeth to correct their alignment; every time you take out your aligner, the correction process stops and can even be reversed. This could cause your treatment to go off schedule, and new aligners may be needed to compensate for the change. If you choose Invisalign, you must be one hundred percent committed to wearing your aligner as often as possible.

If you think Invisalign is right for you, call Harris Dental in Phoenix to schedule a consultation.

Invisalign does not just straighten teeth; it provides Phoenix patients with other benefits not usually associated with traditional metal braces, including greater comfort and improved dental health. When fixed appliances are adjusted approximately every six weeks they apply a great deal of force on teeth. For many patients, that pressure causes sore jaws, tender gums, sensitive teeth, and/or headaches. This is not usually a problem for Invisalign patients. They transition from one aligner to the next every two or three weeks as teeth are gradually shifted into place. This usually means that less force is applied by a new aligner than by an adjustment to traditional metal braces. Less force means less discomfort for you.

Patients in Phoenix who wear traditional metal braces must learn to brush and floss around the brackets and wires used to straighten teeth. This can be quite challenging, sometimes requiring special tools to clean between and around the appliances. If patients are not thorough and consistent with their dental hygiene, cavities can form between teeth, under wires, and close to brackets. Invisalign users, on the other hand, do not need to make significant changes to their dental hygiene routine. The aligners are removable, allowing for regular brushing and flossing.

The use of Invisalign to straighten teeth may actually be helpful in preventing cavities, since patients are encouraged to clean both the aligner and their teeth every time they remove and reinsert the aligner. Invisalign also allows dentists to take regular accurate x-rays, a procedure not available to patients with fixed braces. Metal appliances can interfere with accurate x-ray readings, masking cavities or weak enamel that might have been detected if the braces were not in the way. Removable aligners allow dentists to evaluate x-rays—and take measures to prevent further tooth decay—without interference. Contact Harris Dental in Phoenix to learn more about how Invisalign can benefit you.