A Faster Way to Straighten Your Smile
If your teeth are misaligned, you’re more likely to feel self-conscious when interacting with others. In the past, teeth straightening or orthodontic treatment always involved wearing metal braces, sometimes for years on end. Fortunately, that is no longer necessary for most people thanks to Invisalign™ clear aligners. Read on to learn how Invisalign can help you achieve your dream smile.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign clear aligners are orthodontic appliances that straighten your smile without relying on traditional metal braces. They’re custom-made from patented SmartTrack™ material, and they’re hardly visible when you’re wearing them. The aligners are easy to remove, allowing you to enjoy all your favorite meals and keep up on your dental hygiene. With Invisalign, your smile will be straightened gradually— and no one will even notice you’re wearing the aligners.
Dr. Aimee Kraft works closely with our patients to determine whether Invisalign is the best orthodontic treatment option for them. If you’re interested in Invisalign treatment in the Brooklyn Heights area, our team would love to help you.
Benefits of Invisalign
Our patients choose Invisalign for many reasons, most of which come down to the length of treatment and the discretion of the clear aligners. Everyone who decides on this option appreciates being able to achieve the cosmetic benefits of a straight smile without having to spend years in metal braces.
The top benefits of Invisalign treatment include:
- Shorter treatment time. Invisalign aligners can typically deliver amazing results in just 12 – 18 months. This is half the average time it would take traditional braces, which often require at least two years to straighten teeth.
- Fewer Appointments. Before you begin your Invisalign treatment, you and Dr. Kraft will determine a plan based on your individual needs. Instead of visiting your orthodontist regularly for adjustments to your braces, you’ll move through each customized phase of aligners on your own and visit us for occasional checkups.
- Discretion. Invisalign’s transparent trays are practically impossible to notice while they’re being worn.
- Better oral hygiene. With Invisalign, you’ll simply remove your aligners to brush and floss your teeth. This allows you to easily maintain excellent oral hygiene over the course of your treatment.
- Comfort. The thin, flexible material of your aligners won’t irritate the soft tissue of your mouth the way traditional metal braces can.
- No Dietary Restrictions. Metal braces require you to adjust your diet to protect them from damage and prevent food from getting caught between the brackets and wires. With Invisalign clear aligners, you’ll simply remove your trays before eating and enjoy all your favorite foods.
These are just a few of the many reasons Invisalign is such a popular option. This orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry treatment has an extremely high rate of patient satisfaction. As long as you do your part and wear your aligners as instructed, you’ll have a straight, beautiful smile in no time.
The Invisalign Process
In some ways, Invisalign clear aligners function like traditional braces. They work by gently applying pressure to your teeth over time, moving them gradually into their ideal position. Each step of the process is planned out before you receive the first aligner tray, allowing you to know in advance what you can expect from your treatment.
Here’s how the Invisalign process works:
- We’ll use specialized computer software to create a perfect digital model of your mouth. With this, we’ll design a customized treatment plan for guiding your teeth from their current position to proper alignment. This process is split into phases, with aligners created for each stage of adjustment.
- Two aligner trays are created for each phase of treatment, custom fit for your upper and lower arch of teeth. These trays are delivered to you with instructions on when to transition between them.
- You’ll wear each set of aligners for a minimum of 22 hours a day for two weeks before moving on to the next set. Over time, the aligners will very gently and gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment. This process continues until you reach your last set of aligners, leaving you with the straight smile of your dreams.
The key to successful treatment with Invisalign is diligently wearing your aligners as often as possible. This means removing them only for meals and brushing and flossing. If you lose or break an aligner, simply call our Brooklyn Heights office immediately to request a replacement and follow our instructions to avoid any extension to your treatment time.
How to Care For Your Aligners
Getting the most out of your Invisalign treatment will require you to take excellent care of your oral health and follow the rules of using your aligner trays. While your aligners are in, you must refrain from eating or drinking liquids other than cool water. This helps preserve your aligners’ transparency and protects them from damage.
It’s also important to brush your teeth after every meal before putting your aligners back in. This will help prevent food and plaque from becoming trapped under your aligners, which helps you avoid potential tooth decay or harm to your gums. Along with brushing and flossing your teeth, you’ll also need to clean your aligners regularly. Brush them daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and rinse them with lukewarm water before placing them back in your mouth.
Once you complete your treatment, maintaining your teeth will be just as important as caring for them after traditional braces. Wear your retainers as prescribed and see Dr. Kraft for regular visits to protect your investment.
Invisalign Treatment at Dentistry in Brooklyn Heights
Are you ready to quickly and comfortably straighten your smile with Invisalign? Dr. Kraft and the rest of our team would love to meet you. Call us at (718) 625-6629 or schedule a visit .
Invisalign® Q & A
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a treatment program that straightens crooked teeth gradually with a series of removable dental aligner trays. These trays are clear, so they aren’t as noticeable, or distracting as traditional metal braces and treatment with Invisalign is generally shorter, too. Invisalign is a flexible system that Dr. Kraft can use to shift your teeth horizontally or vertically. Teeth can also be rotated if necessary.
How does Invisalign work?
Dr. Kraft begins the process by taking a mold of your teeth. Using this mold, a lab will create a unique set of aligners designed specifically for you. Each aligner is slightly different, will fit tightly over your teeth, and shift them just enough to prepare them for the next aligner. You’ll change to the next aligner every one to two weeks until your treatment is complete.
What are the benefits of this treatment?
The greatest benefit of Invisalign treatment is straight teeth without having to wear braces; the aligners are nearly invisible. This allows you to complete the treatment program without drawing unwanted attention to your teeth. This treatment program is also flexible, as it can be used to deal with almost any alignment problem. Invisalign trays are removable for eating and brushing your teeth. Performing general oral hygiene is much easier with Invisalign than with traditional braces.
How long does the treatment process take?
Every patient is different, the length of the Invisalign treatment program varies. The average case runs 8 months to a year, with great variability from person to person. However, if you have teeth that need to be rotated or shifted significantly, treatment will take longer.
Dr. Kraft can estimate you how long you can expect your treatment to last before you begin.
Is treatment with Invisalign painful?
Invisalign aligners are designed to exert a small amount of pressure on your teeth to shift them gradually and gently. Because the pressure is mild, most patients won’t experience any serious discomfort during treatment.
How much does Invisalign cost?
The cost of treatment with Invisalign varies based on the extent of the treatment you need. Before you begin your treatment program, Dr. Kraft will give you an estimate of how much your Invisalign treatment will cost.