Invisalign Clear Aligners Boston

Crowded Teeth

Not only can crooked teeth trap food between them and increase your risk of decay, but they can also have a negative impact on your self-esteem. If that sounds all too familiar, then schedule a consultation at our office! From there, we can determine if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign and, if you are, create a custom series of clear aligners to gently shift your teeth into their ideal places.

Gaps Between Teeth

Not only are gaps between the teeth often a source of insecurity, but they can also leave your gums vulnerable to harm. The good news is that Invisalign may be able to move your teeth closer together. If that’s the case for you, then we will create a custom set of aligners to gradually align your teeth. One of the best parts is that many patients achieve the results they desire in just 12-18 months!

Overbite

Do your upper teeth extend beyond your lower ones considerably? If so, you might be wondering if Invisalign can fix overbites, or if traditional braces are the only option. Over the last two decades, clear aligners have helped countless patients achieve straight smiles and healthy bites with the help of rubber bands, buttons, and other orthodontic accessories.

Underbite

Are you struggling with the opposite problem (your lower teeth sit in front of your upper ones)? This orthodontic problem, known as an underbite, can lead to several issues, including difficulty enunciating clearly. That’s why we recommend exploring your treatment options sooner rather than later. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Invisalign is one of them!

Crossbite

If only a few of your upper teeth sit behind your lower ones, then you likely have a crossbite. Unfortunately, like the other orthodontic problems listed here, several issues can arise if yours is left untreated, including premature wear on certain teeth. In that way, pursuing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign benefits your self-esteem and your oral health!

Open Bite

As you may have guessed from the name, an open bite is when the upper and lower teeth don’t meet evenly, resulting in a noticeable space between the two. Although this may not seem like much of an issue, it can lead to everything from premature wear to trouble chewing properly. So, if you suspect that you have an open bite, don’t wait – schedule a consultation with us to explore your treatment options.

Discreet Trays

One of the first things people notice about you is the quality of your smile, and standard braces often worsen feelings of self-consciousness or worry about being judged. Meanwhile, these transparent aligners allow your natural enamel to show through, so your orthodontics are less likely to draw any unwanted attention.

For example, if you have an upcoming occasion, such as a wedding, reunion, or graduation, you can smile confidently for pictures knowing you look like your best self.

More Comfortable Solution

Not only are the ‘invisible’ trays less aesthetically displeasing, but they’re also considered more comfortable than braces. This is partly because the smooth plastic material won’t gouge the tender tissues inside your mouth like standard orthodontics frequently do, which can help avoid irritation and infection.

With that said, it’s normal to feel some tenderness when you first start wearing new trays, but the aches tend to dissipate on their own after a few days and usually don’t last as long as the throbbing caused by braces.  

Less Invasive Treatment

This service is also considered non-invasive when compared to traditional orthodontics because the trays are removable. They can be taken out for meals and cleanings, which results in fewer changes to your daily routines throughout your treatment.

For example, there are no dietary restrictions, because the aligners aren’t intended to be in your mouth during meals.

Improved Dental Hygiene

Patients with braces often struggle to brush and floss around their dental gear, increasing their risk of developing oral issues, such as cavities or gum disease, during treatment. Thankfully, you can more easily prevent these concerns with Invisalign because you can take the trays out to clean your mouth.

However, plaque can build up on the plastic, so you must also keep the aligners clean by gently scrubbing all surfaces with a soft-bristle toothbrush and mild dish soap to complete your twice-daily dental hygiene routine.  

Faster Follow-Ups

You’ll be required to schedule check-in visits with our team every 6 to 8 weeks, which allows us to ensure your teeth are shifting as intended. Fortunately, these visits are much briefer than the follow-ups for braces, because there is no arch wire to adjust.

Instead, our team will determine whether you’re on track with your treatment timeline and provide the next trays you’ll need to wear. This can often be completed within 15 to 30 minutes, though it can depend on your unique circumstances.

Enhanced Confidence

Many patients want to straighten their teeth because they feel self-conscious about their appearance. Although standard braces are the tried-and-true way to address these concerns, they don’t do much to improve your aesthetics or self-esteem.

Fortunately, the transparent trays of Invisalign allow your natural grin to show through, so you can feel like your most attractive self. Plus, because you’ll likely start to see changes within just a few weeks, you’ll be showing off straighter teeth each time you smile!

Wearing Your Trays

This treatment utilizes a series of transparent trays that are worn over your teeth to exert consistent pressure to gently shift them over a designated period. However, to keep them from reverting to their starting positions, you must wear your clear aligners for 20 to 22 hours daily. Then, after about a week or two, you’ll be directed to switch to the next set in your series.

That means patients can anticipate keeping the trays inserted most of the day and night, typically only removing them for meals and cleanings.

Cleaning Your Aligners

The completely clear plastic trays allow your natural teeth to show, which often helps reduce self-consciousness around orthodontics. But if you don’t clean them consistently, they can develop plaque or residue buildup, which can leave them looking cloudy, dirty, or dark. Not only that, but germs trapped on your aligners can more easily penetrate your teeth or gums and contribute to issues like decay and disease.

You can potentially prevent this by gently scrubbing all surfaces of your aligners twice daily with a soft-bristle toothbrush and a gentle toothpaste or unscented dish soap that won’t abrade the materials.

Eating & Drinking

Each set of trays is only intended to last a week or two before you start wearing the next aligners in your timeline, so they’re not designed to be overly durable. As a result, it’s recommended that they’re removed to eat or drink anything other than cool or room-temperature water.

This is because the force of biting and chewing might damage the material, and overly hot temperatures can warp the plastic so that your aligners no longer fit or function correctly.

Losing or Damaging a Tray

It’s natural to worry about the impact of losing or breaking one of your aligners, and although it may not be the end of the world, it’s best to contact our Boston office to let us know what happened. If you stop wearing the trays because one is missing, you could potentially add weeks or months to your overall treatment timeline.

Calling us allows us to provide appropriate instructions for moving forward, such as wearing previous trays while we replace the one that was lost or damaged, or switching to the next set in your series sooner than anticipated.

Routine Check-Ins

You’ll need to attend periodic follow-up visits, usually every four to eight weeks, so we can monitor your progress and ensure no oral issues have developed since your last appointment. These appointments can often be as brief as 15 to 30 minutes, which gives us enough time to examine your condition and provide the next trays in your series that you’ll be asked to wear.