Did you know that more than 4 million people in the United States alone have had braces at some point in their lives?
Traditional braces, also known as metal braces, have been around for a long time and have been the go-to option for transforming crooked teeth into straight teeth. More recently, alternative braces have come around such as Invisalign.
Invisalign aligners have several differences that separate them from traditional braces. But if you’re looking to get straight teeth, which teeth-straightening option should you opt for? More than that, how can you know if you’re a good Invisalign candidate?
Keep reading and learn more about whether or not Invisalign is a good option for you and your teeth.
What You Need to Know About Invisalign
The first thing you should know about Invisalign aligners is that you can remove them whenever you want. This is not to say that they are better than traditional braces for this reason, but they may better fit your lifestyle and you may feel more comfortable wearing them on a daily basis. However, it is still recommended that you wear your aligners for the majority of the day, around 23 hours.
This is important because if you don’t keep the aligners in your mouth for most of the day, they won’t have the chance to straighten your teeth and the entire teeth-straightening process will take much longer as a result. You should only bother to take out your aligners to eat and clean your teeth.
If you eat with your aligners still in your mouth, chewing on them could end up damaging and misshaping them which will interfere with their ability to straighten your teeth. After eating, you should brush and floss your teeth before putting the aligners back in.
This is important for several reasons. For one, the aligners can trap food against your teeth. This can lead to tooth decay and cavities.
More than that, it may lead to tooth discoloration. Flossing your teeth after eating is important for the same reasons. More than that food particles can end up breaking down the aligner’s material.
The Details
One major benefit of Invisalign aligners is that they are invisible. Many people, especially adults, don’t like the way traditional metal braces look on them. Invisalign aligners, on the other hand, are clear.
That way, they won’t be immediately noticeable. Many people won’t even realize that you’re wearing these aligners unless they take a close look. This is important if you’re worried about looking professional at work or in other settings.
These aligners are also quite easy to care for. All you need to do is take them out and clean them every so often with a toothbrush. This will keep the aligners clean and free of food particles.
As long as you take care of your aligners in this way, they should easily last you until your teeth are straight and you no longer need them. But how can you know if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign in the first place?
Should You Get Invisalign Aligners?
You will need to visit your dentist and discuss the concept of getting Invisalign aligners to really know whether or not these aligners are right for your teeth. You should not have any major dental health issues before getting these aligners. For example, if you have gum disease or tooth decay, Invisalign aligners would not be a good idea until you have these dental problems under control.
Your dentist will also need to take the crookedness of your teeth into consideration. Invisalign aligners are quite versatile. More than that, these aligners are designed in a way to fit your teeth perfectly. This speeds along the teeth-straightening process quite a bit.
However, if your teeth are very crooked, Invisalign aligners may not be the right choice for you. This is because these aligners can only accommodate teeth that are crooked to a certain degree. If they are too crooked, your dentist may recommend traditional braces instead.
The same is true for certain bite abnormalities. For example, if you have an overbite or an underbite, Invisalign aligners can help correct these problems. However, if your bite abnormality is too severe or if it involves the misalignment of your jaw, Invisalign aligners won’t be able to fix this problem.
Instead, you may be better off getting traditional braces or more invasive dental procedures to fix these problems.
What You Need to Know
You will also need to be willing to take care of your aligners and take responsibility for wearing them as often as possible. You will need to wear the aligners throughout the night as you sleep and throughout most of the day while you go about work and other activities.
As mentioned before, you should only keep them out of your mouth while you’re eating or cleaning your teeth. You will also need to switch between aligner trays every few weeks to make sure that your teeth-straightening journey is on track. Otherwise, it might take much longer than usual to get the straight teeth that you want.
As long as you can handle all of this and as long as your dental health is in good shape, there shouldn’t be any reason why you shouldn’t get Invisalign aligners.
All About Alternative Braces
When it comes to alternative braces, Invisalign aligners are certainly your best bet. They work a lot like traditional braces, but they are removable and invisible. For that reason, you may feel more comfortable wearing Invisalign rather than metal braces.
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