Invisalign in Edmonton
Invisalign® is an orthodontic system that is changing the way we think about straightening teeth. Gone are the days where your only option was traditional braces if you wanted to correct your smile’s alignment. Now, professionals are wearing their braces to work without anyone knowing!
Invisalign® uses digital technology to provide you with a complete customized system for straightening your teeth. You will receive between 20 and 30 aligners when you receive the Invisalign® system. These aligners are transparent and fit easily over your teeth. You wear a top and a bottom aligner while you are using this system, and each aligner must be worn in the prescribed sequence. After approximately 2 weeks of wear, change your aligners out for the next ones in your series – but don’t discard the ‘old’ one. It’s a good practice to keep your previous aligner around in the event that you lose one.
Is Invisalign Right For You?
If you are interested in exploring the possibility of Invisalign® for your teeth, start with a conversation with your dentist. Not everyone is a candidate for Invisalign®, as the degree of malocclusion (crooked teeth) or your lifestyle could mean that the aligners won’t be your best bet. Severely crooked teeth may still require the heavy lifting capacity of traditional braces, but mild to moderately crooked teeth mean that you are a candidate for Invisalign® in most cases.
In order to determine your eligibility for Invisalign®, your dentist will have you sit for a 3-D scan of your mouth. The scan will capture all of the teeth in your mouth and provide a visual display of your starting point. Once the images are captured, your dentist will lead you through a visual demonstration of how your teeth would look once your full course of Invisalign® is complete. If you decide that you’d like to go ahead with Invisalign®, your dentist will send the digital images to a certified laboratory for your aligners to be custom made.
Invisalign® is not recommended for children or youth under 10. This is because in order to be effective, Invisalign® needs to be worn almost continually and the aligners require an excellent oral hygiene routine in order to keep the teeth healthy. Since the aligners are so tightly positioned over your teeth, food debris and bacteria that make their way under the edge of the aligners, or that are left on teeth, put teeth at risk. Without the ability to rinse away acids with bacteria, the acids are held against the teeth and could lead to decay or gingivitis if the gums get inflamed and irritated.
In order to keep your teeth healthy while wearing Invisalign®, the aligners must be worn 22 hours out of every day, and they should only be removed briefly for meals. After every meal the teeth must be cleaned by brushing and flossing before replacing the aligners. This knocks the bacteria count in the mouth down, thereby reducing the development of acids. Want to snack? You’ll need to brush and floss again. While this rigorous routine may preclude some people from considering Invisalign®, others who are up for the challenge often find that their eating habits and their dental health improve with aligners! Making snacking less convenient appears to be the reason for many reporting that they all-but-eliminate snacking during their course of Invisalign® treatment.
Drinking water with your aligners in place is permissible, but it’s important to note that even carbonated water increases the acidity of the substance so aligners should be removed even for a bottle of sugar-free fizz. The temperature of the water you drink is important when you’re wearing aligners. Hot beverages like teas are likely to warp the thin aligners and compromise their fit. The tight fit of the aligners against your teeth is what allows them to do the work of moving them, so it’s critical that you protect them from any heat that could loosen or deform them.
You’ll need to be diligent with your storage of these important aligners throughout your treatment, too. They are nearly transparent, and easy to lose when placed on any surface. During meals, the aligners should always be stored in their case and never in a pocket, on a tissue or on the table. If all of these Invisalign® rules don’t cause you to second-guess your interest, you will likely enjoy the experience and aesthetic of Invisalign®! A straight, beautiful smile will be yours in 12-18 months of treatment.
If you have questions about this or other services offered by our general dentist, contact our clinic today.
