Am I a Candidate for Invisalign®?

Invisalign® aligners have emerged as the most popular way to straighten teeth. It is not much of a surprise that many people opt for these virtually invisible orthodontic devices over traditional metal braces, which tend to ruin even the best of smiles thanks to the brackets and wires that come with them.

Understanding how Invisalign® works

Invisalign® does not only provide a discreet way to fix orthodontic issues, it also comes with a variety of advantages over traditional metal braces:

• Invisalign® aligners can be removed for meals and oral hygiene
• These aligner trays are more comfortable than metal braces
• Invisalign® trays do not restrict what the wearer can eat

Here is how to determine if a patient is a good candidate for Invisalign®:

1. How severe are the teeth alignment problems?

Invisalign® aligners have evolved in recent years and can now be used to treat mild to severe orthodontic issues. However, traditional metal braces remain the best options for extremely severe problems like a massive overbite that requires the jaw to be shifted in order to fix it.

Orthodontic issues better suited for Invisalign® aligners include:

• Underbites
• Crossbites
• Mild to moderate overbites
• Gapped teeth
• Crowded teeth

Dentists evaluate each patient before determining if Invisalign® is the best way to address the alignment problems.

2. The patient's age

Invisalign® is excellent for teenagers and adults since they are more likely to have the discipline needed for successful treatment. Invisalign© aligners need to be worn for at least 22 hours each day for patients to get the most out of the treatment.

Young children typically have a harder time following instructions. They might forget to put in the aligner after brushing or lose the aligner tray at school. For such young patients, braces might be more effective since these are permanently fixed in place.

3. The patient's commitment to treating orthodontic problems

Invisalign® treatments require the patient to be committed to improving the alignment of the teeth. While being able to easily remove these aligners is one of the main benefits, they need to be worn for at least 22 hours each day to be effective. Patients who are not committed to the treatment are more likely not to wear the aligners as recommended. This ends up diminishing the results of the orthodontic treatment.

Patients must make it a habit to only remove the aligners when eating or cleaning the mouth.

4. The patient has orthodontic issues that need fixing

There is no point getting Invisalign® aligners if the patient already has properly aligned teeth. Invisalign® dentists typically perform smile assessments that are used to evaluate the straightness of the smile. Some of these tests can even be taken online, and they let the patient know if their teeth need to be straighter.

Invisalign® can get you the smile you want

Thanks to Invisalign®, you can now improve the alignment of your teeth without getting a mouth full of metal brackets and wires. Call or visit our Chicago clinic to find out if Invisalign® is right for you.

Let's get started…

Request an appointment here: https://www.alluredentalchicago.com or call Allure Dental at (312) 598-1770 for an appointment in our Chicago office.

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