When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, it’s easy to feel discouraged with your smile. However, malocclusion can affect more than just your appearance. If your smile isn’t straight, you could be at a greater risk of developing further dental conditions. Invisalign in Frederick, MD, offers a discreet treatment option for patients who have mild to moderate smile imperfections. However, Invisalign isn’t always the right treatment. Your dentist will examine your bite thoroughly to ensure clear aligners are right for you.
How Invisalign in Frederick, MD, Works
Invisalign has the same function as traditional braces in that they both work to subtly push and pull your teeth into the proper alignment. With clear aligners, you’ll often get a set of trays at the start of treatment. Patients typically need to swap their trays every two weeks. This process is similar to having your braces tightened to adjust where the pressure on your teeth is. Treatment typically lasts between one and two years.
While Invisalign offers many unique benefits, it’s not always the right treatment for every patient. Your dentist may recommend more traditional orthodontic treatment for the following factors.
Complex Dental Case
Invisalign works best on patients who have mild to moderate cases of malocclusion. Complex cases can often be difficult to treat with clear aligners. At the start of treatment, your dentist designs a treatment path, creating sets of aligners that you’ll use to guide your teeth into place. Complex dental cases can often have unexpected results when adjusting teeth. For this reason, traditional braces are often recommended as they allow on-the-go adjustments as needed.
Patient Responsibility Level
Clear aligners are often a popular orthodontic choice because they have fewer dietary restrictions. Since you can remove your aligners to eat, most patients can enjoy more of the foods and drinks they love while in treatment. However, this also means that patients can remove their aligners whenever they feel like it, especially if their teeth and gums hurt. But removing your aligners can drastically reduce their effectiveness. Therefore, patients need to have a high level of responsibility to wear their aligners during the majority of the day and at night. Patients who may struggle with their aligners, such as younger children, may have better results with traditional braces.
Oral Hygiene Routine
Keeping your oral hygiene high while in braces can be difficult. But failure to maintain proper brushing and flossing habits with Invisalign could cause serious issues. If you don’t properly clean your teeth before putting in your aligners, then food particles can become trapped. Not only can this increase the risk of developing cavities, but those particles can also attach to your aligners. Patients who struggle with brushing and flossing, such as those with limited mobility, may not be right for Invisalign.
If you’re unhappy with the look of your smile, Invisalign may be able to help. Call us today at 301-264-5680 to schedule a consultation and see if clear aligners are right for you.