Invisalign

How Invisalign Works

Invisalign works to straighten teeth in McKinney by using clear plastic aligner trays that you wear over your teeth. These trays exert a gentle force upon the teeth to gradually shift them into a more aligned position. Each set of aligner trays shifts one tiny portion of your smile. You’ll wear each set for about two weeks, and then move onto the next set in the series. Every six weeks to two months, you’ll visit us for a checkup to make sure your treatment is progressing smoothly, and to pick up your next few sets of aligners.

Unlike braces, Invisalign does not impact your daily life. You’ll simply have to wear your aligners for about 22 hours a day. Essentially, you’ll only take them out to eat and drink, and then to brush and floss right afterwards. You won’t have to worry about any dietary restrictions like you would with metal braces.

Benefits of Invisalign

As you may have discerned by now, Invisalign offers several advantages over traditional metal braces, including:

• Speed: The average treatment time for Invisalign is only 12 months, compared to the 24 months or longer that many patients spend wearing traditional braces. Also, patients who wear braces have to visit the office much more frequently to get their braces tightened, which can be uncomfortable. Invisalign patients will only need to visit us for short appointments once every six to eight weeks.
• Safety and comfort: Brackets and wires in traditional braces can cause a lot of discomfort and even pain as the smile shifts. The soft tissues in the mouth can become irritated. Luckily, the plastic of Invisalign’s aligners prevent this irritation and discomfort.
• Discreetness: Even if you opt for metal braces that are clear or tooth-colored, they may still be obvious when you chew, speak, or smile in public. The clear trays of Invisalign blend right into your smile, allowing them to straighten your teeth while being completely undetected.

Who Does Invisalign Help?

Although Invisalign is often marketed towards adults, it can easily be used on teens as well. In fact, the only age group we wouldn’t recommend Invisalign for is children, since their little mouths are still shifting and developing.

No matter your age, Invisalign can help correct the following issues in your smile:

Overcrowding

Teeth that are too close together can be harder to clean, both for you and your dental hygienist. This puts you at a higher risk of contracting problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. Invisalign can help your teeth line up more evenly.

Spaces

You might think that your gapped smile is unattractive, but it’s actually much worse than that. Bits of food can easily get trapped in large spaces between your teeth, increasing your risk of dreaded bad breath and cavities. Invisalign can more evenly space out your teeth.

Bite Alignment

Issues with your overall bite alignment can place undue pressure on your TMJ, or your jaw joint, and lead to unconscious teeth grinding or jaw clenching. This can cause accelerated wear and tear of the enamel, or the outer layer of the teeth, leaving you more vulnerable to sensitivity and cavities. Invisalign can correct your bite problems, whether they be an overbite, underbite, or crossbite.

Making Invisalign Affordable

It’s impossible to give you an estimate of how much your Invisalign treatment will cost without your coming in to see us for a consultation. This is because there are several factors that can affect the cost of your treatment, such as your age, the severity of your dental misalignment, and your dedication to wearing the aligners. In addition, it depends on whether your individual insurance plan covers Invisalign. Fortunately, more and more providers are starting to cover Invisalign, but again, you’ll have to schedule a consultation with us to find out. At Studio Dental, we offer plenty of financing options to help make your plan affordable.

Invisalign FAQs

Are you still wondering what it would be like if you got Invisalign treatment in McKinney? As one of the most highly recommended orthodontic treatments, we don’t want you to miss out on it! That’s why we’ve compiled some common questions we receive from our patients below, for your convenience.

Does it hurt to wear Invisalign aligners?

Unlike having uncomfortable and irritating orthodontic appliances, Invisalign trays are crafted from smooth and custom-fitted plastic that won’t scratch or wound your oral tissues. That means that you won’t have to carry around orthodontic wax just so you can comfortably go about your day. While most of our patients agree that Invisalign in McKinney is pain-free and easy, some patients do experience slight tenderness when they switch to the next sets of trays in their treatment. However, this is completely natural and typically goes away within a day or two. To minimize the discomfort, try switching to your trays at night so you sleep through most of the adjustment period.

How do I clean my Invisalign trays?

Cleaning your Invisalign aligners is an important responsibility during your treatment. Plaque, food debris, and harmful oral bacteria can build up on your trays and become trapped over your teeth, increasing your risk of oral health problems if you don’t regularly clean them. Here are some tips to clean your aligners and prevent cavities and gum disease while you’re undergoing treatment:

• Soak your trays in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for 15 minutes at least once each week.
• Brush your trays using a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear antibacterial soap once a day.
• Rinse your trays before each time you put them in your mouth.

How long does Invisalign treatment take?

Invisalign treatment is completely customized to each of our patients’ unique orthodontic needs, but the average timeline is between eight and 14 months. During your initial consultations, we’ll take images of your mouth and determine how many aligners you’ll need to wear and how long the treatment you’ll take. However, we can’t do that until we’ve inspected your smile. That’s why the most important first step to take is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Julie Kim.

Will I have to wear a retainer after Invisalign treatment?

In order to preserve the results that you worked so hard to achieve, you’ll have to wear a retainer after your Invisalign treatment. This is the case with all orthodontic solutions, because your teeth have a sort of muscle memory that allows them to shift back into their original positions if they aren’t held in place with a retainer. Towards the end of your treatment, we’ll discuss retainer options with you and how long you’ll need to wear one for.