If you’re looking for a straight smile without the metal-mouth, clear aligners may be the solution. Unlike traditional metal braces, clear aligners fit over your teeth like whitening trays. They are removable and replaced every two weeks for the entire course of your treatment.
The restrictive brackets and wires of traditional metal braces can trap bits of food and make cleaning your teeth more difficult. If you don’t thoroughly clean your teeth while wearing metal braces, you may end up with stains when they’re removed.
With clear aligners, there is no need for fixed wires and brackets, so you won’t have to worry about food stuck in your braces. Plus you can smile confidently without trying to hide a mouthful of metal! Placing and removing clear aligners is seamless and convenient, and they can be easily removed before meals or social engagements. Even when you’re wearing them, they are discreet and blend in with your smile.
It is a powerful tool for treating minor to moderate orthodontic problems. If your problem is severe enough, we may not be able to treat your case with clear aligners. Traditional metal braces are a reliable alternative that can correct most bite issues. To find out which treatment is best for you, please call for a consultation today!
Dentists recommend keeping your aligners on for at least 22 hours a day. Only remove them for meals and special occasions, and keep track of the amount of time they aren’t in your mouth. If you tend to be forgetful, you may be better off with traditional braces.
As your treatment progresses, each new set will have minor adjustments. You may notice that a new set doesn’t fit quite right at first. This is because your teeth need to shift to fit the aligner’s shape. It is a gradual process, so each aligner only moves a few specific teeth at a time. Your dentist or orthodontist will check up on your progress every few weeks and give you new sets of clear aligners based on your current progress.
The pressure from the aligner is strong enough to move most teeth, but some may need an extra push. Your dentist or orthodontist can add attachments to help guide your teeth into place. An attachment is made with a small dot of liquid bonding resin that is applied to a specific tooth and hardened with a special curing light. This dot helps make contact with the aligner, applying extra force to teeth that may not shift on their own. Adding and later removing this bonding resin is a simple process that doesn’t require any anaesthesia.
