Invisalign for Adults Sandpoint

You may be someone that wants to have your teeth straightened but does not want braces. There are many reasons why Invisalign may be an option for you. As we age, it is common for people to avoid braces if they can. I’ve heard numerous times people comment, “I’m too old for braces,” or “I will look silly having metal on my teeth at this age.” Here are just a few reasons why Invisalign is great for adults.

  • Easier to maintain good oral hygiene
  • Removable
  • Safer
  • Practically invisible
  • More comfortable than braces
  • Minimal maintenance
  • More attractive

It is easy to keep your teeth clean with Invisalign. Remove the aligners and brush and floss as you would normally. Brush the trays inside and out with a toothbrush with no toothpaste. If you want to use toothpaste, use the nonabrasive type. For example, one that has no pumice or whitening agent. It will scratch your aligners, making them look foggy and not as clear. Gel toothpaste is a good way to go. Don’t soak them in mouthwash that contains alcohol, it may absorb into the material and dry the aligners out, becoming prone to getting brittle, cracks or breakage. Also, if the mouthwash has a color to it besides clear, it may stain the trays.

DO NOT EAT WITH INVISALIGN TRAYS. Remove your trays and place them in your retainer case before you eat or drink anything besides water. You don’t want the food packed into your trays that are meant to have a perfect custom fit around your teeth. The biggest thing is they will stain and discolor. Aligners are usually switched every 2 weeks. You don’t want to be walking around with stained trays. Drinking water while wearing the aligners is ok, anything else may also discolor them, but mainly if you are drinking something that contains sugar, you do not want the sugary liquid sitting in your trays against your teeth. It may cause cavities which require fillings.

Invisalign is physically more comfortable to wear. Since there are no brackets or wires, you don’t have to worry about any cuts or scraps on your cheeks or lips. There are no pokey wires or brackets that will be bothering you, which saves you time from having to come into the office. The aligners are very comfortable to wear and are similar to retainers or a mouth guard which have clean, soft edges. Modern Invisalign treatments utilize BPA-free plastics which reduces the risk of introducing any harmful toxins into your body.

One of the reason patients tend to lean more towards Invisalign is because they are practically invisible. You and others around you will see the improvement of your teeth without it being noticeable that you are going through orthodontic treatment. People can be self-conscious and the last thing they want is metal on their teeth and people pointing them out or seeing them. Depending on the type of work, you may not want to have braces or anything visible when they are talking to people.

Virtually no maintenance is needed. With Invisalign you don’t need to make extra visits to the office. There are no broken brackets or wires that need to be clipped or fixed. You can go months without having to come into the orthodontics office. If you wear them 22+ hours per day, take care of them properly, switch between aligners as instructed and use chewies as needed, you only come in for additional aligners to continue the aligning process and the orthodontist checks your progress to make sure everything it tracking. Chewies look like cotton rolls but are rubber. Tracking is where the dentist checks to make sure all the attachments are in the aligner attachment slots. If the aligners are not “tracking” there will be extra plastic or areas of the trays that are not filled between your teeth and the aligner. This is when chewies are most helpful. At minimum, use them a few times per day, a few minutes at a time. Place them where the aligner is not tracking and bite down for about 15-20 seconds, then move it to the next area where the attachments are on your teeth and the trays are not tracking. Attachments are tooth colored material that are placed on certain teeth to help move or rotate the teeth to a proper position.

The best way to find out what your options are is to reach out to Ballard Orthodontics today and schedule a new patient exam. Generally, photos and x-rays are taken for records, the orthodontist also studies them to plan and identify the best treatment options you would be able to choose from. The consultations are free, so you have nothing to lose. What are you waiting for? The sooner you make an appointment, the easier it will be to make a decision. Straight teeth, new smile, happier you!