Invisalign clear aligners

Invisalign uses clear trays that fit over your teeth and are swapped out every one to two weeks to move them gradually. It can straighten teeth and improve your bite in an almost invisible way, which adults appreciate, and it is easy to keep clean since you take the trays out to eat and brush.

For good candidates, the big difference is that Invisalign comes out. You remove it to eat so food does not get trapped, and to brush and floss normally. It is also less bulky and avoids the lip irritation metal brackets can cause. Sometimes braces are still the better option, and we will tell you if so.

They are very similar in speed. Most of the timeline comes down to how quickly teeth can move through bone, not the aligners themselves.

It depends on how much movement is needed. Some cases are as short as four months, often for someone whose teeth shifted slightly after losing a retainer. Others run three to four years for bigger corrections.

We start with a full exam and X-rays to confirm there are no cavities, infections, or gum disease. Then we take a digital scan, which lets you see your teeth on screen and preview the possible result before we plan the trays.

About 22 hours a day, including overnight. You only take them out to eat and to clean your teeth.

Sometimes, and it usually has to do with whether teeth can be moved safely. Active infection, serious gum disease, or bone loss can be made worse by moving teeth, which is why a full exam and X-rays come first.

Not really. You may feel sore the first day in a new set of trays, but it settles quickly, and at most an ibuprofen handles it. It is much gentler than the traditional braces many of us remember.

It is roughly a 50/50 chance these days, as more plans cover adult orthodontics. Call us and we can check your coverage and walk through payment-plan options.

We schedule a consultation, talk through your goals and any past treatment, and decide whether Invisalign is the right fit. If it is, we take X-rays and make sure your teeth are healthy before starting.