Invisalign – Practical And Pragmatic Orthodontics

Invisalign – Practical And Pragmatic Orthodontics

Live a normal life whilst having your teeth straightened!

There’s no real other way way of putting it. ‘Old fashioned’ metal dental braces are arguably quite unsightly and can significantly change your appearance whilst you are wearing them. Modern versions are more discreet but are still quite visible and this is one of the reasons why some people avoid wearing them unless they really have to.

With younger people especially being keen to look as attractive as possible, perhaps due to the influence of TV and social media, the stigma often associated with “train track” braces has caused something of a dilemma. Long term benefits for short term ‘pain’ perhaps? But why not have the benefits of straight teeth without the associated hassles? Fortunately this is now possible.

The comfort factor

Wearing traditional braces should not cause pain as such, and if they do you should certainly have them checked out by your dentist. However some types may prove to be a little uncomfortable as the wires and brackets can irritate the soft tissues in the mouth.

To help eliminate this problem, along with that of the visibility of regular braces, more and more patients of Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic are turning to Invisalign orthodontics. This is a great way of having straight teeth with hardly anyone noticing and with very little inconvenience to yourself.

In addition to this, the fact that they are produced using a highly-accurate 3D scan of your own teeth, means that you should not experience any significant discomfort whilst wearing them. You may find it takes a short while to adjust to the feel of them in your mouth, but most patients get used to this very quickly.

Clear plastic

The reason why Invisalign orthodontics are so discreet is that they don’t use wires and brackets at all, but form a tray that fits directly over your teeth. As this is made from a thin medical grade plastic, you are not likely to be greeted by comments such as ‘oh, I didn’t know you wore braces’ when you go to work or meet new people. Those nearest and dearest to you may notice when they are in close contact with you, but otherwise, few people will notice at all.

Most of our Canterbury dental patients who have worn Invisalign acknowledge that this factor was the one that most drew them towards this particular orthodontic treatment. Many though, also found that there were benefits which they hadn’t even really considered.

Keeping your teeth clean

Anyone who has worn traditional braces will tell you how tricky it is to clean your teeth well. In fact, wearing regular wire and bracket types can lead to an increase in tooth decay as it is quite hard to remove food debris from them. Invisalign is entirely different. You can simply remove the aligners them from your teeth, brush and floss your teeth well, before returning the trays to your mouth. This is so simple that after a few days, it will become something that you do entirely naturally.

The social benefits

Invisalign orthodontics are made to be removable. This not only makes cleaning the teeth much easier, but also resolves the problem that many people have with regular braces, namely that of eating. Although people who wear regular braces will find foods that they can eat relatively easily, there is every chance that they will have also eliminated some of their favourite foods from their diet. Difficult to chew food such as some meats, toffees and even fibrous green vegetables can provide to be tricky to eat, with particles often remaining trapped in the braces.

This is another area where Invisalign has a solution. You simply remove the trays when you eat. It really is that easy. No more awkward moments at the dinner table and you can continue to eat whatever you want to. You will need to make sure that food doesn’t get trapped in your teeth or between them and the trays, but regular twice a day brushing and flossing should take care of that.

Although you can remove the trays for eating and brushing, please do take care not to remove them for other purposes unless absolutely essential. The longer time the trays are removed, the longer the treatment period is likely to last. Whilst we are more than happy to recommend Invisalign, it is important that they are the most appropriate type for your particular problem. We also have other orthodontic systems available including Cfast, and also a range of cosmetic braces that are designed to correct more minor flaws. These can sometimes work in just a few weeks, depending on the issue at hand.

If you would like to have straighter teeth and also find out more about the range of braces available at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, please call our Canterbury dental surgery today on 01227 463529.