Do you have crooked or misaligned teeth? Are you looking for a modern way to straighten your smile? Dr. Denise Halliburton offers Invisalign treatment to her patients at Halliburton Family Dentistry in Ellicott City, MD. Invisalign is a cosmetic dental treatment that uses clear aligners to straighten the teeth. This discreet and comfortable treatment method offers many benefits over traditional orthodontic treatment, making it more user-friendly. Discover more about Invisalign below.
Why Straighten Crooked Teeth?
Crooked teeth may not seem like a big deal to some people. But crooked teeth aren’t just a cosmetic issue. They cause some serious oral health problems as well. It’s harder to clean crooked teeth, especially if many of them are cramped or overcrowded. Floss may not be able to even fit in some of the gas. Plaque and tartar build-up in places that are harder to clean, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.
Crooked teeth also cause your bite to be uneven. The pressure when you bite down isn’t evenly distributed across the whole of your smile. Certain teeth will be put under more pressure than others, causing them to chip or break. TMJ disorders also develop when there’s an uneven bite. TMJ impacts the usability of your jaw joint, causing pain, cracking and popping, or stiffness of the joint.
Invisalign vs. Traditional Braces
Traditional braces use metal wires and brackets that can irritate the gums. Patients with metal braces are also unable to eat hard, sticky, or chewy foods that can damage their dental hardware. When metal braces are removed, there can be stains remaining on the enamel from the brackets. It’s harder to clean around the brackets and wires, so the teeth will be whiter under where the brackets were placed.
Invisalign aligners are removable, so patients can eat and brush their teeth. Because of this, Invisalign does not require any dietary restrictions. Patients can fully brush and floss their teeth after eating to keep their aligners fresh and clean. Invisalign also contains comfortable plastic that conforms to teeth and does not damage gums. Overall, Invisalign aligners offer a more comfortable and discreet treatment for patients with crooked teeth.
Treatment with Invisalign
To begin the Invisalign process, we will take impressions of the teeth. We use these impressions to map out your treatment. Patients wear each pair of aligners and then switch them out every couple of weeks. The aligners gradually shift the teeth into a straighter and more balanced position. Invisalign treatment can take six months to eighteen months. Patients wear their clear aligners for 22 hours daily, only removing them to eat or brush their teeth.
Invisalign FAQs
Learn more about Invisalign treatment:
Am I a candidate for Invisalign?
Patients with mild to moderate orthodontic problems are the best candidates for Invisalign treatment. If you have severely overcrowded or misaligned teeth, we may recommend oral surgery or metal braces. In addition, we do not recommend Invisalign for young children. Teens and adults can receive Invisalign treatment because they have all of their permanent adult teeth.
How long is Invisalign treatment?
If you follow your treatment instructions, you may start seeing results within one month. You can complete an Invisalign treatment in six to eighteen months. This depends on how misaligned your teeth are and how closely you comply with caring for your teeth and aligners.
Does Invisalign treatment hurt?
Invisalign aligners are not as painful as traditional metal braces. Patients often feel some mild pressure or discomfort as they try on each new pair of aligners. However, this quickly fades as the teeth adjust to their new position.
Schedule a Dental Appointment Today
Do you want to learn more about Invisalign treatment? Request a dental consultation with Dr. Halliburton on our website. You can also call Halliburton Family Dentistry at 443.232.0656. Feel free to let us know if you have any remaining questions about Invisalign, and we will be happy to assist you. Our office serves Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge, and Howard County.