What’s standing between you and a straight smile? For some patients, the primary obstacle is a busy schedule, while for many others it might be the thought of spending years wearing traditional metal braces. Fortunately, there’s good news: you don’t have to spend long months wearing bulky metal braces to have straight, beautiful teeth. With Invisalign® in Fort Worth, TX, Dr. King and our Summer Creek Dentistry team can help you achieve your goals discreetly. In fact, most people won’t even notice the clear aligners, so give us a call to schedule your consultation!
Instead of using metal brackets and wires to move teeth, Invisalign uses a series of clear, custom-made trays made of durable plastic. Each tray in your personal kit will be designed to play a specific role in the Invisalign process. As you go through treatment, you’ll wear each tray for about two weeks, with each set bringing you closer to your goal of a healthier, more aligned smile. Just make sure that you’re wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours per day to maintain progress towards your ideal results. Treatment with Invisalign often takes between 12-18 months to complete, but it requires fewer dental office visits overall compared to traditional metal braces. We’ll only need to see you once every four to six weeks to check your progress.
Invisalign is effective for correcting a variety of bite and alignment issues, but it isn’t the right choice for everyone. You’ll need an initial consultation with Dr. King to assess your orthodontic needs and your lifestyle to ensure it’s the best choice for you. Besides a visual examination, we’ll also take X-rays and impressions to create a customized treatment plan to move your teeth.
Fortunately, Invisalign is a great orthodontic treatment option for practically all patients with mild to moderate alignment issues. Take a moment to look over the most common issues Invisalign can resolve.
Are your teeth overlapping or tilted? If your teeth are overcrowded, it’s easy to feel insecure about your appearance. In fact, you might even hide your mouth when smiling, talking, or even taking a picture. Unfortunately, your self-esteem isn’t the only thing to suffer the consequences of crowded teeth in Fort Worth- your oral health will too. The small spaces created by crowded teeth trap plaque and bacteria, raising the risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease. Thankfully, you can give your teeth the space they need to stay healthy while also giving your confidence a boost using Invisalign.
What was once deemed “cute” or “adorable” when you were a child with gapped teeth has likely become an aesthetic problem now that you’re older. As an adult, you may feel self-conscious about the spaces in your smile, or are experiencing tooth sensitivity and cavities. If you’re already self-conscious about your smile because of its gaps, the last thing you want to do is draw more attention to your teeth with traditional braces. Fortunately, Invisalign can provide a clearer solution that will quickly (but gently) move your teeth closer together, effectively eliminating the gaps and improving your appearance in less time than with metal braces.
The position of your teeth are essential for more than just a beautiful smile. If your upper and lower teeth don’t fit together ideally, you will likely develop a bite alignment issue, such as an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or open bite. A bite misalignment like one of these can lead to a variety of issues, including worn enamel, chronic jaw pain, and even TMJ disorder. Thankfully, you can correct your bite without the unsightly appearance of metal brackets and wires. Invisalign can discreetly move your teeth to give you the functional, straight smile you deserve.
Modern-day Invisalign treatments can address mild to moderate bite misalignment. Invisalign has been shown to be effective for improving several malocclusion problems, including:
17 million. That’s how many patients have chosen to straighten their teeth with Invisalign! If you’ve ever wondered why it’s one of the most popular orthodontic treatments, then keep reading to learn a few of the many benefits that come with clear aligners.
Treatment with Invisalign comes with a range of great benefits, but one of the most obvious ones is that the trays are clear. As a result, no one but you and Dr. King will ever know you’re wearing them! The key to preventing stubborn, noticeable stains from surfacing is proper care. So, get in the habit of rinsing them with clean, cool water when you take them off. It’s also important to use a damp, soft-bristled toothbrush and clear, mild dishwashing liquid to clean them at least twice a day.
With traditional braces, keeping your smile clean can be difficult because food can become trapped around your brackets and wires. But because you can remove your Invisalign trays, you can brush as thoroughly as you normally would. Not only will this save you from having to buy special oral hygiene products, like interproximal toothbrushes, but it will also help you keep your smile healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment!
Since Invisalign aligners are removable, they don’t come with the same dietary restrictions that traditional braces do. In fact, you can continue to eat the same foods you enjoyed before starting your teeth-straightening journey. Just do your best to avoid cavity-causing foods, like ice cream, as well as crunchy snacks, like hard pretzels. After all, chips, cracks, and decay can lead to significant treatment plan delays!
It’s no secret that traditional braces aren’t the most comfortable. Fortunately, Invisalign improved that aspect of orthodontic treatment as well. Since the aligners are crafted from smooth plastic and custom-made for each patient, they don’t lead to soft tissue irritation and mouth sores. In fact, many patients don’t experience either during their time with clear aligners!
Are you getting married next year? Maybe you have another important event on the horizon, like a family reunion or vacation. If that’s the case, then you likely don’t want to wait 2+ years to achieve the results you desire. Fortunately, the average treatment timeline with Invisalign is only 12-18 months. At your consultation, we can provide you with a more precise estimate and share what to do to avoid lengthy delays.
To ensure continuous pressure is placed on the teeth, patients with traditional braces need to attend monthly adjustment appointments. Patients with Invisalign, on the other hand, do not. In fact, most only come to our office every 6-8 weeks. As long as you’re on track with your treatment plan, you should be in and out of our office in less than 30 minutes, too!
Invisalign aligners might be a more comfortable and convenient alternative to metal braces, but what will living with Invisalign actually look like? By reading the information we’ve put together below, you can find out! These clear aligners do require some discipline in order to keep your mouth healthy and promote the success of your treatment, so consider these maintenance tips carefully. If you have any questions or concerns about your daily routine with Invisalign, remember that you’re always welcome to call our office!
The first thing you should know is that if you don’t wear your Invisalign trays for 20-22 hours per day, they won’t be able to move your teeth properly. In other words, you could end up prolonging your treatment. You’ll have to keep track of how much time you spend with your aligners out of your mouth to ensure you meet your wear requirements.
It’s important to prevent bacteria from accumulating on your trays. We recommend brushing Invisalign aligners with a soft-bristled toothbrush and cool water once per day. If the plastic starts to look a little yellow, you can use Invisalign cleaning crystals for a stronger wash.
Remember, Invisalign aligners are removable, which makes eating and drinking easy. However, you shouldn’t consume anything (except for colorless water) while you wear your aligners. Doing so could result in staining or cause the shape of the plastic to warp. Before reinserting your trays, be sure to give them a good rinse!
Since it’s crucial to meet your Invisalign wear times, give us a call promptly if you lose or break your aligners. We’ll replace or repair your trays as soon as possible so you can continue with your treatment!
Every so often, we’ll ask you to visit our office for a routine check-in. This gives us a chance to provide you with your next-step trays, but even if you have everything you need, please attend these appointments! We’ll also inspect your teeth to make sure they’re moving as expected and that you’re still on track with your treatment timeline.
Every Invisalign patient’s treatment is unique, so the cost of treatment can largely vary depending on your needs. Additionally, those who do not wear their aligners for long enough may experience hiccups or even relapses in treatment, which is partially why we ask you to come in for routine appointments to confirm the status of your smile. To know how much your treatment will cost, you’ll need to come in for a consultation to confirm your eligibility for Invisalign as well as go over your payment options. Keep in mind that while the short-term costs can be high now, the results are long-term and have the potential to last a lifetime.
There’s no set price for Invisalign because the cost is determined on a patient-by-patient basis. There are several factors that influence the cost of your treatment, such as the complexity of your bite and alignment issues. The more severe your concerns, the more aligners you’ll need, which will increase the amount you will pay.
There are also several factors that can lower the cost of the treatment, such as using your dental insurance.
Now, many insurance carriers cover a portion of the cost after paying your annual deductible until you reach your yearly limit. We work on your behalf with your insurance company to file the necessary claims and paperwork to reduce the amount you need to pay.
We take the time to discuss your remaining balance and your payment options, such as using CareCredit, which offers the funds you need to pay for the aligners. You’ll then repay the balance using a payment plan that accommodates your budget.
Additionally, we’re happy to offer $500 off your Invisalign treatment at Summer Creek Dentistry. To take advantage of this special offer, call our office today!
A straight smile provides more than just more confidence. It also impacts your oral health. Properly aligned teeth are easier to clean. This reduces your risk of tooth decay and gum disease to lessen the need for a costly treatment in the future. Not to mention, you can also lower your risk of other oral health issues as well, such as uneven wear on your enamel, dental emergencies, and disorders of the temporomandibular joint.
Besides improving your oral health, you’ll also invest in your confidence. Research shows people who love their teeth are more outgoing and have a positive outlook on life overall. You’ll smile brightly because you’ll feel secure about your appearance.
If you want to know if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign, see Dr. King for a consultation. She would be happy to assess your needs and talk to you about your treatment options. We're proud to serve patients of all ages from Fort Worth, Haltom City, Burleson, North Richland Hills, Benbrook, and all surrounding communities.
Many people associate straightening their teeth with discomfort and pain due to traditional metal braces. These used rough and pokey brackets and wires to gradually change the position of teeth, and every month or so, patients would need to get them tightened, causing even more discomfort. Fortunately, Invisalign treatment is dramatically different. Each set of aligners is made from a smooth, custom-fitted plastic that comfortably fits over your teeth without scratching or irritating your oral tissues.
It is important to note that some patients report slight tenderness when they advance to a new pair of aligners because they can feel tighter than the last set. However, this discomfort typically only lasts for a day or two. You can combat it by switching to your new trays at night, so you sleep through a majority of the adjustment period or by taking over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen as directed on the packaging.
Maintaining aligners is a vital part of avoiding oral health problems throughout your treatment. However, it’s important to do this using specific tools and products that don’t scratch or damaged the trays. Here are some maintenance tips while you’re undergoing Invisalign treatment:
Towards the end of your Invisalign treatment, we’ll discuss the details about wearing a retainer with you. In order to keep your newly aligned teeth in their positions, you will need to wear one for a specific amount of time. Depending on your needs, you may also be eligible for a permanent retainer.
If you lose an aligner, it’s important not to panic and to contact our office immediately. We don’t want to set your treatment time back too far, so we’ll work quickly to replace your tray so you can continue making progress on straightening your teeth. The longer you wait to address the issue, the longer your finished results will be postponed.