If you have poor alignment, then your crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth could cause serious problems for your smile and overall oral health. But our team can take a cosmetic approach to correcting your uneven smile with clear aligners. In today’s blog, your Kansas City, MO, dentist talks about Invisalign®.
The Causes of Dental Misalignment
What causes our smiles to develop misalignment? Sometimes, it occurs due to issues in childhood, like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. There could be issues with the growth and development of your jaw that doesn’t leave enough room for your teeth to erupt, creating poor alignment. Poor oral health in childhood could cause premature loss of baby teeth and upset how permanent ones erupt, and likewise, losing teeth in the teen and even adult years could upset the alignment of your smile. Others could develop poor alignment due to the arrival of the wisdom teeth. We will identify these factors as part of your treatment planning process!
The Impact of Uneven Smiles
We recommend treating your misalignment with Invisalign® because otherwise your oral health and bite function could suffer. Poor alignment makes thorough brushing and flossing a difficult process, which can make the risk of tooth decay and gum disease higher. The pressure on your jaw joints could lead to TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). You may also simply feel embarrassed about your appearance. Our team wants to offer a solution so you can smile with confidence. We will examine your smile and if we decide Invisalign® is the best option for you, then we can start treatment with clear and cozy plastic aligners instead of metal brackets and wires!
The iTero® System
The treatment process involves shifting your teeth into optimal positions with a series of clear aligners, each one being custom-made and fitted for your smile. To begin, we will take an impression of your bite. Instead of using molds and gooey materials, we take a more convenient and accurate digital approach. With the iTero® system, our team will use a small, thin wand with a tiny digital camera at the end to take a series of images of your bite from multiple angles. We then combine these to create an accurate and precise digital impression of your bite. In a lab setting, experts will use the images and impressions to design and craft your aligners from a BPA-free plastic material, each one designed to shift your teeth into their proper positions.
The Treatment Process
When your aligners are ready, you can start the treatment process. You will wear a set for about 20 to 23 hours a day on average. You do this daily for about two weeks, at which point you start wearing the next set in the series. You then continue this process as your teeth are gently and gradually shifted into optimal position. The total treatment process could take as little as one year, half the time braces typically require. You have fewer office visits too, and the aligners themselves are easy to clean, and can travel with you too. They are also removable, which means you can take them out before you eat, so no need to alter your diet during treatment. Being removable also means you have an easier time brushing and flossing your teeth, so you lower the risk of cavities and teeth stains during treatment. In as little as one year, you could have a stunning new smile!
Benefits for Your Smile
When you correct your smile, you enjoy better oral health and a more attractive smile, one that can help you feel more confident. You can smile without hesitation! If you want to know if Invisalign® is right for you, then contact our team today to learn more. We look forward to helping you start treatment now, so you can achieve an even and beautiful smile in 2025. If you see our team now for treatment, you can also use your remaining 2024 dental insurance benefits or health savings account funds before they expire at the end of the month. Let’s work together to help you achieve your best possible smile!
Schedule An Appointment for Invisalign®
Our team wants to help you enjoy a more even and healthy smile with the Invisalign® system. Orthodontics can correct your uneven teeth and restore proper health and bite function to your smile, as well as improvements in your appearance. To schedule an appointment with the team at Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO, call our office today at 816-942-7669.