Clear Braces – Invisalign Treatment

Invisalign (Invisible Braces) is an innovative method of straightening teeth, using breakthrough technology that lets you get the smile you always wanted without bands, brackets or wires. Results, costs, and treatment times are about the same as fixed braces – so the advantages are clear!
A table comparing Invisalign braces with other treatments is provided here.

An Invisalign aligner

What is it?
By using a series of clear removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth. Change them every 2 weeks, your teeth will move little by little, week by week, until they have moved to the final position Dr Kerr has prescribed. Comfortable to wear, our aligners are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.
Treatment time
Invisalign usually takes from 6 to 24 months. The average time is 12 months. You will see Dr Kerr every few weeks for a check-up and adjustments. At these visits you will be given additional aligners to continue your treatment.

Invisible and comfortable

Invisalign is an invisible solution. So you won’t draw undue attention to your mouth while in treatment. In fact, virtually no one will know you’re wearing them unless you tell them!
Over one million people have already improved their smiles with Invisalign. Maybe it’s time you were one of them. Call our practice on (07) 3366-0022.
Will it work for me?
Although some people are told that Invisalign will not work or is not suitable for them, in most cases this is not true. Invisalign is an appliance that straightens teeth, and will work, provided the aligners are worn 20 – 22 hours a day.
There is a very small minority of patients who would be better with fixed braces.
More Information

If you would like to know more about Invisalign, please don’t hesitate to call or email us.
If you’d like some more online reading, you might like to go to the official Invisalign website.

The Modern Alternative
Invisalign is growing in popularity as an alternative to traditional fixed braces. The same results for similar costs and time, with more comfort and better aesthetics. See the comparisons.
Skilled Orthodontic Team
Dr. Cochran is a San Antonio Invisalign provider. He and his team have the experience to help give you the best orthodontic result. Read more about the practice here.
Making a Good Decision
Research suggests when you’re more confident in your appearance, your self-esteem brings out the best in you – whether that’s in your career, your health, or in life generally.

Invisalign Retainer – Take good care of them

If you recently got Invisalign aligner braces to straighten your teeth, congratulations on taking the first step toward a better smile! Even though your aligner trays ar changed every few weeks, you still need to take good care of them. This article will give you a few pointers.

How to Wear Your Aligner Trays

First of all, wear your aligner trays exactly the way your orthodontist or dentist recommends. Do not wear them for fewer hours than helium tells you or you will non get the sort of results that are necessary to properly move your teeth. Most dentists recommend wearing the aligners about 80% of each day, taking them out only for eating and cleaning.

Although you will be tempted to eat and drink with your aligner trays in, it may not be comfortable or good for the aligners. If you drink a sugary liquid such as soda, the sugar will stay on your teeth longer because the trays hold the liquid to your teeth. This will give you tooth decay. You cannot drink hot liquids with the trays in, as they may warp the trays. Follow your orthodontist’s instructions and brush your teeth often.

Cleaning Your Invisalign Aligner Trays

Because the aligner trays ar in your mouth for so many hours, they ar uncovered to the same sort of bacteria and brass as your teeth. If you don’t clean your aligner trays regularly, they will soon develop an ugly white buildup of film that can be very hard to remove. The best way to clean your trays is with a commercial cleanup product for that purpose. Some dental offices sell the Invisalign cleansing system. It works very well but is the most expensive cleaner, so not everyone can afford the cleaning crystals.

The SonicBrite system is a very effective cleaner for aligner trays. The transonic bath that comes with the system helps to get the cleaning product into all the little crevices of the aligner and does a very good job at keeping the white buildup away.

Retainer Brite can also be used for aligner trays. As long as you use it on a daily basis, it will non allow the white brass to accumulate on your trays. However, if the white plaque is already there, Retainer Brite won’t remove it, but SonicBrite will.

Occasionally you can soak your aligner trays in a weak solution of h peroxide and water, or even gargle to help kill germs and make it smell fresh. If you are away from home and can’t use a cleansing product, astatine least rinse your trays very well with warm water, and make sure to clean them properly once you get back home.

Use a Retainer Case

If you remove your aligner trays astatine home, you will probably immediately put them into a cup. But when you ar out and about at school or work, you moldiness be sure to use a consideration case. Never wrap your Invisalign aligners in a napkin — that is one sure way to lose it and have it wind up in the trash. A good consideration case solves this problem. Always carry a consideration case with you to store your aligner trays when they ar non in your mouth. Get into the habit of always putt your trays into the case. Invisalign aligners are expensive, so take good care of them!

What happens at the first consultation?

When you arrive for your consultation you will have to go through several procedures to gather all the relevant information to help the dentist decide what sort of brace would be best for you; this means photographs, x-rays, and dental impressions have to be taken. All these processes help the dentist to build an overall picture of your dental condition – including a 3D model of your teeth that shows how the jaws come together. You will also have a chance to discuss what you don’t like about your teeth and how you would like to improve them. The first consultation is usually split into two separate appointments, which allows the dentist to consider a treatment plan and the possible orthodontic options that might be suitable for you. There is normally two to three weeks between the appointments.

At the second half of the consultation, your dentist will discuss the appliances that might work in your case, given the position of your teeth. You will be shown examples of the braces that could be effective and the price should also be mentioned at the earliest opportunity so that you are aware of the financial implications of orthodontic treatment. Although consultations are not always free to attend, it might be an idea to arrange more than one at several clinics around your local area; this could help you get a feel for the process and then you can decide what you would like to do, based on several professional opinions.

Both halves of the consultation will typically be around half an hour each, which is ample time to provide all the information and talk through your case in detail. Your dentist should not pressure you into going ahead with any treatment and it is often advisable to take some time out to think about your options before making your final decision. This is usually a costly treatment, so it’s not a good idea to make snap decisions when you do not have all the relevant information to hand – you might also wish to take a look at your finances to be sure that you can afford to pay for your dental work.

What about the fitting appointment?

After the first consultation has been completed, you will be called back to the surgery to have the first aligner fitted. The dentist may have to attach small metal ‘buttons’ to the teeth that are extremely crooked, which should be matched to the shade of the enamel so that they are not obvious when the teeth are on show. You will be shown how to fit the aligner and then remove it so that you can take it out to eat and clean your teeth properly. It may be slightly difficult to take the aligner out to begin with because it will be tighter around the teeth but as the treatment progresses you will get used to removing and replacing it regularly during the day.

The fitting appointment should not be a complicated process and should take no longer than fifteen or twenty minutes to complete, depending on how many metal buttons have to be attached to the teeth. Your dentist should also provide you with all the right information to help you look after your teeth and your braces properly; a storage box will be included in your aftercare package so that you can take care of the aligners and avoid problems with loss or breakage. It might seem like a small aspect of the process but if you lose or break one of your braces you will have to wait a couple of weeks for a new one to be manufactured, which would certainly slow the treatment down.

How often will I be expected to attend follow-up appointments?

This can vary from clinic to clinic but generally speaking, you will be expected to attend check-ups every six to eight weeks to give the dentist a chance to check that everything is going to plan and to look for any signs of decay or disease that might be affecting the teeth. This will also give you the opportunity to voice any concerns you may have about your treatment; if you require another appointment between scheduled check-ups you can always arrange another booking to get your teeth assessed. It is vital that you stay in contact with your dentist during the orthodontic treatment process, if you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment you should let your dentist know as soon as possible so that the booking can be rearranged for a more convenient time. It’s not a good idea to simply skip check-ups because your dentist needs to regularly monitor your progress to make sure that everything is going smoothly.

You will also be provided with several sets of aligners so that you swap the braces at home when each appliance has performed to capacity, but this doesn’t mean you can avoid speaking to your dentist on a regular basis. Although this might seem like an inconvenience to begin with you have to be prepared to put in the effort if you want to get the best out of your braces for the duration of your treatment. If you have some problems with your braces, such as damage or loss, you should get in touch with your dentist as soon as you can because you need to have another aligner created to continue the movement. It could take two to three weeks for another brace to be manufactured, during which time you will probably have to wear the previous device to make sure that the teeth do not relapse too substantially.

If you are interested in getting orthodontic treatment using clear braces, you should make an appointment with our Dental Clinic; this surgery can provide all types of brace systems to improve your teeth and give you a smile you can be proud of. Contact the Cochran clinic today to make a booking and start the treatment process soon.