Wish you could straighten teeth without braces? Our cosmetic dentists can help with Invisalign® aligners.

Like the name suggests, Invisalign are nearly invisible aligners that move teeth little by little into a straighter smile.

If you’ve been avoiding orthodontic treatment because you hate the idea of metal braces on your teeth, you owe it to yourself to ask about Invisalign clear aligners. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why Invisalign might be right for you.

1. Unrestricted Diet

Since teeth aligners are removable, you can continue eating your favorite foods during Invisalign treatment. However, you will need to make sure you brush and floss after meals so you don’t stain your clear aligners.

In comparison, people with metal braces have to avoid eating sticky or hard-to-chew foods like caramel. Otherwise, they risk damaging wires and brackets. People with traditional braces are also supposed to brush and floss after meals so food particles don’t get trapped beneath their wires and damage their teeth.

2. Undetectable Aligners

Our Invisalign dentists often recommend clear aligners for patients who would feel self-conscious about metal wires and brackets on their teeth. In fact, Invisalign is subtle enough to go undetected by most of your family, friends, and coworkers.

We understand that you may not want to draw attention to your orthodontic treatment. With Invisalign, you can straighten your teeth without anyone noticing.

3. Less Bulky

Invisalign aligners are custom fit to your smile so they don’t look or feel bulky. For this reason, Invisalign doesn’t irritate your gums like traditional braces.

Even though Invisalign aren’t as bulky, you’ll still feel pressure as the aligners move your teeth into optimal alignment. This may result in temporary dental discomfort for a day or two. However, most of our patients quickly adapt to their new aligners. For those who need pain relief, over-the-counter medication should do the trick.

4. Less Risk of Tooth Discoloration

Dental plaque loves to hide along brackets and wires, which is why some patients see tooth discoloration once their traditional metal braces are removed. It can be disappointing to have your braces removed after years of treatment only to discover tooth stains.

With Invisalign, your clear aligners won’t stain your teeth as long as you take proper care of them. If you neglect to brush or floss after eating, especially after consuming foods and drinks known to stain your teeth (like coffee or tea), then you may still have to deal with tooth discoloration after you’re finished with your Invisalign treatment.

5. Easy Oral Hygiene Routine

Since Invisalign is removable, you can continue your normal oral hygiene routine. People with braces, on the other hand, have to adopt a more involved routine to maintain their oral health.

For example, when wearing braces, you have to floss underneath wires to remove plaque and food particles between teeth. This action must be repeated for each tooth in order to maneuver around each glued-on bracket.

Flossing with Invisalign is easy. Simply remove your clear aligners and floss normally.

It’s not uncommon for people with braces to stop flossing because it’s too much of a hassle. As a result, they may be more at risk for cavities and gum disease. By choosing Invisalign, you get to avoid all of this by maintaining your normal oral hygiene routine.

Get Started with Invisalign

Our Grand Rapids, MI, Invisalign dentists are dedicated to helping patients achieve their best smiles through cosmetic dental services. Call GR Family Dental today at (616) 455-3020, or contact us online to request an appointment.

This blog post has been updated.