Patients who have never worn braces will quickly notice their valuable benefits, no matter if they’re made of traditional metal brackets and wires or a clear, smooth plastic. However, if you’ve worn braces in the past but have noticed your teeth shifting back into their original position, you might be asking, “Is Invisalign right for me?” To help answer that question, read on to find out if clear aligners can treat your crooked smile.
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners to gently move your teeth in the desired direction. Whether you have crooked or crowded teeth, gaps between your teeth, or a serious problem with your bite, Invisalign is designed to fix all these orthodontic problems, helping you to achieve a healthy and aesthetically pleasant smile.
If you discover Invisalign is a proper treatment method for you, your dentist will have custom-made aligners created using digital impressions of your smile. You will be responsible for wearing your aligners for 20-22 hours each day before swapping them out for the next set in the series, which you will wear for two weeks at a time. Each time you switch sets, you’ll notice your teeth slowly begin to shift, putting you one step closer to an improved smile.
Is Invisalign Possible if I’ve Had Dental Work or Braces in the Past?
The answer to this question is, “it depends.” Here’s why:
Braces in the Past
If you had braces as a teenager, you can feel certain that you’ll be eligible for Invisalign should you need it in the future. Wearing a retainer after you’ve finished with braces is imperative to keeping your teeth/bite from shifting back into its original position; however, life happens, and when it does, you can become busy and forget to wear your retainer for long periods of time, resulting in a change in your smile. If this happens, you can talk to your dentist about being treated with Invisalign.
However, if you currently wear traditional braces and want to make the switch to Invisalign, it will be up to your dentist to determine if it’s possible. Each individual case is different, so while some patients have experienced great success while wearing both types of braces, others might need to stick with their traditional metal brackets and wires to achieve desired results.
Dental Work
If you have porcelain veneers or dental crowns, your dentist will need to examine your smile in order to provide a clear explanation as to whether you qualify for Invisalign. If you have a dental bridge, the likeliness that clear aligners will be a viable treatment method is slim. The reason is that a bridge fuses teeth together, and since Invisalign is designed to move each individual tooth, it will not be effective at straightening your smile.
If you are interested in finding out if you can receive treatment with Invisalign, talk to your dentist. Only after a thorough exam can they determine if it’s right for you. No matter the final decision, you can trust that your dentist will take the necessary steps to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy smile.
About the Author
Dr. Steven Crovatto graduated from the University of North Florida with his undergraduate degree before going on to earn his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at the University of Florida with honors. He and his team at Crovatto & Edwards Family Dentistry want to help all patients achieve their personal smile goals. Offering Invisalign clear aligners, they can fix crooked, overcrowded, and gapped smiles, in addition to overbites, underbites, crossbites, and even open bites. To learn more about and the services we provide, visit our website or call (904) 272-0800.