Clear Aligner Therapy

Clear Aligners helps you achieve that beautiful smile you have always wanted by straightening and aligning your teeth to a more esthetic and functional position. Aligners use a series of removable clear trays to apply pressure on teeth in order to move them in the desired position. It is a wonderful treatment option for individuals looking to obtain results discreetly without the esthetic issue of traditional braces. The ultimate goal of this treatment is to provide patients with an attractive and functional smile. The benefits of aligners include improved appearance of teeth, improved function of teeth, and prevention of damage to teeth. If the teeth are aligned properly, they will fit together better and it will help you chew and not damage teeth as much. Having aligned teeth can also help prevent premature wear on teeth.

You will need to come into our office for a consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for aligners. Clear Aligners are great for patients who would like to correct minor to moderate crowding, spacing, or overbites. They are also great for patients that previously had orthodontic treatment and have had a relapse, meaning you once had braces but now your teeth have moved. Although Clear Aligners can be used to improve many orthodontic issues, there are some situations in which traditional braces are best. Patients with multiple missing teeth, poor oral hygiene, and active periodontal (gum) disease are typically not good candidates for aligner therapy. Also, patients who cannot commit to wearing the trays for 22 hours/day are not good candidates for aligners.

Every case is different depending on the patient’s current teeth position and what their final goals are for their teeth. The average treatment length is approximately 1 year, but some cases can be less than a year and some can be more than a year. Tooth movement is variable and we cannot guarantee teeth will move at a specific rate. You must wear the trays for 22 hours/day in order for the treatment to proceed as planned.

One advantage of aligners is that unlike traditional braces, you can eat whatever foods you would like. Before eating and drinking, you should take the trays out and before placing the trays back in your mouth, you should be sure to brush and floss your teeth. We do suggest that patients avoid chewing gum because it can stick to the trays. We also suggest that patients do not smoke with the trays in because it can stain the trays and cause them to discolor.

If you decide you would like to complete this treatment after our initial consultation, we would begin by either making impressions of your teeth or by completing an intra-oral scan in our office. Following this appointment, we will establish a custom treatment plan created just for you! We will discuss the goals of this treatment and the length of time your treatment will likely take.

You will receive your first set of trays and they will feel a little tight in the beginning…after all, we are relying on the trays applying pressure to your teeth in order to move the teeth in the correct position. It is common to experience a little discomfort for the first few days wearing a tray. Your teeth will have to get used to the pressure being applied to them and your soft tissue (gums) will have to get used to having a foreign material in your mouth. You also may experience a slight lisp for the first few days wearing your trays while your mouth and tongue get used to the trays. This lisp will go away with time.

Next, you will go through a series of trays until we reach completion. In order for the treatment to proceed as planned, it is very important that you wear the trays 22 hours/day, only taking the trays out to eat, drink, or brush and floss your teeth. We will typically give you two sets of trays each visit. You will wear the first set of trays for 2 weeks and then after 2 weeks, you will wear the second set of trays we gave you for 2 weeks. After that time has passed, you will come back to our office for your next set of trays. Plan on coming back to our office every 4-6 weeks for us to evaluate the teeth and make sure they are moving as planned.

Throughout your treatment, we may have to use certain techniques to move teeth in their desired position. This may include placing “buttons” on your teeth or completing interproximal reduction. “Buttons” is the term for small attachments of tooth-colored filling material on the front part of your teeth in order to move the teeth. They are not very noticeable and will be removed when you complete the treatment. Interproximal reduction is a technique used to create space by using “sandpaper strips” or “sandpaper discs” in between the teeth. Both of these methods are safe and effective for moving teeth in certain positions.

Much like traditional braces, once you are complete with your orthodontic treatment, you will have to wear a retainer to keep the teeth positioned. Depending on the patient, either a clear retainer or a fixed retainer will be suggested.