Misaligned teeth, bite problems, and other orthodontic issues can prevent you from feeling confident and attractive when you smile. Fortunately, you don’t have to use braces to fix your teeth and achieve a lovely smile. At Rollins & Peterson Orthodontics in Mesa, Arizona, we can use an iTero Scanner to create a customized Invisalign treatment plan for you.
iTero Scanner: How Can It Help Your Treatment?
An iTero scanner is a specialized medical device that is used during an Invisalign treatment. This device can make detailed, three-dimensional images of your teeth. We will use these images to make plastic aligners that are able to fix your unique orthodontic problems. As you wear your set of customized aligners, your teeth will become straighter and your bite issues will improve.
An Older Method
In the past, orthodontists used a different technique to create retainers and other orthodontic appliances. These orthodontists would use goopy materials to make physical impressions of people’s mouths.
These goopy materials did not taste very good, and people were likely to gag and experience discomfort during this part of their orthodontic treatments. In addition, these physical impressions were not very accurate, and people’s aligners were likely to feel awkward or uncomfortable.
A Better Technique
Our specialized iTero scanner device does not have these drawbacks. You will not have to bite into an unpleasant goopy material in order to produce physical impressions of your teeth. In addition, the sophisticated scanning process will allow us to make aligners that will feel comfortable in your mouth.
We can also use our scanner to make images that show the improvements that you are likely to achieve with Invisalign. Seeing your new smile will motivate you as you continue to wear your plastic aligners.
Why Do I Have Crooked Teeth or Bite Issues?
You shouldn’t feel embarrassed about the condition of your teeth. Many orthodontic issues, such as misaligned teeth or bite problems, are caused by genetics. As a result, you might have a crooked smile even if you practice excellent dental hygiene and try to take very good care of your teeth.
In addition to your genetic background, several health issues and behavioral habits can cause you to develop teeth problems. For example, if you lost your baby teeth at an early age, you might develop orthodontic problems. In addition, childhood habits like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting can cause you to develop teeth issues.
What Types of Orthodontic Issues Can I Correct with Invisalign?
Invisalign is a great way to make misaligned teeth look straight and even. In addition, we can use this orthodontic technique to fix minor overbites, underbites, and small gaps in your teeth. We can also correct teeth that protrude or overlap.
However, this innovative technology cannot fix all orthodontic issues. For example, if you have a very severe crossbite, you might need to use another technique. If you are trying to correct this type of orthodontic problem, we may advise you to use a two-step process to fix your teeth. During the first step of your treatment, you will wear wire braces. After your teeth have improved, you will begin wearing plastic aligners.
How Does Invisalign Fix My Crooked Teeth?
You don’t have to deal with uncomfortable wires or brackets when you use Invisalign to improve the appearance of your teeth. Instead, you will wear a customized plastic aligner for the majority of the day and night. This aligner will use gentle force to gradually improve the position of your teeth.
As your teeth adjust to their new locations within your mouth, you will switch to a new plastic aligner. You will begin wearing a different aligner every two weeks or so. It’s common to wear a total of 18 to 30 unique aligners during your treatment plan.
Will I Have to Stop Eating Certain Types of Food While I Am Using Invisalign?
You will need to take off your plastic aligner when you are drinking or eating. Since you will not wear your aligner during meals, you don’t have to change your eating and drinking habits during your orthodontic treatment. You will be able to continue to enjoy chips, popcorn, apples, and other crunchy foods. In addition, there is no need for you to avoid caramels, toffees, and other sticky desserts.
Will I Be Able to Continue Playing Sports During My Invisalign Treatment?
If you are a dedicated athlete who loves to play tennis, ski, or take part in other sporting activities, don’t worry. You’ll be able to continue enjoying these physical activities during your treatment.
If you use braces to improve your teeth, you might develop loose brackets or other problems if you suffer an injury during a sporting event. Repairing your braces can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about damaging your Invisalign aligners during sporting events. Since your aligner will be removable, you can take this device out of your mouth during games and other physical activities.
How Long Will I Need to Wear My Aligners?
Since your treatment will be designed to fix your individual orthodontic challenges, you might need to use your aligners for a longer or shorter period than other people. That said, it’s common for Invisalign to improve your crooked teeth and other orthodontic problems within about 11 months.
Invisalign Express
If your teeth issues are fairly minor, you may be a good candidate for Invisalign Express. During this special treatment, you will wear plastic aligners to fix minor spacing problems or tooth crowding issues. Your Invisalign Express treatment is likely to take about six months to complete.
Analyzing Your Teeth
When we have our first meeting at our office in Mesa, we will look at your teeth and evaluate the condition of your smile. At this point, we can give you an estimate of the likely length of your Invisalign treatment.
Will Invisalign Permanently Improve My Smile?
If you take good care of your teeth and follow all of our after-care instructions, the changes in your smile should last for many decades. That said, you will need to wear a customized retainer after you complete your Invisalign treatment. This retainer will help to preserve the changes in your appearance and stop your teeth from shifting into different locations inside your mouth.
In addition to regularly wearing your retainer, you’ll need to come to our office for follow-up appointments after your Invisalign treatment is complete. During these appointments, we will look at your teeth and analyze your bite. If you are experiencing any orthodontic issues, we can correct these problems by making adjustments to your retainer or using other orthodontic techniques to fix your teeth.
Can I Use Other Discreet Methods to Improve My Teeth?
We can also use a sophisticated technique called The Damon System to discreetly improve your smile. If you are not a good candidate for Invisalign, you should consider using this treatment to fix your teeth.
The Damon System
If you use The Damon System to improve your teeth, we will attach special braces to your teeth. Since The Damon System uses high-tech wires and clear brackets, your braces will be very discreet. In addition, your wires will be able to move smoothly within your mouth. These unique features will help you feel comfortable during your orthodontic treatment.
A Hygienic Technique
Traditional braces contain elastic ties that can cause bacteria to gather on your teeth. In addition, you might have a hard time cleaning your teeth when you are wearing braces that contain large brackets and metal wires. Since The Damon System does not use elastic ties, you will have a reduced risk of developing yellow or stained teeth. Further, our flexible wires will make it easier for you to clean your teeth.
Will I Need to Continue Brushing and Flossing My Teeth During My Invisalign Treatment?
It’s important to regularly clean your teeth while you are receiving this orthodontic treatment. Fortunately, you’ll be able to remove your aligner when you need to brush or floss your teeth. As a result, you don’t need to worry about moving your toothbrush or floss between metal brackets and wires.
We can also provide you with sophisticated devices that will enable you to keep your teeth clean and healthy. For example, we sell specialized floss threaders and electric flossers that will help you clean your teeth.
Will My Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of My Invisalign Treatment?
Just like traditional braces, Invisalign treatments are covered by many dental insurance plans. Under many circumstances, your dental insurance will pay for a large portion of your Invisalign treatment. To learn whether your dental insurance will contribute to the cost of this tooth straightening treatment, you should contact your insurance agent for more information.
Can I Use Invisalign if I Have Worn Braces in the Past?
It’s common to develop tooth issues after you use braces to straighten your teeth. For example, if you do not wear your retainer after your braces come off, your teeth may shift, and you can develop bite issues and other problems. Invisalign can be a great way to bring your teeth back into alignment. Since our clear aligners are very discreet, your friends and colleagues will not realize that you are using these devices to improve your smile.
Do I Need to Clean My Aligners During My Treatment?
It’s important to keep your plastic aligners clean. To achieve this goal, you will need to wash these devices regularly. The Invisalign Cleaning System is a specialized kit that you can use while you are washing your aligners. Alternatively, you could scrub your aligners with toothpaste and a toothbrush. After you have cleaned your aligners, you should wash these devices in lukewarm water.
Hot water can warp your aligners and cause them to stop fitting inside your mouth. To avoid this problem, you should carefully monitor the temperature of the water that you are using to clean your aligners.
Am I Too Old to Use Orthodontic Methods to Straighten My Teeth?
You don’t need to be a teenager or young adult to use Invisalign and other orthodontic methods to straighten your teeth. If you are in your forties, fifties, and older, you can use Invisalign, braces, and other techniques to correct your orthodontic issues. Changing your teeth will enhance your self-esteem and allow you to feel more confident when you are giving a presentation at your work or spending time at a social event.
Achieve a Beautiful Smile
You don’t have to use visible braces to fix your misaligned teeth and achieve a lovely smile. We can use an iTero scanner to create customized aligners that will improve your teeth in a quick, comfortable fashion. To learn more about the benefits of receiving an Invisalign treatment, contact us at Rollins & Peterson Orthodontics in Mesa, Arizona.
