San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
The famous poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning once wrote in one of her most-renowned sonnets, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” If you have crooked teeth, you may not love what you see when you look in the mirror. Through orthodontic treatment, you can fix this issue and have a smile full of perfectly aligned teeth. For years, correcting misaligned teeth meant traditional braces, but an increasing number of patients now choose Invisalign®, which uses clear plastic aligners to straighten teeth. If you’re looking at your options for orthodontic treatment in San Francisco, Glen Park Dental wants to count the ways you might learn to love Invisalign®.
Reason 1: Nothing is bonded directly to your teeth
Traditional braces use a system of brackets and wires to straighten your teeth, with the brackets bonded temporarily to your teeth to provide support. Having these brackets installed and then removed are both time-consuming procedures. And, after treatment with braces is complete and the brackets are removed, they often leave behind discolored spots on those teeth. You don’t have to worry about that with Invisalign®; each set of plastic aligners consists of a pair of single appliances, one for each dental arch. Moreover, the aligners can be removed whenever you are eating or brushing your teeth. That said, you need to wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours per day to achieve the desired results.
Reason 2: The aligners are more comfortable than braces
The plastic aligners exert gentle pressure on your teeth, slowly bringing your teeth into their ideal alignment. You will receive a different set of aligners every few weeks, with each set designed specifically to guide your teeth through a specific phase of the movement process. Each new set of aligners picks up where the last left off, continuing to gently guide your teeth into straighter positions.
Reason 3: They’re more convenient
Braces can be a hassle. They are obvious and cumbersome. Certain foods can damage the brackets or break the wires, limiting your nutritional choices. Oral hygiene also can be difficult, as food can get stuck behind the brackets and wires, leading to dental problems. None of these are issues with Invisalign®, as you simply remove the aligners whenever it’s time to eat, brush, or floss your teeth. Not only that, Invisalign® works more quickly than braces, with the average length of treatment lasting 12-18 months, as compared to 18-24 months or longer for braces.
Invisalign® in the Bay Area
If you need to straighten your teeth through orthodontic treatment, don’t just settle for braces. You owe it to yourself to see whether Invisalign® may be able to help you achieve your treatment goals. At Glen Park Dental, receiving Invisalign is a comfortable and convenient process. First, we take an impression of your bite, then produce your first set of aligners using three-dimensional technology, which you receive at a subsequent visit. From there, you’re on the road to having straight teeth and better oral health.
Find out more about Invisalign® by scheduling a consultation at Glen Park Dental today. Just call us at (415) 585-1500 if you live in the areas of Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California.
