Clear aligners for adults have revolutionized orthodontics, making it easier than ever for busy professionals to straighten their teeth with discretion.
You may have missed the orthodontic window in childhood, failed to wear your retainer after braces, or just waited for the right opportunity to straighten your teeth. Fortunately, it’s never too late to achieve your dream smile, and treatment doesn’t have to disrupt your day.
Modern dentistry means we can straighten teeth without braces—no metal or wires!
Invisalign® Treatment for Working Adults
If you’re a busy parent or professional adult, you likely don’t want to spend a year or longer in metal and wire braces. For this reason, more adults are choosing Invisalign than ever before.
When you’re at work or out in the community, you likely see adults with Invisalign, but you don’t notice. Chances are your colleagues won’t notice you’re in treatment either.
You can lead the board meeting, give a speech, enjoy dinner with friends, and not worry about brackets or eating restrictions!
Invisalign in Wilmington, DE: How It Works
Consultation
The dentist has you come in for a consultation to determine your candidacy. This visit also lets you know what to expect, how long you’ll be in treatment, and how much it will cost. The price varies for a few reasons, including:
- The complexity of your case
- Necessary pretreatments
Treatment time depends on the extent of your orthodontic issues. It can last more than two years or several months. On average, patients spend 18 months in aligners.
Pretreatments may include an extraction if your teeth are significantly overcrowded. This extraction will not leave a smile gap. Invisalign will close the gap, and you’ll have enough space on the gum to accommodate your remaining teeth without the overlap and twisting.
If you’re a candidate for Invisalign treatment, we schedule your impressions. If you are not a candidate, the dentist may talk to you about Six Month Smiles. This is an orthodontic system that concentrates on your smile line alone. It is purely cosmetic and can be completed in approximately six months.
Impressions
Using digital technology, we take careful and precise impressions of your teeth. Then, we forward the results to the Invisalign lab for aligner fabrication. When your aligners arrive in our dental office, you pick them up.
Your dentist explains how long to wear each set of aligners in the series before moving on to the next.
Treatment
For best results, be sure to wear your aligners according to your dentist’s schedule. Typically, this means changing them out every two weeks or so. You should also wear them for at least 22 hours daily.
If you lose or damage an aligner during treatment, contact your Invisalign dentist in Wilmington, DE, for guidance.
Retainer
After Invisalign therapy, we fit you with a custom retainer. This is a vital part of treatment because it prevents orthodontic relapse. Typically, you wear your retainer at night.
If you lose or damage your retainer after treatment, contact a dental team member for guidance.
The Benefits of Invisalign for Professionals
- Discreet Orthodontic Treatment: Invisalign clear aligners are virtually invisible.
- Fewer Visits to the Dentist: With Invisalign, you can easily get on with your day because, compared with traditional orthodontics, you make fewer trips to the dentist. You come in only for periodic monitoring.
- Comfort: Invisalign is typically more comfortable than traditional braces.
- Removable Aligners: Unlike bracket and wire braces, Invisalign does not influence your diet. There are no eating restrictions. You can enjoy that corporate lunch and indulge in your favorite snacks. Removability also means more productive brushing and flossing without wires to work around.
- Improved Oral Health: After Invisalign treatment, you’ll find it easier to brush and floss your teeth successfully because there are no nooks or overlapping teeth to navigate with your toothbrush and floss. Additionally, an aligned bite means less wear and tear on teeth and better jaw joint support.
- Improved Confidence: After treatment, you’ll feel better about your smile, which can dramatically improve your confidence and emotional well-being.
Issues Invisalign Can Correct
Invisalign can correct many orthodontic issues and is ideal for mild to moderate cases. However, if you have severe issues, don’t rule out Invisalign. A consultation determines your candidacy, and your dentist will decide whether Invisalign is sufficient for your needs and goals.
Invisalign can correct the following orthodontic issues:
- Twisted Teeth
- Overlapping Teeth
- Crowded and Crooked Teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Openbite
- Unusual Gaps
Invisalign as Part of a Smile Makeover
As a busy or professional person, you may have smile concerns beyond orthodontics. Fortunately, our cosmetic dentist can consult with you on a full smile makeover that includes but is not limited to, Invisalign treatment.
Smile makeovers can mean two or more of the following cosmetic treatments:
- Lumineers
- Professional Teeth Whitening
- Invisalign Clear Aligners
- Six-Month Smiles
- Tooth-Colored Restorations
- Dental Bonding
- Dental Implants
Invisalign Care and Upkeep
Invisalign is made of smooth, clear plastic. It is durable but requires some care.
We recommend rinsing your aligners in warm water or cleaning them daily with a gentle soap. When cleaning your aligners, always use room-temperature water to prevent damage.
It’s also important to brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss no less than once.
You remove your aligners when eating, so cleaning your teeth thoroughly before putting them back in is crucial. You don’t want to trap debris under the plastic. This can damage and discolor the aligner and cause tooth decay and other oral health complications.
Store your aligners at room temperature and in the proper case. Leaving an aligner on the counter or a food tray can lead to loss or damage.
If you damage or lose an Invisalign aligner, contact our dental team immediately for guidance. If it’s close to the date you’re supposed to switch to the next set, we may instruct you to do so early.
Are You Considering Invisalign for Professionals in Wilmington, DE
It’s never too late to get the smile you’ve always wanted, and now you can get it without the hassle of braces.
To learn more or to book a consultation with the dentist, contact us today at (302) 475-9220.
Remember to ask a dental team member about financing through CareCredit.