How Does It Work?

Invisalign works using the same basic principles as traditional braces. When your teeth experience a consistent force, the body will reshape the bone around them. It removes bone where the teeth are pressing too hard and builds bone where there isn’t enough pressure. This lets your teeth move.

But while traditional braces use brackets and wires attached to your teeth to provide the force, Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners. These aligners are designed in a precise sequence by a computer and custom-crafted for you. Each aligner is designed to accomplish a specific motion of your teeth. You wear each aligner for about a week, and when you’ve finished the sequence of aligners, your teeth should be the way you want them: a beautifully straight smile.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign has grown dramatically in popularity because it offers many benefits over traditional braces.  You can:

  • Straighten your teeth invisibly
  • Remove aligners when you want
  • Enjoy all your favorite foods
  • Clean your teeth normally
  • Avoid the discomfort of brackets and wires

The biggest benefit of Invisalign for most people is that it’s nearly invisible. Few people will notice your clear plastic aligners. But people also enjoy that they can remove their aligners whenever they want. If you have a special occasion and don’t want your aligners in, you can take them out for the event一as long as you keep your aligners in for 22 hours most days.

Being able to remove your aligners means that you can keep eating all your favorite foods. There are no restrictions on what you eat with Invisalign, as long as you take your aligners out before you eat or drink. Removing aligners also means it’s easy to clean your teeth. You just brush and floss normally without having to work around brackets and wires.

For many people, it’s just as important to avoid the discomfort of braces. There is some soreness related to the movement of teeth, but you won’t have brackets and wires poking you.

Limitations of Invisalign

However, Invisalign does have some drawbacks.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of Invisalign is that it isn’t good for all types of tooth movements. However, Invisalign is constantly improving and can treat more cases than ever. Even if you were told you weren’t a candidate for Invisalign in the past, it’s worth getting another consultation to see if the technology can handle your teeth now.

Sometimes people complain that the clear aligners make it hard to speak. It can take some time to get used to speaking with aligners. For some people who speak professionally,  you might have to remove your aligners before any public appearance to make sure you can speak clearly.

It’s also important to know that with Invisalign you have to clean your teeth more frequently. You have to clean your teeth every time you remove your aligners to eat or drink.

Considering Invisalign in Torrance, CA?

Are you considering getting your teeth straightened with Invisalign in Torrance, CA? Let cosmetic dentist Dr. Webber evaluate your teeth and determine if Invisalign is the right orthodontic solution for you. Please call (310) 534-3477 today for a free consultation at Simply Smile.