Invisalign In Washington, DC
If your smile is crooked or misaligned, you may feel embarrassed showing it off in public. You’ve got a lot of options to choose from when deciding to straighten your smile. Invisalign is a great option to quickly and discreetly get the straight smile that you’ve always wanted. The dentists here at Columbia Dental in Washington, DC are here to help educate you about Invisalign and how it can help your smile.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is made up of a series of clear thermoplastic aligners that are customized to fit over your teeth. These aligners look similar to whitening trays and each aligner is specifically designed to shift certain teeth throughout the course of your treatment. Once we decide that Invisalign is right for you, we will map out your treatment plan, which we will then send to an Invisalign lab so they can begin designing your aligners.
iTero Technology
Here at Columbia Dental, your Washington, DC Invisalign provider, we use the latest technology to plan out Invisalign treatments and show our patients what results they can expect. We use a state of the art iTero intraoral scanner to digitally scan and map out your teeth. Patients can see the images in real time (and in color!) on the scanner's monitor. The iTero comes equipped with cutting edge tools like the Invisalign Outcome Simulator. This tool allows us to show our patients digital simulations of how their teeth will move over time and progress with Invisalign. It also gives a realistic image of how great you can expect your smile to look at the end of your treatment.
Do I Have To Change My Diet Or Oral Care Routine With Invisalign?
Besides being discreet, these aligners are also removable. This means that you won’t have to worry about adhering to a strict diet, as you would with traditional braces. You won’t have to worry that certain foods will damage brackets or wire. Just remove your aligners prior to mealtime and you’re all set.
The same goes for your oral care routine. Just remove your aligners prior to brushing and flossing. It’s that simple. Now you won’t have to worry about carefully trying to brush around your traditional braces, where food and bacteria can easily hide. Flossing can also be a challenge with these orthodontic systems, but Invisalign makes it easy to continue caring for your teeth and gums without changing your daily routine. Invisalign fits seamlessly into your lifestyle.
How Does Invisalign Help?
Invisalign aligner trays are designed to gently force your teeth to conform to their shape over a specific period of time—usually six to 12 months. Once the first tray does its job, it’s time to wear the next one—this process continues every two weeks or so. After your Washington, DC dentist confirms that the treatment is complete, you’ll use the final aligner tray as your retainer every night while sleeping.
Why Do People Prefer Invisalign
There are a few key reasons why dental patients specifically ask for Invisalign over metal or ceramic braces. Explore whether these reasons apply to your unique case:
- They are working professionals who are required to speak often at business meetings and conferences (the trays can be removed at will)
- They want to be able to enjoy their favorite foods that aren’t easy to eat when wearing permanent braces (like corn on the cob)
- They don’t want to experience the discomfort that is common in the early stages of wearing metal braces
- The treatment period for Invisalign is usually shorter compared to traditional braces