Clear Aligners – An Alternative to Metal Braces

There are varying types of malocclusion (teeth alignment)— underbite, overbite, cross-bite, and overcrowding. Anyone of these alignment issues can impact how your teeth function and how symmetrical your smile is.

Other oral health issues commonly associated with crooked teeth are:

Periodontitis (gum disease) begins when bacteria gets beneath the gumline. Often this occurs due to poor oral hygiene. Crooked teeth can be challenging to clean because the overlap might be challenging to floss or reach with your toothbrush. Straight teeth, on the other hand, are easier to keep clean.

A misaligned bite can cause a painful condition called TMJ. Patients who suffer from TMJ often experience severe headaches, lockjaw, jaw pain, and teeth grinding. Stronger teeth—Straight teeth often don’t have weak points, and since they aren’t shifted into odd angles, they aren’t susceptible to injury to protruding or crooked teeth.

When a tooth isn’t correctly positioned, it can make other teeth work harder to chew and bite. Straight teeth can parse out the pressure of a bite equally, meaning that no teeth are at risk for fracturing or enamel erosion, which can lead to cavities.

The good thing is that you don’t have to go through any of these potentially painful or destructive dental disorders. Teeth can easily be straightened using plastic aligners. Dr. Troy Patterson Jr., Dr. Margaret Patterson, or Dr. Troy L. Patterson will be able to determine if you are a good candidate for aligners, they are best used for mild to moderate cases.

Clear Aligners makes smiles straighter by using a system of aligners made from clear plastic. These aligners are progressive, which means you wear each aligner for a designated amount of time before moving on to the next. Over time, the series of aligners will move your teeth into a straighter position.

Aligners are so popular due to their clear, subtle appearance and the fact that they are completely removable. When you first start your treatment, our Metairie dentists will take three-dimensional dental images to understand better how your jaw structure looks. We can view your jaw from all angles with these highly detailed scans and zoom in on areas we need to study.

In addition, these scans allow you to see renderings of how your aligner treatment will eventually change your smile and improve your appearance. Once the scans are complete, your dentist will be able to use modern 3-D computer imaging to customize a treatment plan from where your teeth are now to their desired position. After we complete your plan and everyone is satisfied, we will begin fabricating your clear plastic aligners or trays.

After we have fabricated the trays, patients will come into our office to start treatment; they wear each tray of aligners for one or two weeks at a time. These aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into the correct position, so after each set, your teeth will be a little straighter.

This process continues for weeks until the straightening process is complete teeth. The average treatment time is typically 12-18 months, depending on the severity of the case. Actual treatment time varies from patient to patient.

One of the distinct advantages of Clear Aligners over traditional braces is that you can actually watch the changes to your smile as the clear aligners move your teeth into their correct positions.

At first, your custom trays may feel snug and tight on your teeth. We design each set of aligners to slowly reposition your teeth as the treatment advances at a small, gentle pace. You may notice that you can actually see and feel the difference from week to week or aligner to aligner as your teeth begin to move.

The benefits of aligners go beyond just appearances. Our dental patients love clear braces in Metairie and Mandeville for many reasons, including:

• The flexible, smooth plastic of aligners is much more comfortable than traditional metal braces.
• You can remove your aligners to brush, floss, and eat.
• Your mouth is easier to keep clean since no wires or brackets can act as food traps or encourage bacteria to gather.
• You can remove your aligners during sports or exercise and wear a protective mouthguard instead.

Clear Aligners have been perfected over recent years, and the treatment process is now more streamlined and efficient than ever. If you want aligners from our dental office, you will visit us around once every month so we can monitor the movement of your teeth and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Straightening your teeth is a life-changing investment in yourself, and it’s essential to make sure your aligners are in perfect working order. At Oak Family Dental, we recommend the following:

• Drink cold beverages; hot drinks can stain and warp the plastic
• Brush your aligner trays every morning and rinse them every night
• Put your aligners in their tray, not out in the open
• Don’t eat or drink while wearing aligners
• Don’t use toothpaste on your aligners
• Soak your clear aligners in a specialized soaking solution
• Brush your aligners gently to avoid scratching them

It’s not difficult to care for your aligners, contact our dental office in Metairie if you have any further questions.

If you are interested in discovering your best smile and learning more about straightening your teeth, please contact our Metairie dental office. We want every one of our dental patients to live with their best smiles, so we will be happy to arrange an aligner consultation with one of our dentists today.