Tag Archives: benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign

pain with Invisalign

I know that braces cause pain because all my friends complained about it when I was growing up. I’m old enough to know I don’t want a mouth full of metal while I straighten my teeth. It would just seem unprofessional. However, I want to know what I’m signing up for. Does Invisalign have pain the way traditional braces do?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

Invisalign aligner

It’s always wise to go into any treatment with a good idea of the pros and cons. The pros of Invisalign are obvious.

  • They work in half the time as traditional braces
  • You can eat and drink whatever you want
  • You can brush and floss much more easily
  • You can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing
  • You don’t have to worry about cuts and abrasions from metal wires and brackets.

There is one point in which Invisalign aligners can ache a bit. You switch aligners every two weeks. For the day or two when you first put in your new set of aligners, they will feel snug and ache a bit.

This is because the aligners are sculpted to the next alignment your teeth should be in by the time the two-week time period is up. After those first few days, your teeth will be in that new position and the aligners will feel loose.

Usually, just some over-the-counter pain reliever is enough to keep the pain at bay.

An Unexpected Benefit with Invisalign

One extra treat you can get out of Invisalign is inexpensive teeth whitening. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. So, all you will need to purchase from your dentist is the whitening gel that you can place in your aligners for a period of time each day.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Invisalign

Switching from Braces to Invisalign

If I’m absolutely miserable with braces can I switch to Invisalign? I love that I’m getting my teeth straightened, but the metal cuts my mouth, I can’t eat anything I like, and I feel ugly.

Angela B.

Dear Angela,

Image top: A woman putting on her Invisalign aligners. Image bottom: a woman smiling with Invisalign on her teeth

If your case is a good candidate for Invisalign, then yes, you can switch. Though most cases work with Invisalign, there are a few more tricky cases that require braces. It’s just a matter of talking to your dentist or orthodontist and they can let you know.

Why Invisalign is So Popular

You named many reasons that people actually love Invisalign. There is no metal to deal with. That will mean no cuts for you. Until you switch, your dentist should be able to provide you with some wax to put on the braces which should help with the pain.

Invisalign has absolutely no restrictions as to what you can eat during meal time. You simply remove the aligners, eat as you wish, then brush your teeth and place the aligners back on your teeth. However, there are some restrictions when they’re on.

You don’t want to drink things like coffee or soda when the aligners are in. The reason for that is they’ll pool in your aligners, soaking your teeth with their ingredients. This will eat away at your decay, putting you at a tremendous risk for decay. You can still drink those beverages, just make sure you do it at meal times instead of between meals. While your aligners are in, drink water. Drink as much water as you want.

Oral hygiene is so much easier with Invisalign. You don’t have to worry about getting around the wires and brackets. That lessens your chance of the decalcification many people with braces experience.

You mentioned appearance. The beauty of Invisalign is that you can’t see it. It’s invisible even at a conversational distance. When you smile, they’ll just see your smile.

Whiten Your Teeth with Invisalign

Your Invisalign aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays. It’s an easy way to take an additional step toward beautifying your smile without having to also pay for custom fit whitening trays. You’ll only need the tooth whitening gel your dentist can provide.

Once you have a straight, white smile you’ll be astounded at the boost it gives to your confidence. You’ll find yourself smiling more and lighting up a room.

This blog is brought to you by AACD accredited dentist Dr. Mike Malone.