Invisalign
If you have been thinking about straightening your teeth but want to avoid the look and feel of traditional metal braces, Invisalign may be exactly what you have been waiting for. At Mt. Hermon Dental Care, we use Invisalign to help patients achieve straighter, healthier smiles with a treatment that fits comfortably into everyday life.
What Invisalign Can Do
Invisalign is a clear and removable alternative to braces that can correct a wide range of alignment and spacing issues without wires, brackets, or the dietary restrictions that come with traditional orthodontics. The custom-made aligning trays are virtually invisible, making them a popular choice for adults and teens alike. Invisalign can help:
- Correct crowded or overlapping teeth
- Close gaps between teeth
- Address overbite, underbite, and crossbite
- Improve overall tooth alignment and spacing
- Straighten teeth without visible metal hardware
- Make teeth easier to clean and maintain
- Improve the function and comfort of your bite
- Boost your confidence with a straighter, more even smile
How Invisalign Works
Invisalign uses a series of custom-made clear aligning trays to gradually move your teeth toward the desired position. Each set of trays is worn for approximately two weeks before being swapped out for the next set in the series, with each new set moving your teeth a small amount closer to the final result. Over the course of treatment, the cumulative effect of these small adjustments produces a significantly straighter smile.
The trays are made from a smooth, BPA-free plastic that fits snugly over your teeth and is comfortable to wear. Because there are no brackets or wires, there is nothing to irritate your cheeks or gums and no risk of a broken bracket derailing your treatment. Most people you encounter day to day will not even notice you are wearing them, which is one of the biggest reasons patients choose Invisalign over traditional braces.
Dental Crowns
The Invisalign Treatment Process
Treatment begins with a comprehensive consultation in which we evaluate your teeth, discuss your goals, and determine whether Invisalign is the right fit for your situation. We take detailed 3D digital images of your entire jaw, which allow us to map out the precise movements your teeth need to make and give you a preview of what your smile will look like once treatment is complete.
Using those digital images, a series of custom aligning trays is fabricated specifically for your teeth. When your trays arrive, we walk you through how to wear and care for them and answer any questions you have before you get started. From there, you simply progress through your trays at home, checking in with us periodically so we can monitor your progress and make sure everything is moving along as planned.
Wearing Your Invisalign Trays
For Invisalign to work as effectively as possible, the trays need to be worn for a minimum of 22 hours per day. This gives them the consistent contact with your teeth they need to apply gentle, steady pressure and move them in the right direction. The trays should only be removed for eating, drinking anything other than water, and brushing and flossing your teeth.
Consistency is the single most important factor in the success of your Invisalign treatment. Patients who wear their trays as directed tend to complete treatment on schedule and achieve the results they were promised. If trays are left out for extended periods on a regular basis, treatment will take longer and the final result may be affected. We will remind you of this at each checkup and are always available if you have questions about your progress.
Invisalign for Teens
Invisalign Teen is a version of the treatment designed specifically for younger patients whose teeth and jaws are still developing. It includes the same clear, removable trays as standard Invisalign but with a few features tailored to the needs of teenage patients, including built-in compliance indicators that fade with wear so parents and providers can easily confirm the trays are being worn as directed.
For many teenagers, the ability to straighten their teeth without the visibility of metal braces makes a meaningful difference to their confidence during what is already a self-conscious period of life. Invisalign Teen is suitable for a wide range of alignment issues and is a popular alternative to traditional braces for patients who are responsible enough to commit to wearing their trays consistently. We will assess your teenager’s suitability during their consultation and let you know whether Invisalign Teen is the right choice for their situation.
Caring for Your Teeth During Invisalign Treatment
One of the advantages of Invisalign over traditional braces is that your oral hygiene routine does not need to change. Because the trays are removable, you can brush and floss your teeth exactly as you normally would without having to navigate around wires or brackets. This makes it much easier to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout treatment and reduces the risk of the decay and gum problems that can sometimes occur with fixed appliances.
You should also clean your trays regularly to keep them fresh and clear. Rinsing them with water every time you remove them and brushing them gently with a soft toothbrush will prevent the buildup of bacteria and keep them looking their best. Avoid using hot water on your trays, as this can warp the plastic and affect the fit. We will provide you with full care instructions when you receive your first set of trays.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
The cost of Invisalign treatment varies depending on the complexity of your case and the length of treatment required. Mild alignment issues that require fewer trays will generally cost less than more complex cases involving significant movement or bite correction. Many dental insurance plans that include orthodontic coverage will apply those benefits to Invisalign treatment just as they would to traditional braces. We will review your coverage with you and provide a clear estimate before treatment begins so you can make an informed decision.
Why Invisalign Is Better Than Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces are effective, but they come with a number of inconveniences that Invisalign avoids entirely. The brackets and wires are visible, which makes many patients self-conscious about their appearance throughout treatment. Certain foods need to be avoided to prevent damage to the hardware, and cleaning around the brackets and wires requires extra time and effort. Emergency appointments to fix broken brackets or poking wires are a common disruption. Invisalign trays are clear and virtually invisible, fully removable for eating and cleaning, and require no dietary restrictions. There are no sharp components to irritate the soft tissues of your mouth, and visits to our office are typically shorter and less frequent than with traditional braces. For patients with mild to moderate alignment issues, Invisalign delivers comparable results with significantly less disruption to everyday life.
Am I a Candidate for Invisalign?
Invisalign is most effective for patients with mild to moderate alignment or spacing issues. More complex orthodontic cases involving significant bite problems or severe crowding may require traditional braces or a combination of treatments to achieve the best result. The best way to find out whether Invisalign is right for you is to schedule a consultation with our team. We will evaluate your teeth and bite, discuss your goals, and give you an honest assessment of what Invisalign can achieve in your specific situation and how long treatment is likely to take.
Invisalign Attachments and Refinements
For some patients, small tooth-colored attachments are bonded to certain teeth at the start of treatment to help the trays grip the teeth more effectively and guide more complex movements. These attachments are made from the same composite resin used in tooth-colored fillings and are barely noticeable. They are removed once treatment is complete and leave no permanent mark on the tooth surface.
Refinements are additional sets of trays that may be recommended toward the end of treatment to fine-tune the final position of the teeth. Even with precise digital planning, teeth do not always move in exactly the way the software predicts, and refinements allow us to make small corrections to ensure the end result matches the intended outcome as closely as possible. They are a normal part of the Invisalign process and are not a sign that anything has gone wrong.
We will monitor your tooth movement at each progress visit and let you know if refinements are recommended for your case. The goal is always to finish treatment with a result you are genuinely happy with, and we will not consider treatment complete until that standard has been met.
Life After Invisalign
Once your Invisalign treatment is complete, a retainer will be needed to hold your teeth in their new positions and prevent them from gradually shifting back over time. This is a normal part of any orthodontic treatment, not a shortcoming of Invisalign specifically. Retainers are typically worn full time for a period after treatment and then transitioned to nights only as your teeth settle into their new positions.
We will provide you with a retainer at the end of your treatment and give you clear instructions on how and when to wear it. Skipping the retainer phase is the most common reason patients see their results shift after orthodontic treatment, so we take the time to make sure every patient understands how important this step is. With proper retainer use, your results can last a lifetime.
Many patients find that straightening their teeth motivates them to take better care of their smile overall. Straighter teeth are easier to clean, less prone to uneven wear, and often feel more comfortable to bite and chew with. Patients frequently tell us that completing their Invisalign treatment was one of the best decisions they made for their long-term oral health, not just for the way their smile looks.
If whitening is something you have been considering, the end of Invisalign treatment is a great time to do it. Your teeth are now in their ideal positions and your custom trays can sometimes be adapted for use with whitening gel, making the process convenient and straightforward. A brighter smile to go along with straighter teeth is a combination that never fails to impress.
Regular dental checkups remain just as important after Invisalign as they were before. We will continue to monitor your teeth, gums, and bite at your routine visits and keep an eye on the condition of your retainer to make sure it is still fitting properly. If a retainer ever becomes worn or damaged, it can be replaced quickly so your results are never at risk.
Completing orthodontic treatment is a significant milestone, and we are proud to be part of that journey for our patients. Whether you are straightening your teeth for the first time or correcting relapse from a previous treatment, Invisalign at Mt. Hermon Dental Care gives you a clear path to the smile you have always wanted, on a timeline that works for your life.
Your Straighter Smile Starts Here
At Mt. Hermon Dental Care, we make it easy to find out whether Invisalign is right for you. Contact our Scotts Valley office today to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward a straighter, more confident smile.
