Few people are fortunate enough to be born with a perfect smile. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a celebrity smile and give your confidence a boost.
At Dental 266, we’re proud to offer patients a proven and highly successful orthodontic treatment to help them get the smile they’ve always wanted. Our friendly caring dentist, Dr Kao, is highly experienced and has extensive knowledge of invisible braces in particular Invisalign, and the technique. Read on to find out more about invisible braces before and after that will have you itching to start your treatment.
Firstly, what are invisible braces?
Invisible braces were developed to straighten people’s teeth in a discreet manner. They are often referred to as ‘invisible braces’ because they utilise clear aligners made from transparent plastic. Once positioned over the teeth, few people will spot that you’re wearing them. As such, they’re an ideal solution for patients that don’t want anyone knowing that they’re undergoing orthodontic care.
The treatment process itself involves the use of state-of-the-art 3D imaging technology that assesses the patient’s dental situation and creates an orthodontic treatment plan to achieve a beautiful straight even smile.
Invisible Braces Before and After – Success Stories
It’s only natural that many people feel nervous and scared at the thought of undergoing corrective dental treatment. The notion of walking around with a mouth full of visible metal for 2 years or more can make patients feel frustrated and afraid of what other people might say about them.
Conversely, they want to have straighter teeth and a winning smile. So when Dr Kao shows them invisible braces before and after photos, and they see for themselves how discreet the clear aligners are, and the amazing results they achieve, they feel more on board with the idea. In fact, this tactic works almost all the time and most patients feel more motivated than ever and keen to start Invisalign treatment right away.
What’s involved in the invisible braces treatment process?
The first step for patients wanting to straighten their teeth is to book an orthodontic consultation. Invisible braces aren’t for everyone and some patients don’t actually need them. Thus, the initial assessment is necessary to determine if Invisalign is the right treatment for the patient and, if not, to discuss alternative orthodontic care,
Stage 2 of the treatment process is to take x-rays and impressions of your teeth to create a virtual 3D model. This enables our dentist to map the necessary movements of the teeth to straighten them out. The data is used to create your custom clear aligners and treatment plan so you know what to expect at every step of the way.
The great thing about invisible braces is that before you start treatment you’re able to see exactly how your smile looks after various stages.
The third step of the treatment process is for you to receive your first few sets of aligners. Our dentist will ensure you know how to place and remove them from your mouth since you’ll be doing this a lot. You will need to return to our clinic every 4 to 6 weeks to monitor your progress and collect your next aligners.
How do invisible braces work?
They utilise a series of clear aligners that apply controlled gentle pressure to move the teeth and remodel the jaw bone. Each set of aligners are worn in the mouth for around 14 days before being swapped out for the next in the series, and so on. By the time the last aligner has been worn, the smile should be straight and even.
Without the wires and brackets, clear aligners feel more comfortable and even better they can be removed to eat, brush teeth, and to clean the aligners themselves. This allows patients to maintain a high level of oral hygiene. Something sadly lacking in many patients with fixed orthodontic braces.
Why would treatment with invisible braces fail?
The major downside of the aligner treatment process is that patients can take the aligners (trays) out whenever they want. This flexibility can mean that patients forget to replace them, lose them, or simply fail to put them back in.
For best results, the trays should be in the mouth for a minimum of 22 hours a day and sadly, a lack of patient compliance can undo any work that has already been achieved.
What happens when treatment has ended?
Invisible braces treatment doesn’t just end when the last set of clear aligners have been worn. Instead, most patients will need to wear a retainer. While this may seem frustrating it’s an essential step to prevent the teeth from shifting again. Even after your full treatment, once the aligners are removed, teeth will shift a little more. By wearing a retainer, the teeth are held in their new positions for longer, which gives patients better results.
Each treatment plan is different and you may have to wear your retainer during the day at first and then switch to wearing it overnight.
What Invisalign Treatment at Dental 266 Can Do for You
Invisible braces enable you to live your life as before with minimum disruption to your daily routine, and after treatment, your smile will be improved and your confidence levels are likely to soar. Why not book a consultation with our team at 02 9051 0600 and take the first step to a gorgeous new smile today!