Gone are the days of metal wire braces that make eating hard food impossible and hurt the sides of your mouth. Invisalign braces have taken the cosmetic dentistry industry by storm in the last decade, and it’s no surprise why.
Braces aren’t just for pre-teens anymore; more and more, adults are choosing to get braces to straighten their smile. According to a published survey from the American Academy of Cosmetic dentistry, about 74 percent of U.S. adults think that their smile can make or break their professional careers.
Adult braces are popular…in fact, about 4 million Americans are wearing braces or some form of a braces alternative, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Of course, the types of braces adults are choosing are not the metal kind with colorful rubber bands we remember from our past, but sleek Invisalign braces that don’t look like you’re wearing anything at all.
Invisalign braces are created by taking dental impressions and X-rays of your teeth. Then 3D printing technology creates a 3 dimensional model of your mouth. The “clear aligners” are a series of trays made to be changed every week or two that gradually move the teeth. Each aligner will slightly shift your teeth to a straighter smile in no time.
The benefits of Invisalign are obviously that it’s hard for others to tell you are wearing braces, but also it offers more comfort than traditional dental braces. Besides the esthetics, the advantage of a clear aligner is that it is removed to clean the teeth, which is a lot easier than trying to brush and floss around braces. It also does not affect your speech.
In this sense, Invisalign can be considered a form of cosmetic dentistry … especially for adults hoping to achieve the straight smile they’ve always wanted. While braces are geared towards improving long-term teeth and bite function, Invisalign braces work better for aesthetic purposes.
Invisalign is also shown to have results as soon as a year after beginning treatment, whereas regular dental braces can take up to five years to reach their desired effect.
Our full-service dental practice can help you decide which cosmetic dentistry service is right for you and your teeth. We can show you examples of Invisalign braces to see if it could be something that would benefit your smile. At our offices in South Bend and Fort Wayne, we invite you to schedule a no-cost consultation!
For more information on Invisalign treatment in South Bend or Fort Wayne or our other cosmetic dentistry services, give us a call!