It’s safe to say that most people who wear traditional metal braces are a little self-conscious about them, it doesn’t matter if you’re 13 or 30. Invisalign has eliminated many of the concerns about the appearance of orthodontia. The thin, clear aligners are barely visible on your teeth, and they don’t interfere with daily life so that you can go about your business – whether it’s school, work, or parenting – without worrying that there’s a chunk of food lodged between a bracket and wire. Here are four side effects of braces that are delightfully absent when you wear Invisalign.
1. Not being able to eat normally
Every braces-wearer gets an extensive list of foods they can’t eat while wearing braces. Invisalign wearers have no such list. You can eat popcorn, sticky foods, or pretzels. You don’t have to break up crunchy vegetables, crusty bread, or burgers and sandwiches before putting them in your mouth. Simply pop out your Invisalign aligner before you eat and put it back in when you’re done. Delicious.
2. White spots on teeth
Not every braces wearer’s tenure ends with white spots on their teeth. Metal braces can be worn successfully without any aesthetic problems occurring. But you have to take very good care of your braces and teeth, and that means flossing and brushing carefully on a daily basis and using any special tools your dentist recommends to get between those tiny brackets. With Invisalign, you only have to clean your aligners and brush your teeth and floss normally. There won’t be any after-effects of Invisalign but straight teeth.
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3. Pain
You can’t shift your teeth and jaw without feeling a bit of discomfort, but Invisalign eliminates the type of pain that is unique to traditional metal braces – namely, the scratching and poking that wires and brackets can inflict upon gums, lips, and cheeks. The smooth material that Invisalign is made of is comfortable over your teeth and in your mouth so that once you’re used to the sensation of Invisalign, you’re likely to forget that you’re even wearing it.
4. Removal of teeth
When you have a crowding problem, some orthodontists may recommend tooth extraction in order to make space in your mouth for alignment. Tooth pulling is done far less often than it used to be and newer methods of orthodontics try to find space by expanding arches and creating small spaces in between teeth. The extraction of wisdom teeth is always a wise choice before any type of orthodontia. But if you are a qualified Invisalign candidate, it is very unlikely that tooth extraction will be necessary, so this worry is unfounded.
Find out if Invisalign is right for you. Contact Dr. Ken Cirka at Philadelphia Dentistry to schedule your free consultation and get on the path to a straight, beautiful smile.