Why Invisalign® Has Such a High Satisfaction Rate

These days, it’s not only teens getting orthodontic work. More adults are signing up, recognizing the importance of a well-aligned bite. But, as an adult or teen, a mouth full of metal can deflate your self-confidence and make you hesitant to smile. The traditional bracket-and-wire system can be uncomfortable and difficult to clean.

All that changed in 1998 when the FDA approved the revolutionary Invisalign® system of clear aligners for mild-to-moderate alignment problems. By 2017, over 5 million Americans, 80% of them adults, had chosen Invisalign.

At the dental office of Courtney S. Nowicki, DDS, PA, our dentists provide Invisalign for teens and adults in East Lake, Landsbrook, and Tarpon Springs, Florida, who need orthodontic work. They don’t often have to “sell” the treatment to their patients, as the aligners have a high satisfaction rate. Here’s why.

Invisalign basics

Invisalign was the first of what’s now an array of clear aligner systems. It uses a progressive sequence of custom-molded trays manufactured from the strong, flexible thermoplastic SmartTrack®. The trays are so clear they’re practically invisible. That means unless someone’s scrutinizing your mouth, they won’t be able to tell you’re having work done.

The trays are easily removable, which allows you to eat and drink what you want without risking staining them. It also means brushing and flossing your teeth easily and cleaning the aligners appropriately. Everybody wins.

If the dentist determines you’re a good candidate for Invisalign treatment, they create a digital scan of your entire mouth and upload the information to the Invisalign software. The software uses the information to construct a treatment plan for moving your teeth into the proper positions. We send the scan and the plan to the Invisalign lab, which manufactures the entire set of aligners you’ll wear and sends them to us.

At your next appointment, the dentist fits the first set of trays and smooths any rough edges that could irritate your gums. They also add tooth-colored attachments to the shifting teeth to help the aligners do their work. Once treatment is complete, they remove the attachments.

Each set of trays is designed to be worn for about two weeks, after which you swap out your current set for the next one in the series. Each new set fits a little more snugly, applying more pressure on your teeth than the last. This ensures all the teeth keep moving in the proper direction.

For Invisalign to be most effective, you must wear the aligners about 22 hours a day, removing them only to eat and clean. However, your treatment time is about one-half that for traditional braces, which generally need 1-3 years, depending on the issue(s) being addressed.

Why Invisalign has such a high satisfaction rate

Invisalign has many benefits, so it has such a high satisfaction rate.

Treats a variety of common conditions

These include:

Crowded teeth

When teeth are overcrowded, they overlap, grow into incorrect positions, rotate, or even become trapped in the bone. Crowded and misaligned teeth make chewing difficult and make effective brushing and flossing difficult, which leads to bacterial build-up, gum disease, and decay.

Overbite

An overbite occurs when your upper front teeth overlap your lower front teeth more than the jaw can tolerate. This can lead to tooth erosion, biting into the lower gum, and jaw pain.

Underbite

The opposite of an overbite, your bottom front teeth rest in front of your top front teeth. It can lead to problems with proper chewing and clear speaking and may cause excessive tooth wear.

Lets you brush and floss normally

If you have traditional braces, you know that food easily gets stuck in the brackets, and even regular brushing and flossing may not remove everything. This can lead to plaque build-up and tooth decay. With Invisalign, you take your trays out when you brush and floss, which means you can clean everything easily, improving your oral health.

Lets you eat what you want

A big restriction with metal braces is that the brackets and wires can snap easily; that means you can’t eat anything hard or sticky. Since you take the Invisalign aligners out when you eat, you’re not restricted in what you can have. Just clean the aligners and your teeth after eating to avoid plaque buildup.

Restores your self-confidence

Because the Invisalign aligners are clear, they’re just about invisible. That means nobody will be peering at your crooked teeth or “metal mouth,” and you can confidently smile.

Want to learn more about Invisalign and what it can do for your smile? Contact the office of Courtney S. Nowicki, DDS, PA, by calling 727-934-1200 or book your appointment online today.