A beautiful, healthy smile can make a great first impression, but if you have crooked or uneven teeth, you may be less than confident about your smile. If you’ve been putting off having this corrected because you don't want to endure the process and time involved in wearing traditional braces, you are not alone. But there are options to correct alignment issues and give you back your beautiful smile. Today, let's take a look at some of the advantages of using the Invisalign™ system.

What makes Invisalign aligners preferable to traditional braces?
Easy Treatment Plan: Your Invisalign™ treatment starts when we take the X-rays used to create a 3-D digital image of your mouth.  Next, you’ll be given a series of custom-made aligners that you will take home and change about every two weeks. You will see the difference in your smile every time you change aligners! You will be scheduled for checkups every six weeks or so at Los Gatos Cosmetic Dentist office so we can monitor your progress.
Convenient: Simply wear your aligners throughout the day, removing them to eat. This allows you to eat foods you love without the worry of particles getting stuck in wires and brackets.
Easily removable: You will continue to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. Your Invisalign™ aligners can simply be brushed and rinsed in lukewarm water.
Adaptable to your active lifestyle: Since Invisalign™ aligners are nearly invisible; most people won’t even notice you’re wearing them. You don’t have to worry about the discomfort of metal braces and wires that can poke and irritate your mouth, and if you’re involved in contact sports, Invisalign™ aligners are easily removed, enabling you to wear a protective mouth guard if necessary.

How long does the entire process take?
It’s difficult to say exactly how long you will need to wear your Invisalign™ aligners since everyone is unique. Contact Los Gatos Dental for a free consultation to evaluate your individual situation. Generally speaking though, Invisalign™ treatment usually takes about a year for adults. For teens, the length of treatment is comparable to that of traditional braces, with less discomfort and the added advantage of seeing the improvement every time you change aligners!

When consulting with patients about Invisalign treatment, many are surprised to learn that they are required to wear retainers once the alignment portion of the treatment is complete. Wearing retainers after completion of your Invisalign treatment should be considered an essential element of the treatment so today I’d like to explain why this is so important.

Whether you’ve gone through Invisalign treatment or not, teeth are continually moving to some degree and it may not always be perceptible. This means that you will need to wear some type of orthodontic retainer after your Invisalign treatment is completed to maintain the corrected alignment.

If you do not wear the retainer provided by your Los Gatos Invisalign Dentist, it is likely that your teeth will begin to drift. You may be surprised to learn that going without a retainer for even a relatively short period of time can give teeth an opportunity to shift causing another misalignment.

There are essentially two types of retainers: fixed and removable. As the names imply, these terms refer to the fact that the retainer is either permanently attached to your teeth or is removable. Each has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Your Los Gatos, CA Invisalign Dentist can discuss both these options with you and help you make the decision as to which will be most beneficial to your situation.

Certain teeth alignment problems need to be retained longer than others. Therefore, retention is more critical in these cases. Your Invisalign dentist is the best person to determine what is appropriate in your situation.

Now that you’ve completed the Invisalign treatment successfully it makes sense to consider the retention phase as an ongoing and necessary part of your treatment. You’ve already made an investment in a beautiful, even smile. By conscientiously using your retainer you are simply protecting your investment.

One of my long-time patients, Karen, came in for her routine exam. During the exam, Karen mentioned to me that she was about to re-enter the job market after years of being a “domestic engineer”, as she cheerfully referred to it. Karen’s teeth were in generally good condition, but she was self-conscious about her smile because of chipped front teeth. When I asked why she had never addressed this with me before, she laughed and said, “Dr. Sawyer, I’m not a millionaire!” It occurred to me that lots of people share Karen’s belief that Cosmetic Dentistry is only for movie stars and celebrities. So I told Karen that, with the advances in modern cosmetic dentistry there was no reason to think that a beautiful, dazzling smile was beyond her reach.

The fact is that, with modern treatments offered by Los Gatos Cosmetic Dentist, it is now possible to not only maintain your smile for good oral health, but also to improve your overall appearance and boost your confidence. Using subtle and largely non-invasive procedures, cosmetic dentistry helps your teeth fit together better, creating a whiter, even, beautiful smile. Procedures include veneers, or, as my office make available, Lumineers™, teeth whitening or bleaching, and Invisalign to help rearrange the fit and harmony of your teeth.

Invisalign straightens your teeth invisibly, and whitening and bleaching techniques create a natural, but noticeably brighter smile. Teeth whitening and veneers offer a virtually pain free, effective option for maximum results and can effectively reverse the damage done by caffeine and tobacco. Chipped, stained, and crooked teeth make excellent candidates for veneers or Lumineers™, which fit over your natural teeth reshaping and brighten the tooth by covering it with an artificial surface.

Beyond the obvious aesthetic benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry used by Los Gatos CA Dentist Office, chipped or misaligned teeth can contribute to problems with your bite, creating additional problems down the road. In short, modern cosmetic dentistry offers you the chance to maximize the health and vitality of your mouth, A few short years ago, a visit to the dentist’s office was an experience to be endured. Today your Cosmetic Dentist can help patients like you and Karen transform your teeth into your greatest asset.