You can’t possibly underestimate the importance of good dental care. There are a lot of dental concerns that you need to be willing to address, such as crooked teeth.
We can all pick out something we don’t love about our teeth or smile. The thought of cosmetic dentistry or traditional braces may have crossed your mind, but the idea of unsightly train tracks or multiple visits to the dentist might have put you off. That is where Invisalign comes in. Invisalign is a revolutionary teeth straightening technique that can give you the smile you have always wanted with minimal inconvenience. However, before you start your treatment, we have compiled a list of the six things you should know before getting Invisalign.
Although many people suffer from differing severity levels of dentophobia, Invisalign is not like your usual dental treatment or traditional braces. There is no need for any invasive procedure, nor do you have to have painful brackets fitted to your teeth that need to be professionally tightened regularly. Even though there are many benefits to using Invisalign, there are some things to consider before you commit to your smile transformation.
1. Invisalign Is a Full-Time Job
If you want to see the best results, you have to commit to more than just wearing your Invisalign aligners to straighten your teeth. Okay, so most importantly, you need to make sure that you wear your aligners for 22 hours a day, every day! If you don’t, you won’t see the results you are looking for. Simple as that.
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However, there is more to achieving Invisalign success than wearing your aligners. You can eat and drink what you like, but you need to be prepared to brush your teeth and floss regularly to make sure that your dental hygiene is up to scratch. You also need to think about the food and drink you consume and when you have it. This can mean that maintaining your busy social life and using Invisalign just takes a bit of planning.
2. You May Experience Some Very Mild Discomfort
Anyone who has had old-school train-track braces will tell you that it can be a long and painful process. With that being said, Invisalign may still give you some mild discomfort when you change aligners, but the pain is usually much milder than traditional braces.
Invisalign aligners gently apply pressure to your teeth to push them into position, which can cause that initial discomfort. However, thanks to the smooth plastic material used, you don’t get the rubbing and chaffing you often experience with metal braces.
3. You Might Lose Weight
One of the common side effects of Invisalign treatment is that many people lose weight. This tends to be because you can’t snack. If you are a grazer, then chances are you will struggle more than someone who sticks to their three meals a day.
When using Invisalign, you should always remove your aligners while eating and thoroughly brush your teeth before placing your aligners back in. This added effort means that many people find themselves eating, especially snacking less and therefore losing weight.
You know that you are perfect just how you are, but if you have been looking to shift a few of those unwanted pounds, then this could be a beneficial by-product of your smile transformation.
4. You Have to Think about Food and Drink
As previously mentioned, the fact that you have to remove your aligners, eat, clean your teeth and pop them back in every time you eat means that you will soon become hyper-aware of your eating habits.
Furthermore, when it comes to drinks, you might think that you don’t have to worry — but you’re not quite right. Water is fine whenever, wherever, but drinks very hot drinks can warp the aligners so they don’t work optimally, and sugary drinks can get between the aligners and your teeth and cause decay. We warn off these two drinks for that reason.
5. Treatment Time Can Vary
The Invisalign treatment time is different for each individual because everyone has a different set of teeth. On average, the Invisalign treatment takes about 6 months. However, if you have teeth that require a lot of work, you can most likely expect this treatment time to increase. Alternatively, for those lucky ones who just have a couple of teeth slightly out of place, well,you might have the smile you have always wanted within three months.
Although there is no definitive answer when it comes to the Invisalign treatment time, your cosmetic dentist should be able to give you a far more accurate estimate after the first consultation.
6. It’s Worth the Commitment
The thought of wearing Invisalign for 22+ hours a day, having to constantly consider your next meal and potentially feeling occasional discomfort might be enough to put you off the idea of Invisalign. However, good things come to those who wait and this relatively short-term commitment can not only transform your smile but give you a lifetime of smile confidence.
