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The Miracle of Invisible Braces Digitally Mastered Just for You
WASHINGTON, DC—By J. S. Ronette—Of all the high-tech advances making life better for the esthetically-challenged smile, none does more for crooked teeth than the invisible braces system called Invisalign.
The Over Bite. The Under Bite. The Cross Bite. The Crowded Mouth. The Wide-Spaced Mouth. The Malocclusion Mouth. All are no match for the regimen of clear plastic trays digitally mastered from a three-dimensional model to uncross an incorrigible jaw or reign in far-flung teeth. The trays—known as aligners—are worn for about two weeks at a time to slowly, methodically, invisibly, get teeth moving to a better place.
“It’s a dream come true for our adult patients who wore metal braces as children, but the results didn’t last,” says Dr. Marc D. Doctors, at the Washington Center for Dentistry, in Washington, DC. “Now they have a workable way to do it all again—without any one knowing!”
Dr. Doctors notes that at least half of his patients seeking straighter teeth have “relapsed” since their first go at braces in their teens. “Kids back then were told to wear their retainers for a few years, and that was it,” he says. “So their teeth moved back, leaving appearance problems in adulthood.”
And with today’s emphasis on appearance—especially young-looking smiles—patients are signing up for Invisalign in growing numbers. And dentists are hearing the call.
“I am amazed that so many patients are coming in to treat problems with crooked or crowded teeth,” says Dr. Bernard W. Lynch, also of the Washington Center for Dentistry. “They are happy there is an adult-friendly way to
improve their smiles, and in a relatively short period of time.”
In fact, how long it will take is one of the first questions patients ask, says Dr. Lynch. The typical one-year treatment period works well for patients. That’s the average time it takes the average patient to wear each set of upper and lower plastic trays, for about two weeks. The doctor checks progress about once a month or two, and every few visits, patients get new aligners to continue treatment.
And the treatment gets off to an exciting start, when impressions and photos of the mouth go to Invisalign for processing. A special 3-D computer scanner produces a three-dimensional, digital model of the teeth. The software diagrams each small step the teeth will move during treatment. And the process transforms the impressions of the bite into precise molds of the teeth at each stage of treatment. Finally, a set of clear, custom trays are made from the molds. The set includes about 18 to 30 trays.
Each set of trays—which stay in the mouth day and night for about two weeks—come out only to allow eating, drinking, brushing and flossing. The trays are even okay to wear during sports. Patients also report weight loss, since there’s less time for snacking!
There’s also that rush of motivation when it’s time for the next round of trays, signaling another step closer to that winning smile.
“And they love the flexibility of being able to take out the trays for special occasions,” says Dr. Lynch. “It’s a very manageable way to get this done.”
About the Author
For more information about cosmetic dentistry options in Washington DC including Invisalign, please click here.
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