Orthodontics

All about Invisalign ® Clear Orthodontics

The Invisalign® system is a clear orthodontic system that moves your teeth into alignment by using clear, custom-designed trays and the latest the latest 3D computer technology. These clear trays are called aligners and patients wear them for approximately 22-23 hours every day. You can even remove them to eat meals and to brush and floss your teeth.

What Benefits Does Invisalign Orthodontics Offer?

Invisalign benefits include:

• Improved appearance. Studies have shown that straight, even, bright teeth can make you appear younger, more attractive, and more successful.
• Healthier gums and teeth. Since you can remove the aligners to care for your teeth normally, you do not experience the increased risk of gum disease and tooth decay normally associated with wearing fixed orthodontics.
• Improved chewing and speech and decreased risk of abnormal wear of teeth.

When your teeth are properly aligned they are easier to clean and less plaque builds up compared to misaligned teeth. In addition to healthier gums, properly aligned teeth put less stress on the TMJ joint while biting. Invisalign can improve speech because certain sounds are easier to achieve when your teeth are properly aligned and positioned. Another benefit of Invisalign is that your teeth become more evenly leveled between the upper and lower jaws resulting in a more even distribution of biting forces and less grinding away of enamel. Most but not all patients qualify for Invisalign. Certain factors, such as age, and the severity of your case wiil affect your eligibility for undergoing treatment with Invisalign.

What to Expect from Your Invisalign Appointments?

Once Dr. Loukas and you have decided to proceed with Invisalign, a series of records will be taken during the first visit. Your record visit will last approximately 45-60min. The Invisalign procedure begins with photos, impressions, and a bite registration. These records are then sent to Align Technologies to create a 3D video to show how the teeth can be moved into proper alignment prior to your next visit. Unlike conventional braces, Invisalign can accurately predict the length of treatment by using the most current computer technology available today. The second visit consists of review and approval of 3D video. You will be able to see how your teeth will move on the computer prior to starting treatment. The doctor and patient can then fine tune the prescription prior to committing to final treatment.

Invisalign Videos Gallery

Traditional Braces at Our Park Ridge Office

Braces are still the most predictable way to move teeth, and for some cases they are not just an alternative to aligners, they are the better answer. Brackets bonded to each tooth and connected by an archwire give the dentist control over the position of the root, not only the crown. That matters when a tooth has to be uprighted, rotated a long way, or moved bodily through bone.

Braces also work whether or not you remember them. There is nothing to take out and nothing to lose, which is why a patient who knows they would not keep trays in for twenty two hours a day is often better served by a wire.

Clear and Ceramic Braces

Ceramic brackets are tooth coloured rather than silver, so they are far less visible across the front of the smile while still being fixed appliances. Patients often call these clear braces, and they are a genuine middle ground for someone who needs the control of brackets but does not want a metal smile in photographs. They are slightly larger than metal brackets and need a little more care with staining foods, coffee and red wine in particular.

How Long Braces Take and What the Visits Involve

Most cases run eighteen to thirty six months, with a short adjustment visit every four to eight weeks. The first appointment is the longest because every bracket is placed and the first wire is fitted. After that the visits are brief. Teeth feel tender for a day or two after each adjustment and then settle.

Cleaning around brackets takes more effort than cleaning a straight tooth, and this is where treatment is either a success or a disappointment. White marks around where the brackets used to be are decalcification, the first stage of decay, and they are permanent. We keep checkups and cleanings running through orthodontic treatment for exactly that reason.

Orthodontics for Children in Park Ridge

A first orthodontic assessment around age seven is worth having even when nothing looks wrong. At that age the first adult molars and incisors are usually in, which is enough to see how the bite is developing, whether there is room for the teeth still to come, and whether a crossbite or a habit is pushing growth in the wrong direction. Most children assessed at seven need nothing done for years. The point is to catch the few who benefit from acting early.

See kids dentistry in Park Ridge, IL for what those visits look like, and preventive dentistry for the sealants and fluoride that protect the teeth while they are being straightened.

Retainers: the Part That Protects the Result

Teeth move for life. They drift back toward their old positions if nothing holds them, and that is equally true after braces and after aligners. A retainer is not an optional extra at the end of treatment, it is what keeps the result you paid for. We fit either a removable retainer, a thin wire bonded behind the lower front teeth, or both, depending on how far the teeth moved and how likely they are to relapse.

Straightening as Part of a Wider Plan

Sometimes alignment is the whole treatment, and sometimes it is the first step. Straightening teeth before restorative work means the crowns or veneers that follow can be a normal thickness instead of being used to disguise a position problem, which is kinder to the tooth underneath. If you are weighing straightening against a cosmetic route, start at cosmetic dentistry in Park Ridge, IL.

Call (847) 696-1919 or request an appointment to have your bite assessed.

Prefer clear aligners? See our dedicated Invisalign in Park Ridge, IL page for cost, timeline, before-and-after photos and a free iTero scan.