If you’re looking to straighten your smile, clear aligners are a great alternative to traditional braces. Traditional braces can dramatically change your appearance and disrupt your daily routine. With clear aligners, you’ll achieve the same final result, without the hassle of braces. Mill Dam Dental offers Sheer Ortho clear aligners in-house for our patients. We print small-batch aligners that are custom-molded to your mouth for the most efficient and effective treatment. Here are some of the benefits of clear aligners for teeth straightening.
What Are Clear Aligners and How Do They Work?
Clear aligners are orthodontic trays that are molded to the shape of your mouth. They’re made with 3D digital scans and X-rays of your teeth and are custom-printed. At Mill Dam Dental Care, we print your clear aligners in-house so you can get started with treatment right away.
Like braces, clear aligners put pressure on your teeth, slowly moving them into place. You’ll receive new aligners every two to four weeks as your teeth move and become straighter. You might feel some mild pressure or soreness during the first few days after your mouth adjusts to the treatment.
Benefits of Clear Aligners
Clear aligners offer a variety of unique benefits for patients. Here are some of the upsides of using clear aligners to get your dream smile.
- Discreet Look – One of the biggest benefits of clear aligners is their discreet appearance. In most cases, no one will know that you’re wearing aligners unless you tell them. This is a stark contrast to wearing traditional braces, which can dramatically change your overall appearance. This discreet look helps many patients feel confident in their smile, even while receiving orthodontic treatment. It’s a particularly helpful benefit for older patients who don’t want aligners to detract from their overall appearance.
- Easy To Clean – Unlike braces, clear aligners are very easy to keep clean. This means you won’t have to worry about plaque and bacteria building up around your aligners and causing further dental problems. You’ll be able to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. Your dentist will give you specific instructions on exactly how to clean your dental aligners. This will involve regularly brushing your aligners with non-abrasive toothpaste and rinsing them. You should also periodically soak your aligners in a mixture of warm water and either soap, vinegar, or baking soda. This will sterilize your aligners to further prevent bacteria buildup.
- Quick and Efficient Treatment – Another major benefit of clear aligners is that they straighten your teeth very quickly. The total treatment length can be as short as six months, although some patients may need to wear aligners for up to two years. Traditional braces take much longer to straighten teeth, with the average patient needing 18 months of treatment. In extreme cases, patients may need to wear braces for up to three years. Treatment time with clear aligners is much less disruptive and will help you get your dream smile faster. The exact treatment time for your clear aligners will vary depending on the current shape of your teeth. If you only need to make small adjustments to your smile, your treatment time will be much shorter than someone who has major bite issues. Treatment will also be faster if you’ve had braces in the past. If you had braces as a child but your teeth have moved since then, Invisalign is an efficient way to return to a straighter smile.
- Comfortable To Wear – The last thing you want is for your orthodontic treatment to be painful. When you’re struggling with oral pain, it’s difficult to relax and enjoy your daily routine. In the past, many patients dreaded getting braces because they caused discomfort. The wires and brackets could dig into the side of the mouth, irritating the sensitive tissues in the mouth. Clear aligners offer a much more comfortable alternative. Since clear aligners are molded to your mouth, they fit much more comfortably than braces and won’t dig into your gums. There are no metal brackets, wires, or rubber bands to worry about, keeping irritation to a minimum. You might feel some discomfort when you receive new aligners, but it is very mild and you’ll quickly adjust to the new sensation. You’ll also be able to take your aligners out for short periods to eat every day, which provides some relief if you are feeling discomfort.
- Can Be Removed During Meals – Clear aligners are easy to remove during meal times. This allows you to fully relax and enjoy dining with family and friends, rather than stress about getting food in your braces or cleaning them afterwards. With clear aligners, you’ll have no food restrictions to worry about during treatment. You’ll be able to eat your favorite hard or chewy foods whenever you want. With traditional braces, patients need to avoid these foods, as they can damage your brackets. Of course, we still recommend enjoying hard or chewy sweets in moderation to protect your teeth.
- Less Time at the Dentist – Clear aligners also require patients to spend less time at the dentist than traditional braces. Braces need to be tightened and adjusted regularly, which can be very time-consuming. With aligners, you’ll still need to come in periodically to pick up your new trays. However, the process of printing these trays is quick and easy, so you can get back to your normal routine.
Get Your Dream Smile With Sheer Ortho
Are you ready to get the smile of your dreams? Mill Dam Dental Care is here to help. Our Sheer Ortho aligners are a comfortable and cost-effective orthodontic solution. They are printed in-house and custom-made for our Virginia Beach patients. In-house printing allows patients to start treatment right away, rather than waiting for aligners to ship. Dr. Leidy and the rest of our caring staff will adjust the treatment to best suit your unique needs. Reach out today to learn more about the benefits of clear aligners or to schedule an appointment!