Is Invisalign Right for Me?​​​​​​​

Is Invisalign Right for Me?​​​​​​​

Date Published:
02-24-2021​​​​​​​

Invisalign® aligners are increasing in popularity across the country. They have gained a reputation for their comfort, better appearance, discretion, and faster treatment than traditional braces. For these reasons, the demand for them is rising.

 

People want to know if Invisalign is an option for them before they can step into a dentist’s office. Here’s how you can tell if you are a candidate for Invisalign aligners:

 

Your Case Is Defined

 

To qualify for Invisalign, you must have a defined dental issue. It should be clear what you want to have fixed and it's severity. You would have problems with Invisalign if you tried fixing issues that are too complicated. Severe conditions may need an advanced orthodontic approach.

 

Use Invisalign to fix crowded teeth, open bites, underbites, and crossbites. Invisalign may also help with gapped teeth and overbites that are not too large.

 

You Are an Older Teen or Adult

 

Invisalign is an option for you if you are an older teen or an adult. Children and younger teens do not qualify because their teeth are still growing.

 

Invisalign is especially suited to older teens and adults. Many do not like to draw attention to themselves, and traditional braces would do just that. Teens are usually looking for somewhere they can fit in without standing out too much. Getting metallic braces would not help with that. Adults may not want the attention or look like teenagers with metallic braces sticking out.

 

All Your Adult Teeth Are In

 

Many orthodontists insist that you have all your adult teeth before a cosmetic treatment. The reason is that there’s no telling how the teeth that have not come in will grow. So, to qualify for Invisalign, all your adult teeth must be present. Also, some adults may still have one or two baby teeth remaining. Cases like this need further orthodontic work before the doctor can start on the Invisalign.

 

You’re Committed to Straightening Your Smile

 

Putting on Invisalign is straightforward. But, they come with an obligation to keep them clean at all times. You must remove them when eating or drinking anything but water. Before placing them back on, you must brush them and your teeth. Ideally, you should wear the aligners for at least 22 hours each day. The longer you have them on, the sooner your teeth get aligned. So, it would be best if you were committed to wearing your aligners throughout the day and maintaining good oral hygiene. The more dedicated you are to your treatment, the faster and better the outcome.

 

You Don’t Smoke

 

Smoking does not favor Invisalign. If you smoked with your aligners on, you would stain them. If you took them off every time you wanted to smoke, you would interfere with their effectiveness. Smoking makes your Invisalign aligners unattractive and ineffective. Additionally, smoking is bad for your general health. So, if you plan on having Invisalign in the future, you may want to quit smoking early on.

 

Find out if you are a good candidate for Invisalign, contact Arlington Dentistry by Design in Arlington, VA at (703) 997-4787 to request an appointment.