Invisalign® & 3M Clarity Aligners – Jacksonville, FL

Crowded Teeth

If your teeth overlap or are tilted out of alignment, then we recommend coming in to find out if you’re a candidate for Invisalign. After all, crowded teeth can negatively impact your self-esteem. Plus, they make it harder to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums, leaving you susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease. Fortunately, clear aligner treatment can gently shift your teeth, creating the space needed to realign your bite and create a happier, healthier smile.

Gaps Between Teeth

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some patients have too much space between their teeth. Unfortunately, food particles, plaque, and other debris can get trapped in these areas, making it difficult to prevent tooth decay. The good news is that we can use Invisalign clear aligners to bring your teeth back into proper alignment, closing any unnecessary gaps in the process. Usually, this only takes 12-18 months too!

Overbite

If there is considerable space between your upper and lower teeth, then you may have an overbite. This leaves you vulnerable to excessive wear and tear on your teeth as well as jaw pain and possibly TMJ dysfunction. Don’t worry – if you’re a candidate for clear aligners, then we can create a custom clear aligner plan that can help shift your teeth in a way that will fix problems with the alignment of your teeth and bite.

Underbite

An underbite is when your lower teeth sit in front of your upper ones, placing your jaw in an unnatural position. In addition to the aesthetic drawbacks, this orthodontic problem can lead to chronic jaw pain and TMJ dysfunction, which is why we recommend finding out if you’re a candidate for Invisalign sooner rather than later. If you are, then we can align your bite with clear, comfortable, and metal-free aligners.

Crossbite

A crossbite is when some of your upper teeth sit in front of your lower teeth and vice versa. One of our biggest concerns is that this places immense pressure on certain teeth, increasing your risk of premature wear and, in turn, serious oral health problems. Luckily, Invisalign has proven to be effective at addressing more mild cases of this orthodontic problem.

Open Bite

Open bites often form as a result of childhood habits, like thumb-sucking, or genetics. Whatever the case may be for you, it’s important not to postpone getting the orthodontic care you need. After all, this bite problem has the potential to negatively impact the look, health, and function of your smile. So, don’t wait – get in touch with us to see if clear aligner treatment is right for you!

The Invisalign Process

The first step toward your straighter, healthier, and more appealing smile starts with a consultation with Dr. Holland. At this visit, he will evaluate your teeth and other oral structures to make sure that your mouth is healthy enough for treatment. He will also determine whether Invisalign can correct your crowded, crooked, gapped, or rotated teeth. Please keep in mind that if your orthodontic issues are severe enough, traditional braces may be the best treatment choice for you. Also, this appointment will give us an opportunity to review the costs of your specific Invisalign treatment. We can review your insurance plan to see if it is covered under your benefits, and we can help you set up low-interest financing if necessary.

How Long Does Invisalign Take?

No two smiles are the same, which is why it’s difficult to provide a precise treatment time estimate. Typically, Invisalign will take between 8 and 18 months to complete, but this will vary on a case-by-case basis. Depending on your misalignment, your treatment may take shorter or longer than the average treatment time. Dr. Holland will ensure that you receive the most efficient and effective Invisalign treatment so you can enjoy a beautifully straight smile as soon as possible.

The Invisalign Teen Process

First, Dr. Holland will see you and your teenager for a consultation, where we’ll determine if Invisalign Teen is a good choice for your child and an estimate of the length and cost of treatment. Dr. Holland will map out a treatment plan and take digital impressions of your teen’s smile. Using the iTero digital scanner, it eliminates the need to capture impressions with cold dental putty that is often quite messy. These digital images create a model that is used to create your smile step-by-step as it moves through treatment. It will also help in the creation of your teen’s clear aligners.

Once we receive the trays in our office, you and your child will return to receive the aligners. Equipped with a small blue indicator toward the back of the aligner, this signals you and our office that it’s time to switch to a new set of trays.

Frequent dental visits will be necessary not only to provide new aligners but to also check on the progress your child’s teeth are making, and should they break or lose one of their trays, we are happy to provide free replacement aligners.

You and your teen can expect to see a new and improved smile anywhere between 6-15 months depending on the severity of the problem at the start of treatment. As long as they wear their aligners the designated amount of time each day, which Dr. Holland will provide, there should be no delays in treatment.

Is Invisalign Teen Right for My Child?

When you and your teenager arrive for your initial consultation, Dr. Holland will evaluate their smile to determine the severity of the problem as well as check for any possible indications that Invisalign Teen may not be the right treatment option. If your child’s gap is too wide or bite is too misaligned, traditional braces might be the only way to achieve desired results; however, in most cases, Invisalign Teen is a great solution for teenagers.

Benefits for Teenagers

Apart from the fact your teenager won’t have to worry about wearing metal braces to school, here are some additional benefits they will experience by choosing Invisalign Teen:

• Increase comfort with no irritation to their soft tissues (i.e. cheeks, lips, gum, etc.)
• Customized aligners that fit their individual needs
• Flexible treatment with removable aligners, making it easy to eat, drink, and clean their teeth and trays
• Faster results
• Easy to clean

Differences Between Traditional Invisalign and Invisalign Teen

• Invisalign Teen not only corrects alignment issues, but it can also move the roots of your child’s teeth.
• There are small indicators on Invisalign Teen aligners that help young patients remember when to switch out their trays. Unlike traditional Invisalign that requires much responsibility on the part of the patient to remember when to swap out their aligners.
• Invisalign Teen is great for children who have growing teeth.

What Are 3M Clarity Aligners?

3M Clarity clear aligners are a series of custom-made trays that apply gentle pressure to the teeth. You wear each aligner for about 22 hours each day, for one or two weeks (depending on your specific treatment plan). Total treatment times vary from patient to patient, but you can expect to use the aligners for at least several months. After you work your way through all of your aligners, you will be the proud owner of a perfectly straight smile that you cannot help but show off.

Benefits of 3M Clarity Aligners

Clarity Aligners offer many of the same benefits as Invisalign. For example, they are nearly invisible, which means that onlookers may notice no evidence of your orthodontic treatment (other than the gradual changes in your smile). Also, since the aligners are removable, you’ll be able to enjoy all of your favorite foods without worrying about compromising your treatment’s success. The thin plastic of the aligners contributes to your comfort while you wear them.

Invisalign Vs. 3M Clarity Aligners

It is clear that both Clarity Aligners and Invisalign are wonderful treatments, but does it matter which one you choose? Well, the Clarity system does offer one outstanding feature that makes it different from Invisalign. You can download a treatment tracking app. With the app, you can snap and share photos of your progress, as well as track your aligner wear time. The app even has a Share with Doctor feature that lets you connect with 3M.

Discreet Trays

Traditional braces force you to endure a “metal mouth,” but Invisalign avoids this issue. The latter uses discreet trays that blend seamlessly with your smile.

Remember, Invisalign’s aligners use transparent, nearly invisible plastic. This material ensures your trays don’t stand out or draw unwanted attention from outsiders. Your treatment will instead go unnoticed by friends or family, who shouldn’t find anything “off” in your smile. Folks will just see that your grin is slowly (but surely) coming into proper alignment.

Non-Invasive Care

Rest assured that Invisalign is much less invasive than metal braces. As long as you stick to its rules, the treatment won’t disrupt your everyday life.

This benefit stems from Invisalign’s removability. Since the trays can be taken off as needed, they shouldn’t affect how you eat, smile, brush, or floss. Their flexible wear time also allows for shorter check-in visits than you’d have with metal braces. To that extent, patients with hectic schedules can maintain treatment progress.

Better Dental Hygiene

While metal braces can make oral care hard, Invisalign is different. Its clear trays won’t interfere with your daily dental hygiene routines.

Don’t forget that Invisalign trays are fully removable. They aren’t cemented to your teeth like metal braces, so you can remove them before brushing or flossing. The aligners will thus let you clean your smile without having to work around brackets, wires, etc. That means they’ll lower your risk of cavities, gum disease, and other oral issues compared to a braces treatment.

Improved Comfort

If you get Invisalign, you won’t have to endure pain or discomfort. The treatment offers a much comfier smile-aligning process than braces do.

It comes down to how Invisalign uses clear and smooth plastic. This substance isn’t sharp and doesn’t poke around, so it shouldn’t irritate your gums, lips, or the insides of your cheeks. You’ll only feel slightly sore when switching your trays, and even that discomfort should fade within a day.

Boosted Confidence

Invisalign won’t make you feel awkward like metal braces sometimes can. Instead, its trays should leave you confident during and after treatment.

Note that the clear plastic used by Invisalign is nearly invisible. That means the trays won’t affect how your smile looks to friends, family, etc. You’ll be able to mingle without worry, something highly appealing to teens and young adults who like socializing.

Quick Follow-Ups

Modern Invisalign has swift follow-up visits. Compared to those for braces, these sessions take less time and involve less discomfort.

Indeed, the average Invisalign “check-in” visit is every 6-8 weeks. Each one only has a few steps and lasts 15-30 minutes, depending on the situation. As a result, a dentist doesn’t need to do much to confirm your treatment is on track and moving your smile correctly.

Wearing Your Trays

The most fundamental part of living with Invisalign is remembering to wear your trays. You’ll keep each set of aligners in your mouth for 20 to 22 hours every day, only taking them off to eat, drink, and perform oral hygiene. This allows the aligners to go to work, gradually shifting your teeth into their desired positions. Every two weeks or so, you’ll switch to the next aligner in the set. This process continues over the course of your treatment plan until you’re finished!

Cleaning Your Aligners

Oral hygiene becomes even more important when you’re undergoing Invisalign treatment. This is because food particles and plaque can easily throw your treatment off track and discolor your aligners, causing them to be far more visible. Here are some tips for taking care of your aligners and your teeth:

• Clean trays with lukewarm or room temperature water to avoid warping.
• Rinse your aligners every time before placing them back in your mouth.
• For the best results, soak your aligners in Invisalign cleaning crystals for 15-30 minutes daily or use a soft-bristled toothbrush with clear hand soap.
• Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing after meals.

Eating & Drinking

One of the most exciting advantages of Invisalign is that you can eat or drink whatever you want while still benefiting from the aligners! However, you must remove them before every meal so they don’t become damaged or discolored. Also, while you’re enjoying your food, it’s best to keep your aligners protected in their carrying case. This will minimize the likelihood of damage or misplacing them after you’re done eating.

Losing or Damaging a Tray

It’s easy to misplace Invisalign aligners if they’re not properly stored or if you take them out and forget to put them back in after eating. If you end up losing one of your Invisalign trays, it’s not an emergency, but it could set your treatment back a little. Call us after you’ve confirmed that the aligner is missing and we’ll find a way forward. Sometimes, we recommend that you continue to the next aligner if possible, otherwise, you may need to return to your previous trays until we can create a replacement.

Routine Check-Ins

Check-ins with our team every four to eight weeks will become the norm once you begin your Invisalign treatment. These brief visits are structured so that we can assess your progress, make necessary adjustments to your treatment plan, and provide you with the next series of aligners so that your treatment stays on track. Once you’re done with your last set, your final visit will be to check your alignment and reveal the results!

Factors That Affect the Cost of Clear Aligners

The cost of a clear aligner treatment will vary from patient to patient because each smile is unique and requires an equally unique treatment plan. Factors that influence the cost of clear aligner treatment include:

• The severity of the misalignment . The more work that needs to be done, the longer and more expensive treatment will be.
• The patient’s ability to comply with treatment . If you forget to wear your aligners, you could prolong treatment and end up paying more.
• The age or oral development of the patient . Because the tooth roots become more established (i.e., more difficult to move) in older adults, these patients may need to wear the aligners for a longer period of time compared to younger patients to achieve the final results.

A Smile Worth the Investment

Correcting misalignment affects more than just your smile’s appearance. Evenly spaced, straight teeth and a properly aligned bite are much easier to maintain in the long term. These provide the ideal setting for clean your teeth in the most effective and efficient way possible.

When you consider all the advantages that clear aligners have over traditional metal braces, including the shortened timeframe and flexibility to fit within any lifestyle, the effort and money for treatment becomes a wise investment in your smile.

Is There an Adjustment Period After Starting Clear Aligners?

When you first start your Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, or 3M Clarity Aligner treatment, there is a slight adjustment period. You may feel minimal soreness in various spots of your smile, but this will eventually go away. One of the most significant benefits of clear aligners is that they’re made of smooth plastic. This makes them much more comfortable to wear than traditional orthodontics. Plus, the time it takes to get used to life with them is much shorter than other options!

How Should I Care for My Clear Aligners?

Maintaining your clear aligners daily will help ensure that you have a successful treatment, but it will also keep them from becoming stained and yellowed. Invisalign and 3M Clarity Aligners sell their own cleaning systems, but you can also use a soft-bristled toothbrush, clear hand soap, and room temperature water. Make sure that you never use hot water because it could permanently warp the plastic your aligners are made of. When cleaning, you should also put down a towel on your sink and/or floor, giving your aligners some cushion if you drop them to avoid cracking or breaking them.

What Should I Do if I Lose or Break an Aligner?

If you lose or break an aligner, call your  orthodontist in Jacksonville  immediately. It’s vital to get a replacement as soon as possible so you remain on schedule with your treatment. Once you contact our office, Dr. Holland will provide you with a replacement swiftly. He may recommend that you wear the previous aligner in the series to maintain your results while you wait for a new one. Avoid using a broken aligner or trying to fix it yourself—this could actually cause more harm to your smile than help.

How Will Clear Aligners Affect My Diet?

Unlike traditional braces, clear aligners are completely removeable! That’s why you won’t have to change your diet with Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, or 3M Clarity Aligners. Simply take your aligners out when you’re eating or drinking anything that isn’t water. Other foods/drinks may cause your aligners to yellow or get stained. Just make sure that you’re cleaning your teeth and your aligners before putting them back in after eating.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to  contact our office  to speak with one of our friendly staff members.