Getting Things Straight
When it comes to your smile, you should be proud to show it off. If you’re self-conscious about your teeth, The Dental Lounge can help rectify that problem! We offer the industry-leading, clear aligner orthodontic therapy, Invisalign, to help straighten your teeth and enjoy the beautiful smile that you’ve always wanted. Invisalign’s clear aliners are the top alternative to traditional braces and are designed to help guide teeth into their proper position. Similar to braces, clear aligners use a gradual force to control tooth movement, but without metal wires or brackets.
Book a free Invisalign consultation with our expert team of certified, caring professionals and get that perfect smile.
What Are Clear Aligners?
In short, clear aligners are a type of invisible brace for your teeth, in the form of a clear tray, molded to the unique shape of your mouth. They are so clear that they are almost invisible and, therefore, some dentists call them invisible aligners. They do the same orthodontic work as traditional metal braces, correcting misaligned and crooked teeth and moving them into correct, functional positions. Not only are they transparent, but they are removable, which gives you more convenience and flexibility.
Each aligner tray is custom-made for every patient as it’s a unique fit.
How Do Dental Aligners Work?
Clear aligners, such as Invisalign, are used to treat various dental challenges. If you have any of these cases listed below, then you are a good candidate for invisible aligners:
- Crowded, overlapping teeth
- Overbites of your upper front teeth overlapping your lower teeth
- Underbites of your lower front teeth overlapping your upper teeth
- Gaps (diastema) between your teeth
- Open bites of front upper and lower teeth pointing outward and not connecting (rare).
- Misaligned baby teeth of children between the ages of six years and ten years of age.
The Invisalign system uses high-tech, medical-grade thermoplastic material, that has been uniquely developed for the Invisalign System. The aligners are custom-made for you and fit over your teeth, gently applying pressure which slowly moves your teeth into their correct position.
You start your invisible dental aligner journey by booking a consultation with your dentist. At The Dental Lounge, your consultation will include an assessment of your unique malocclusions, your general oral health, and then we will proceed with taking impressions of your mouth. The impression-taking step is a quick, painless procedure that only takes a few minutes. We will send your unique impressions to the specialist mold laboratory, follow up on their production, and notify you of their expected return date.
These aligners are braces and should not be confused with retainers. An aligner moves and realigns your teeth to their correct position within the shape of your mouth and jaw, whereas retainers only retain your teeth in place.
How Long Does Clear Aligner Treatment Take?
As alignment is a process of encouraging teeth to move, we will use a series of transparent dental aligner trays. We expect to replace the trays every few weeks, subject to the speed of the movement achieved. Each of your aligner trays will have a slightly different fit in order to keep shifting and moving your teeth gently into their new position.
Your clear aligner tray will need to be in your mouth for most of the day in order for the gentle pressure to take effect. The ligaments holding your teeth are literally being trained to release or pull each tooth into its new position. To achieve this, we recommend that you wear your dental aligner tray for 20-22 hours/day. The benefit of the aligner is that you can ‘cheat’ and remove the aligner for special occasions. The aligners should be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing.
We recommend that you clean your clear aligner twice a day when you clean your teeth with Invisalign Cleaning Crystals or special cleaning tablets. Purchase a soft toothbrush and use it for gently cleaning your aligner. After cleaning them, give them a gentle rinse with lukewarm water before putting them back in your mouth.
Our top tip for our clients is to keep that toothbrush specifically for your aligner and don’t use it for cleaning teeth. This is to ensure that toothpaste residue is not left in the aligner.
How Much Are Clear Aligners?
When it comes to braces, there is a range of pricing and brands available. While metal or ceramic braces are a cheaper option (less so ceramics), our clients do not like the fact that they are not removable, trap food, restrict food options and come with significant periods of discomfort to the entire mouth.
At The Dental Lounge, we only work with premium, world-class products and we have, therefore, chosen Invisalign to be our product of choice. Their amazing product is far superior in many aspects including the absolute transparency of the aligner, the quality of the material used, and the resistance to staining. The quality of the aligner and excellent results seen with the Invisalign System makes their treatments the most effective, all-rounder option that is available on the market today.
Which Clear Teeth Aligners Are the Best Choice?
There are a variety of aligner options on the market with the quality and related pricing varying per product. The quality of the material of the aligner is a critical factor in its ability to apply force to the misaligned teeth and to gently encourage them into their new positions. The quality of material also affects the requirement of grips or attachments in the treatment. Attachments are little anchors that attach the aligner to certain problematic teeth. A weak material in an aligner could require more attachments which would then start to look more like braces.
In addition, weaker aligner material will deliver poor results generally; therefore, the amount of money you have invested in that product will not give you the perfect smile you were hoping for.
There are aligner suppliers who promote the use of aligners at home without the involvement of a dentist or orthodontist. We do not recommend at-home solutions, as realigning your teeth without the direct supervision and clinical guidance of a dentist is risky. A dental professional needs to access your mouth and teeth and ascertain their suitability for treatment using clear aligners. Aspects such as you have bridges, implants, fillings, or dental crowns may affect your candidacy for most clear aligners. There are various options available to work these factors, but it requires the experience and medical training of a professional before starting off on your perfect smile journey using transparent aligners.
The assessment process and the preparation for aligners is key. The majority of the work done for an alignment treatment is done at the beginning. The quality of the assessment and the choice of product lays the foundation for a successful treatment. If you opt for an at-home treatment without involving a dentist or orthodontist, then you are running the risk of causing injury, damage, or breakages that will require potentially very expensive corrective treatment.
Using clear aligners for the movement of teeth needs certified medical guidance, or problems can occur. Without it, you might cause tooth decay, breakages, gum irritation, or even an open bite which your dentist will have to correct.
Invisible aligners and the treatment process is a big-ticket purchase that directly impacts your oral health. Because of this, we strongly recommend that you take the time to book an appointment with your dentist to hear their recommendations.
At The Dental Lounge, we have worked with various products and service providers over the years, and we know the strengths and weaknesses of products and suppliers. We also have vast experience and knowledge in how each product works in different dental cases.
You are unique, and your dental aligner needs will also be unique. We believe we give valuable, cutting-edge advice on what products and procedures are the best solutions for the world-class care of your teeth.
Discuss your needs and options with the team at The Dental Lounge, and together we will find the best combination of product, orthodontic needs, comfort, and budget for you. Book Complimentary Consultation
The Dental Lounge is committed to redesigning your dental experience with the perfect clear aligners procedure and care in Pompano Beach, FL. You can reach us by calling (954) 686-5729 or using our convenient online platform. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
