Clear Aligners in brownsburg

Dental Bridges in Matthews, NC - Trailhead Advanced Dentistry

What Are Clear Aligners?

Clear aligners are removable and transparent orthodontic aligners placed over the teeth and exert gentle pressure to gradually straighten a patient’s teeth. Clear aligners are becoming more popular than braces in adults and patients with minor to moderate orthodontic misalignment because of their aesthetic qualities. The clear aligners are unnoticeable, more hygienic, and give patients more freedom in their daily lives. Clear aligners can correct a range of orthodontic issues, including:

  • Gaps
  • Crooked teeth
  • Overcrowding
  • Bite problems

How Do Clear Aligners Work?

Impressions are taken of a patient’s bite so we can fabricate custom-made aligners that fit over their teeth. These aligners exert pressure on the teeth just like braces do, but the aligners, which are made of thermoplastic instead of metal, are much more comfortable and cushiony. 

The aligners are to be worn for a minimum of 22 hours per day to give the aligners enough time to shift the teeth. This is different from braces, which are bonded to the teeth and move the teeth 24 hours a day. For this reason, clear aligners are more convenient. 

You can take them out to eat anything you want and to clean your teeth more easily. However, this means you also need to be diligent about wearing them. Avoid removing your aligners too often. 

You should avoid habits like frequent snacking that cause you to repeatedly take out your aligners. Each set of aligners will be worn for two weeks. Then, you will switch to a new aligner. Each aligner takes you closer to your orthodontic goals as you progress through your treatment. 

The aligners will feel tightest at the start of the 2-week period when you switch to a new aligner. Over time, as the aligners shift your teeth, they will feel less tight, and any soreness will start dissipating. 

You will come into Swartout Dental every six weeks for a routine checkup. During these appointments, we check on your progress and provide you with more aligners. You will not need to attend as many appointments as you would with braces because your aligners don’t need adjusting.

Dental Bridges in Matthews, NC - Trailhead Advanced Dentistry

The Process of Getting Clear Aligners

Consultation

Dr. Swartout will assess your bite to determine your candidacy for clear aligners. Clear aligners aren’t suitable for everyone, so we will need to review your oral health, the condition of your teeth, the severity of your orthodontic misalignment, your age, and your ability to comply with treatment.

Impressions Digital Planning

Digital scans, photos, and impressions are taken of your teeth and sent to the dental lab in charge of fabricating your clear aligners. First, they will upload this information into a computer software program that produces a 3D model of your teeth. 

This is done using precise measurements from our intraoral cameras and impressions. Once we have a 3-dimensional model of your teeth, we can move your teeth around to plan your treatment. 

We will provide the lab with instructions on how we want your teeth to move and all orthodontic problems we want to correct. They will then create a treatment plan by digitally planning tooth movements, which we can approve or adjust. 

Since we have access to this software on our office computers, you can view the model of your teeth to see how your teeth will look at the end of treatment and how each of your teeth will individually move.

Fabrication & Aligner Pick-Up

Once we approve your digital treatment plan, the lab will move on to fabricating your custom-made aligners based on the precise impressions and scans that we have taken of your bite. It can take up to a month to create your aligners, but once they’re ready and have them at our office, you can come in to pick them up.

Retention

Once you’ve completed your treatment and have straight teeth, we will take new impressions of your teeth and fabricate a custom-made retainer for you to wear. This prevents your malleable jaw from causing your teeth to move back into crooked positions.

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Impressions that we took of your teeth are used to create a crown or full-arch restoration (denture or bridge) which is placed about 6 weeks after the attachment of your abutment. This completes the implant process.

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