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At Kite & Key Dentistry, we carry SureSmile removable clear aligners for discreet orthodontic treatment. We create custom-made aligner trays for each patient to achieve their orthodontic goals. You’ll receive enough clear aligners to change them every 2 weeks and have routine follow-up appointments to track your progress. Best of all, we’re able to map out your entire orthodontic treatment digitally so you can see what the entire process will look like from start to finish.
Most patients prefer clear aligners over traditional orthodontic treatment with metal braces. Metal wires and brackets are uncomfortable, noticeable, uncomfortable, make it difficult to clean your teeth, and impose a lot of dietary restrictions.
Comparatively, clear aligners are fully transparent for an aesthetically pleasing treatment. Instead of metal wires and brackets, the aligners exert gentle pressure against your teeth to gradually shift them with less discomfort.
Because the aligners are custom-tailored based on impressions taken of your teeth, they gently and effectively move your teeth little by little. The removability of the aligners also means you can easily and thoroughly brush and floss your teeth. No more white spots or plaque buildup! Our SureSmile patients also enjoy a restriction-free diet with no limitations.
This ultimately depends on the severity of your orthodontic issues and your compliance with treatment. Those with severe malocclusions such as a misaligned bite will take longer to straighten than a patient with minor crooked teeth or gaps. It’s also crucial to wear your aligners for the recommended 22 hours to stay on track with your treatment plan.
Taking your aligners out excessively or failing to wear them will cause your next set of aligners to feel too tight, or not at all, resulting in the need to wear your previous aligners for longer, extending your treatment time. On average, treatment ranges from 6 months to 2 years.
While clear aligners are much more hygienic and give you more freedom to eat and drink whatever you’d like, you also need to remember to remove them before eating or drinking. While you can drink room temperature or cold water with your aligners in, you’ll need to remove them if you’re going to eat any food or consume hot liquids.
Food and drinks can stain your aligners, trap food particles and introduce bacteria. Hot liquids can also alter the mold of your aligners, compromising their structural integrity and your orthodontic treatment.
Remove your aligners before eating, drinking, or smoking. Rinse the aligners with water before and after putting them back in and brush your teeth before the aligners are put back in. It’s also important to keep the aligners clean. You should brush the aligners with a soft-bristle toothbrush and denture cleaner twice a day. Soak your aligners once a week in denture cleaner for about 30 minutes for a deeper clean.
Older teens and adults with minor to moderate malocclusions that can comply with treatment are the best candidates for clear aligners. Clear aligners are effective at shifting the teeth horizontally, but patients with teeth that need to be rotated or moved vertically are better candidates for braces.
While clear aligners have improved tremendously over the years in their ability to correct a wide variety of orthodontic problems, including bite problems, thanks to attachments and elastics that assist the aligners, there are still limitations.
Clear aligners aren't suitable for you if you have severe malocclusions, such as a severe bite problem. We recommend that children, young teens, and anyone else who is not committed to wearing their aligners for at least 22 hours a day, thoroughly cleaning them, and following instructions should avoid this treatment.
The effectiveness of clear aligners depends on the patient's ability to wear them every day for most of the day, take care of them, refrain from removing them too often, and take precautions to avoid staining or damaging their aligners.
Patients who do not wear their aligners for 22 hours a day will soon realize that their teeth are not shifting accordingly to plan. If you're wondering if clear aligners are right for you, schedule a consultation at Kite & Key Dentistry with Dr. Winter today.
Even though clear aligners are limited in their ability to rotate, intrude, extrude, and shift severely misaligned bites, they are still an excellent option for patients with mild to moderate:
-Crooked teeth
-Gaps
-Overcrowding
-Misaligned bite
The milder your orthodontic issues are, the faster we can correct them with clear aligners. Some patients can correct crooked teeth and gaps in as little as six months. However, the average treatment time is 12-18 months.
Clear aligners can't correct severe malocclusions because they exert gentler force on the teeth. While this is much more comfortable and gentle on the teeth, it isn't as effective or fast when correcting teeth that require significant movement.
The most apparent differences between clear aligners and traditional braces are the materials they're made from, their removability, how often patients need to attend appointments, their appearance, the freedom and convenience involved with treatment, and how they feel.
Clear aligners have a leg up on metal braces in all the above categories. Patients prefer transparent orthodontic appliances that are discreet, more hygienic, comfortable, removable, and don't impose so many restrictions on their lifestyle.
Everything is more straightforward with clear aligners – from brushing teeth and eating food to avoiding accidental injuries. Clear aligners boost patient confidence because they feel better about their smile, they're able to enjoy more freedom during treatment, and they don't feel as much discomfort or restriction.
Interested in clear aligner orthodontic treatment? Experience the discreet aesthetic, ultimate comfort, and convenience of removable transparent aligners. Contact us at Kite & Key Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Julia Winter.
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