Tuscaloosa Invisalign

Tuscaloosa Invisalign experts

Cowan & Whitaker Orthodontics is your trusted expert straightening smiles for patients of all ages in Tuscaloosa, Northport, Taylorville, Hill Crest, and surrounding communities.

For teens and adults who want the same results traditional braces provide, but with more freedom and flexibility, Invisalign could be the answer!

What is involved in Tuscaloosa Invisalign treatment?

The Invisalign system aligns teeth and helps to improve oral health by using a series of clear, removable aligners. Invisalign, when used as directed is just as effective as traditional braces at treating the most common orthodontic issues. We use x-rays and digital impressions to create a precise 3D image of the teeth at your first appointment. From this, we build a customized aligner that is specific to each patient’s smile. The trays are made out of a smooth, comfortable material that fits firmly over the teeth. These trays are designed to be switched out every 1-2 weeks to keep up with the teeth as they move into their new and improved positions.

What are the benefits of choosing Invisalign treatment?

Other than being almost invisible, one of the biggest benefits of Invisalign aligners is the fact that you can remove them. In fact, you should remove your Invisalign aligners before eating or drinking anything thing other than water, and before brushing and flossing your teeth. This makes it’s much easier to access your teeth and maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Keeping your teeth clean and healthy is especially important for orthodontic patients.

There are no food restrictions because you remove your clear aligners when you eat. This is a great benefit because food restrictions are often the biggest learning curve with traditional braces. With Invisalign, you don’t have to stop eating any of your favorite foods while you’re working on a straighter smile! Aligners do need to be removed before all meals in order to avoid staining. They should also be cleaned and rinsed out with warm water at least once or twice a day.

With Invisalign aligners, there aren’t any pesky wires to poke out and irritate your mouth, and there aren’t any adjustment appointments, either. To make sure everything is progressing according to plan, Invisalign wearers are still expected to attend follow-up visits Dr. Glen Cowan about every 6-8 weeks.

How does Invisalign work?

The Invisalign system is pretty straightforward. You’ll wear each aligner for about two weeks, and should only be removed to eat, drink, brush, or floss.  Your teeth will move gradually until they reach their ideal positions as the aligners are replaced with the next one in the series.

We will check to make sure treatment is progressing as planned during your visits to Cowan & Whitaker Orthodontics. Not changing aligners as scheduled or skipping your appointments can quickly undo any progress that’s been made. You must change the aligners on and wear them as directed. This is the most important element to success with your Tuscaloosa Invisalign. Your trays will be custom designed to fit your unique dental needs. They will need to be changed frequently in order to keep up with the shifting of the teeth as they begin to straighten.

The average treatment time is somewhere between 6 and 18 months but can vary significantly from case to case. Treatment time depends significantly on how well the patient follows instructions. Remember that every patient will respond to orthodontic treatment differently. Invisalign works in a slightly different and less invasive way than braces to straighten your teeth. This means it can be hard to say with certainty how long a patient will need to wear them before seeing results.

The treatment time estimate is based on patients following the provided guidelines. Any small deviation from this can add extra time to the overall process. Invisalign can only work if you stick to the program. This means wearing aligners for at least 20-22 hours every single day, throughout the course of treatment.

To learn more about Tuscaloosa Invisalign, or to find out if you are a good candidate for the Invisalign aligners, please contact our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.