Invisalign does not just straighten teeth; it provides Phoenix patients with other benefits not usually associated with traditional metal braces, including greater comfort and improved dental health. When fixed appliances are adjusted approximately every six weeks they apply a great deal of force on teeth. For many patients, that pressure causes sore jaws, tender gums, sensitive teeth, and/or headaches. This is not usually a problem for Invisalign patients. They transition from one aligner to the next every two or three weeks as teeth are gradually shifted into place. This usually means that less force is applied by a new aligner than by an adjustment to traditional metal braces. Less force means less discomfort for you.

Patients in Phoenix who wear traditional metal braces must learn to brush and floss around the brackets and wires used to straighten teeth. This can be quite challenging, sometimes requiring special tools to clean between and around the appliances. If patients are not thorough and consistent with their dental hygiene, cavities can form between teeth, under wires, and close to brackets. Invisalign users, on the other hand, do not need to make significant changes to their dental hygiene routine. The aligners are removable, allowing for regular brushing and flossing.

The use of Invisalign to straighten teeth may actually be helpful in preventing cavities, since patients are encouraged to clean both the aligner and their teeth every time they remove and reinsert the aligner. Invisalign also allows dentists to take regular accurate x-rays, a procedure not available to patients with fixed braces. Metal appliances can interfere with accurate x-ray readings, masking cavities or weak enamel that might have been detected if the braces were not in the way. Removable aligners allow dentists to evaluate x-rays—and take measures to prevent further tooth decay—without interference. Contact Harris Dental in Phoenix to learn more about how Invisalign can benefit you.