Clear smile
Braces are a big deal and a very common orthodontic procedure at Willow Pass Dental Care in Concord, CA as well as for millions of Americans. Not only are braces virtually a rite of passage for countless children and teenagers in the United States, but they are also popular for adults. However, traditional metal braces aren’t hip anymore. They are considered too finicky, uncomfortable, and downright unattractive.
Welcome to the new standard in orthodontic treatment. Clear braces by Invisalign.
As the name implies, clear braces are the aesthetic solution to the issue of fussy and visually unappealing conventional braces. Also often referred to as clear aligners, clear braces are virtually invisible to the naked eye and give orthodontic patients the opportunity to live the life they want to with minimal disturbance or interference.
What are clear aligners?
Clear aligners are serialized, transparent trays, or individual aligners, that can be used as a way to treat various forms of malocclusion. Much like a mouthguard, these aligners are worn by a patient for the majority of the treatment period and are only removed to eat.
Each clear aligner is custom fabricated for each individual patient from a transparent, BPA-free plastic material and designed to move a patient’s teeth into the correct locations by applying uniform pressure in predetermined locations. Once each individual aligner in the series has achieved its purpose, it is discarded. Each subsequent aligner in a patient’s treatment regimen will continue to methodically shift a patient’s teeth until maloccluded and misaligned teeth have been readjusted and realigned.
To achieve the level of both precision and customizability necessary for such a system to work, diagnostic imaging and fabrication of the aligners themselves are heavily aided by, and sometimes entirely guided by CAD-CAM computers. The whole process digitized which means less time in the dentist’s chair.
Beyond the Cutting Edge: The Clear Benefits of Clear Braces
For most of human history, the options for straightening teeth have been limited. Today, we see and experience advanced technology in all our lives. Computer power that would have cost billions of dollars just a few decades ago can now be found in almost everyone’s pocket or strapped to their wrists. In the dental field, technological advancements have been just as rapid. Nowhere is this more on full display than in orthodontic dentistry where in the span of just a decade dentists have moved from ungainly headgear to metal wire and brackets and now today we have innovative clear aligner systems that are virtually invisible to the naked eye.
While clear braces may be difficult to detect, the benefits of such systems are crystal clear — no pun intended. They are a far less visually obtrusive alternative to traditional steel and wire metal braces.
The aesthetic appeal of clear aligners is one of the primary benefits of such a system. Minimizing the visual impact means reducing any potential for social stigmatization.
With clear braces, no one need know that you are undergoing orthodontic treatments. For teenagers and adults, this can be incredibly important. This is also true for adults who may find conspicuous metal hardware in their mouths to be too visually intrusive and potentially embarrassing. Clear aligners are the solution.
Clear braces aren’t just visually more appealing than metal braces, they are also far more comfortable, convenient, and the least restrictive. Unlike metal braces which may necessitate a change in a patient’s lifestyle, clear braces can just be removed when necessary.
This is a significant advantage when it comes to our active lifestyle. Patients who would like to eat whatever they want or participate in contact sports, in the past would have had to minimize their participation in contact sports as well as watch what they eat due to the effort required to maintain metal braces.
Metal braces required careful cleaning to remove food debris trapped in the various nooks and crannies of the metal hardware. Hard foods and candies were a no-no. Athletes who opted for brackets and wires found that even the slightest contact with their mouth and cheeks resulted in painful, sometimes debilitating, cuts and bruises.
Clear braces are the best orthodontic solution
Clear plastic aligners are a great solution for teenagers and young adults with mild to moderate crowding of teeth in the mouth looking to get their teeth straightened as stealthily as possible.
Those with severe dental crowding or other forms of extreme malocclusion will find that clear braces may require additional or other forms of cosmetic dentistry.
Another major consideration that will certainly factor into any patient’s calculations will be costs.
How much do clear braces cost?
The cost of clear braces will vary depending on a variety of factors including insurance coverage, the severity of the malocclusion that must be treated.
Traditional metal braces cost between $3,000 to $7,000 dollars on average depending on the complexity and dental treatments required.
Clear braces will while much more technologically advanced will often cost in that same price range. It is obvious why many Willow Pass Dental Care patients opt for clear braces when it makes dental and financial sense. The advantages are just too obvious to ignore.
5 Reasons to Love Clear Braces
Clear braces are virtually invisible
Clear braces won’t draw any undue attention to your mouth and can be worn without anyone noticing. For teenagers and adults, the stealth option is often the most appealing.
Clear braces are removable
No need to worry about what you eat. Just pop out your clear aligners and eat to your heart’s content!
Clear braces are comfortable
No metal wires or brackets to deal with here. Clear braces mimic the shape of your teeth and won’t hurt your mouth during contact sports or a particularly bumpy car ride.
Clear braces require minimal maintenance
Patients just remove their clear braces and brush their teeth as they normally wood. Each clear aligner can be washed in warm soapy water or brushed like a set of teeth themselves. It’s incredibly simple and doesn’t require the meticulous flossing and cleaning necessary to maintain metal braces.
Clear braces are the most technologically precise dental treatment
Clear aligner appliances are made through a combination of the talent of Dr. Reza Khazaie and the Willow Pass Dental Care team as will as 3-D computer imaging systems. The entire treatment path is plotted out in a way to streamline the treatment process and ensure perfect results.
With metal braces, periodic visits to an orthodontist who must make manual adjustments to each individual bracket are required. With clear braces, you’ll visit our office about once every six weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned.
You will wear a set of clear aligners for about two weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush your teeth, and floss.
Once an aligner set is done and achieved its purpose, we just toss it out and pop in the next set of aligners to continue your treatment with full confidence that your future smile will be exactly what you wanted.
The total treatment time will likely average around 9 to 15 months that will result in a beautiful smile.
Are you considering clear braces? Look no further than Dr. Reza Khazaie of Willow Pass Dental Care, the leader in dental care in Concord, CA. We provide a broad range of orthodontic dental care and a friendly and professional staff and environment that you can call home.
Schedule a consultation today by calling 925-326-6114 or complete our online form below to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.
