Invisalign experts Charlottesville
Hamer and Glassick Orthodontics is your trusted expert in straightening smiles for patients of all ages in Charlottesville, Crozet, and surrounding communities. Invisalign in Charlottesville is the answer for teens and adults who want the same results traditional braces provide, but with more freedom and flexibility.
What are the benefits of choosing Charlottesville Invisalign treatment?
One of the most significant benefits of Invisalign aligners with being nearly invisible is your ability to remove them. Remove them before brushing and flossing, so brushing and flossing are easy. Orthodontic patients need to maintain an excellent dental hygiene routine, which can be hard when working around brackets and wire.
Removing the clear aligners also means you can avoid any food restrictions, which are the most significant learning curve with traditional braces for most people. With Invisalign, you don’t have to stop eating any of your favorite foods while you’re working on a straighter smile! However, aligners do need to be removed before all meals to avoid staining. They should also be cleaned and rinsed out with warm water at least once or twice a day.
There are no pesky wires to poke out and irritate the mouth when you wear Invisalign aligners. There aren’t any adjustment appointments, either. Invisalign wearers can still expect to have follow-up visits about every 6-8 weeks so that Dr. Hamer and Dr. Glassick can be sure everything is going according to plan.
What is involved in Charlottesville Invisalign treatment?
The Invisalign clear aligner system uses clear, removable aligners to align teeth and improve oral health. At your initial consultation, we will use x-rays and digital impressions to create a precise 3D image of the teeth. Using this information, we’ll build a customized aligner that is specific to each patient’s smile. The trays are constructed of a smooth, comfortable material that fits firmly over the teeth. You’ll switch the trays out every 1-2 weeks to keep up the movement of your teeth. If you use the aligners as directed, research has proven Invisalign to be just as effective as traditional braces.
How does the Charlottesville Invisalign system work?
The Invisalign system is straightforward. Wear each aligner for about two weeks and only take them out to eat, drink, brush, or floss. After two weeks, you will replace the aligner with the next in the series. Your teeth will move gradually until they reach their final desired positions.
During visits with Hamer and Glassick Orthodontics, we will check to make sure treatment is going according to plan. Skipping your appointments or not changing aligners as scheduled can quickly undo any progress you and our team have made. You must keep up with changing the aligners on time and always wear them as directed. Your trays will be custom designed to fit your unique dental needs and will need to be changed frequently to keep up with the teeth’ shifting as they straighten.
Don’t forget that every patient will respond to their treatment differently. Invisalign works in a slightly different and less invasive way than braces to straighten the teeth, so it's hard to say how long a patient will need to wear them before seeing results. Though the average time is somewhere between 6 and 18 months, this can vary widely from case to case. The timeframe also depends a great deal on patient compliance.
Invisalign can only work if patients stick to the program! We calculate the average treatment time based on patients following the recommended guidelines by wearing their aligners at least 20-22 hours every single day throughout treatment. Any deviation from this, however small, can add extra time to the overall process.
To learn more about Charlottesville Invisalign or find out if you are a good candidate for the Invisalign aligners, please contact our office to schedule a free consultation.