If you are an adult who could benefit from braces, whether for cosmetic reasons or for functional reasons, you may have already considered the advantages and disadvantages of adult orthodontics. As an adult, you may have determined that you are not interested in metal brackets and wires, even for a short period of time.

Still, you are certainly not too old to seek the orthodontic treatment that you desire. In fact, as an adult, you have access to more advanced and more appealing alternatives to traditional orthodontics. Dr. John M. Hucklebridge, your dentist serving Dallas, offers Invisalign technology to enhance your smile.

The Invisalign method utilizes groundbreaking technology to provide the most discreet and most hygienic orthodontic treatment available. A customized series of clear, removable aligners are the secret to achieving your new smile.

After obtaining dental impressions of your top and bottom teeth, Dr. Hucklebridge will communicate with the specialists at the Invisalign headquarters to develop your orthodontic treatment plan. Three dimensional models of your teeth will be used to fabricate a complete series of aligners, according to the length and complexity of your treatment estimate.

Prior to receiving your first set of aligners, you will be able to view the digital progression of your treatment with your dentist. Once they are received, each set of aligners will be worn both day and night for approximately two weeks, before you are advised to proceed to the next set. As each set is slightly different, your teeth will be gently guided into the appropriate position.

During this time, your aligners can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing. Invisalign aligners are fabricated from a very strong, but amazingly thin polymer that becomes virtually invisible when placed over the teeth. For adults, this is an especially important advantage since it allows you to maintain a more mature and professional appearance for the duration of the treatment.

If you have wondered how orthodontic treatment would fit into your adult lifestyle, call the office of Dr. Hucklebridge for your appointment today to learn more about Invisalign.

To date, more than 800,000 orthodontic patients have been treated with the Invisalign procedure. By now, you may have heard about the many benefits of this state-of-the-art orthodontic technology. The fact that the clear, removable aligners are virtually invisible and surprisingly comfortable is certainly intriguing. The possibility of achieving beautifully aligned teeth without the use of traditional wires and brackets is appealing. The ability to enjoy and unrestricted diet and brush and floss normally throughout the treatment can be liberating. The thought of fewer, shorter office visits can translate into fewer interruptions in your busy lifestyle.

With all of the advantages and benefits noted, you may still wonder if Invisalign is the right choice for your unique needs. No two patients have the same orthodontic needs, but the success of the Invisalign procedure can be attributed to its ability to address a broad range of needs:

• Overbite/Deep bite (with the teeth closed together, the top teeth covers more than about a third of the bottom teeth)
• Under bite (with the teeth together, the top and bottom teeth fit end-to-end)
• Overjet (with the teeth together, the top teeth stick out much farther than the bottom teeth)
• Crossbite (with the teeth together, the bottom teeth overlap or stick out farther than the top teeth)
• Open bite (with the teeth together, the top and bottom teeth do not meet at all)
• Spacing/crowding (the teeth do not touch the adjacent or neighboring teeth, or the teeth are tightly compacted together)

The Invisalign procedure is a welcome alternative to traditional braces. Most patients are able to achieve the same results, often with less treatment time. Each aligner is worn for approximately two weeks, and gradual, comfortable tooth movement can be noted throughout the process.

The best way to determine the ways that Invisalign can improve your smile is to plan a visit to our Invisalign Plano dentist. If you have wondered if Invisalign is right for you, don’t waste another moment, call 972-398-2550 to schedule your appointment today!

For those with minor misalignments in their teeth, Invisalign is an excellent orthodontics option to correct these misalignments. Using clear plastic aligner trays rather than metal braces, Invisalign is more comfortable than traditional orthodontics. Invisalign trays are also practically invisible, so no one has to know you are receiving orthodontic treatment.

After Invisalign treatment has been completed, it will be necessary for you to wear a retainer. The retainer is placed to be sure your teeth remain in their new position, keeping your new, attractive smile intact. Your dentist will provide instructions on how long you will need to wear the retainer.

There are several different types of retainers. In many cases, if you have completed an Invisalign treatment, the final aligner tray or a duplicate of that tray can serve as your retainer. Typically, you will need to wear the tray at night.

In some cases, your dentist might recommend a fixed retainer. This is a metal retainer that is permanently attached to the backs of your teeth. It is very efficient at keeping your teeth properly aligned, but can provide a challenge when you are cleaning your teeth. Another option is a removable metal retainer, much like the retainer many adolescents wear after traditional orthodontic treatment. Although using or wearing a retainer might seem like a nuisance, it will help you keep the new smile you have been able to achieve through Invisalign treatment.

For more information about Invisalign, how it works and what recommendations your dentist provides regarding wearing a retainer, please contact a dentist with experience in Invisalign in Plano.

Invisalign, which offers orthodontic patients the opportunity to straighten their teeth without sporting a mouth full of metal, is becoming an increasingly popular treatment in Dallas. To correct a variety of conditions, such as excessive space, teeth crowding, overbites and underbites, Invisalign patients wear a series of aligners, which are made from thin plastic and are similar in appearance to teeth whitening trays. Patients wear each aligner for two weeks.

In addition to its aesthetic benefits, Invisalign has a faster treatment timeline than traditional orthodontics, with most patients wearing the appliances for just under a year. Traditional orthodontic treatment, on the other hand, generally lasts at least 18 to 24 months.

As is the case with metal or ceramic braces, you may have to wear your Invisalign appliances a little longer if your case is more complex, however. Your dentist will monitor your progress at appointments scheduled every six weeks.

In addition to their speedy turn-around time, the removable Invisalign appliances offer another advantage because they allow you to maintain your normal oral hygiene routine. Patients who choose traditional orthodontic treatments sometimes find that the brackets and wires make it difficult to brush and floss, so choosing Invisalign can also simplify your oral hygiene during the course of your treatment.

Check with your Dallas Invisalign dentist to see if Invisalign is an option for you.

Invisalign, or “invisible braces,” is a revolutionary new treatment in orthdodontics. Conventional braces require metal or ceramic brackets to be bonded to teeth to hold an “arch wire” in place. As the orthodontist progressively changes the tension in the arch wire, the teeth are slowly moved to their desired locations. While this method is tried and tested and works well, the “metal mouth” look and discomfort associated with braces deters many patients, especially adults, from seeking the orthodontic treatment that can give them better smiles or dental function.

The Invisalign system of invisible braces works without any brackets or wires and is equally and, in some cases, more effective than conventional braces in producing an aesthetic and stable orthodontic result. The Invisalign system uses a series of sheer removable aligners, similar to bleaching trays, which the patient needs to wear most of the day. These aligners, like retainers, while are easy to wear and almost unnoticeable though they cover the front surfaces of teeth.

The clear aligners generate forces on teeth similar to conventional braces. Each tray is designed from special Invisalign software, which uses computerized images of your teeth to design a series of trays, each tray causing a small force to shift the teeth slightly–about 0.25mm–to a more desirable position. Thus, when worn in succession, the teeth are progressively moved into alignment.

The Invisalign system actually virtually simulates the treatment outcome on the computer, which you can also see in the consultation phase, and actually see how the teeth will look after orthodontics. These computerized images are then used to produce the aligner series specifically for you. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks and an average patient would need about 18 to 30 aligners over a year to year and a half.

The Invisalign aligners are matchless in comfort because they can be removed while eating, brushing or flossing, so you enjoy your food more and oral hygiene is not a problem, unlike with regular braces. Plus you can smile without anyone noticing them, which makes them worth the higher expense when compared to regular orthodontics!

The Invisalign system works best for mild to moderate bite corrections and is well researched and clinically proven, but may not be suited to all cases. Visit your Dallas Invisalign dentist for a consultation to determine if Invisalign is the right orthodontic choice for you!

There is a new option for patients who wish for straighter teeth and a more functional bite without the unsightliness of conventional braces. For the “ideal” patient – Dr. Hucklebridge believes good results can be achieved using Invisalign for particular patients, which provides a tooth straightening alternative.

Invisalign treatment begins with a visit to Dr. Hucklebridge, who will then discuss whether or not Invisalign is an appropriate treatment plan and schedule an appointment to take molds of your teeth. These molds are sent to a lab where a system of mouth guard-style aligning devices will be fabricated, each one a couple millimeters different than the last until the ideal tooth position is realized with the final appliance.

Approximately every two weeks you will visit Dr. Hucklebridge, who will monitor the movement of your teeth and provide the next aligning mouth guard. The average treatment time with Invisalign is approximately 11 months.

Having a confident smile can change everything. With Invisalign you can get a stunning smile without most people even noticing you’re going through treatment.

So start on the right track today, and find out more about Invisalign at Plano Smile Studio.