When it comes to straightening your smile, you have a lot of treatment options available. Minor imperfections could be fixed by cosmetic work such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding. But if your entire mouth needs adjustment, you’ll likely need an orthodontic approach. Invisalign in Gouverneur, NY, could help you straighten your smile and improve your bite. But it may not be available for everyone. Before starting treatment, your dentist will examine your mouth and discuss your cosmetic goals with you. Then, they can help determine if Invisalign is right for your smile.
Times Invisalign in Gouverneur, NY, May Not Work
Invisalign is a popular orthodontic option as it allows patients to discreetly adjust their smile with fewer dietary restrictions. However, Invisalign isn’t always the right treatment for every case. Because each smile is different, some patients may benefit more from a different form of orthodontic treatment. While there are many reasons your dentist may recommend alternative treatment, the most common are case complexity and patient responsibility.
Complex Orthodontic Cases
Invisalign tends to work best for patients with mild to moderate cases of malocclusion. When you start Invisalign treatment, you typically get a number of trays up front. Patients swap out their clear aligners every few weeks in a process with a similar effect to getting braces tightened. Your dentist uses impressions and X-rays to determine the course of your corrective treatment at the start. This process can be a great way to save time and money. However, it can also make treatment for complex cases more difficult.
If you have extreme crowding, large gaps between teeth, or other dental problems, traditional braces may be more effective. With traditional braces, your dentist can better adjust your treatment on the go. This allows them to respond to unexpected changes as your teeth begin to shift and move. If you have a complex dental case, Invisalign may not be the best treatment option.
Patient Responsibility
Being able to remove Invisalign trays to eat and brush your teeth makes them a highly sought-after option. However, this also means that the patient needs to be responsible enough to wear their aligners for the majority of the day and night. Failure to wear your trays can reduce the efficiency of your treatment and even extend your treatment time. For this reason, younger patients often benefit more from traditional orthodontic methods.
Oral Hygiene
Another key part of using Invisalign is keeping your teeth and gums clean. Patients need to make sure they are properly brushing and flossing their teeth before they put their aligners in. Otherwise, plaque can build up more quickly. Patients who struggle with their oral hygiene due to limited mobility or other concerns may not be able to keep their oral hygiene high enough during treatment. In this case, your dentist may recommend an alternative form of treatment to adjust your bite.
If you want to straighten your smile and improve your bite, Invisalign may be able to help. Call us today at (315) 203-1772 to schedule a consultation and see if clear aligners may be right for you.