What Is Invisalign?

Long Island residents are often among the first to hear and experience new developments in technology. Thanks to the location alongside – and as a part of – the New York City metro area, the more than 7.6 million people who call the island home are usually close to the locations that adopt these technologies early on. At Stony Brook Family Dentistry, we make sure to always implement the latest technologies when treating our patients. One of those dental breakthroughs is the use of Invisalign orthodontic solutions to improve smiles.

If you’re not clear on what Invisalign is, think of it as the next step forward for braces. It’s a method that uses clear dental appliances to accomplish the same thing that traditional braces did, but without the issues the old style of braces came with. In other words, they’re clear, effective braces.

It works like this. To begin with, you’ll visit us at the dental facility and we’ll use a specialized, computer driven process to chart out the proper aligners for your situation. Generally, clear braces are right for those with moderate or mild crowding and/or spacing. More serious problems may not be a good match for this procedure, but the majority of patients will be able to use them.

Once your aligners are created, you’ll wear them on a regular basis as directed by your dental professional. Since they’re removable, you’ll be able to take them out when you need to for sleep, cleaning, and other situations. Their clear nature means that they’re practically invisible and that nobody will notice them, and they also have other benefits including the fact that since they’re removable you will actually be able to maintain maximum dental hygiene. You also don’t have to worry about restricting certain foods from your diet – you can eat whatever you like.

You’ll still need to visit your dentist on a periodic basis to ensure that the aligners are creating the right kind of changes in your smile, of course. And it’s also important that you be disciplined and regularly wear the aligners as directed, or results may not come. If you can do that, Invisalign could be the solution you’ve been waiting on.

If you think that Invisalign is an option you’re interested in, feel free to contact us today to schedule your consultation and learn more about this dental breakthrough and whether or not it can help you.