How Does Invisalign Work?

Traditional braces are held in place by brackets that are firmly attached to your teeth and a thin wire is tightened regularly to move the teeth into place. Although traditional braces work very well, some patients find them too obvious and limiting for their lifestyle. Invisalign is a different way to straighten your teeth without the use of traditional braces. Instead of using brackets and wires, Invisalign utilizes custom-made aligners that fit perfectly over your teeth and apply gentle pressure to gradually align your smile. With Invisalign aligners, you don’t have to keep coming into our office for adjustment appointments. Instead, you’ll simply move into the next set of aligners on a regular schedule and only come in every few weeks to ensure your treatment is processing as it should.

The Initial Consultation

This initial consultation is always complimentary and allows our team to analyze your smile and determine which treatment options best fit your smile goals and lifestyle.

The Invisalign Exam

Typically done during your initial consultation, this exam is when our team will take digital scans of your teeth and bite to assess your dental health and history, examine your existing smile, and review the details of your treatment plan, including cost and length of treatment.

Starting Treatment

Now for the exciting part! Your orthodontist will give you your first sets of aligners and any care instructions you may need. You’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 20-22 hours a day, and you should only take out the aligners when you brush your teeth, eat, drink, or need a mouth guard to play sports safely.

Benefits Of The Invisalign System

There are so many unique benefits to Invisalign aligners, including the fact that they are made of a patented thermoplastic BPA-free material that’s comfortable to wear and virtually invisible. Unlike traditional braces, the Invisalign system is removable, so you can take them out to brush and floss your teeth or to eat whatever you want.

Invisalign can be used to correct a range of orthodontic issues, including closing gaps between teeth, improving tooth alignment, fixing spacing issues, and correcting overbites, crossbites, and underbites. But the benefits don’t stop there! Once your treatment is completed, you can rest easy knowing the oral health benefits of a straighter smile, such as:

    • The uneven wear of teeth caused by improper bite alignment
    • Periodontal disease caused by inadequate tooth cleaning
    • The development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and associated jaw pain
    • Gum disease and tooth erosion which can lead to tooth loss

Is Invisalign Right For You?

When it comes to straightening your smile, you can straighten your teeth more quickly and easily using Invisalign’s clear aligner system. However, it’s important to note that not all cases are optimal for using Invisalign. More severe orthodontic issues may be better solved using braces or other appliances.

Patients also need the self-discipline to consistently wear their aligners for the full recommended 22 hours per day. Failure to do so can hinder or greatly slow your progress.

Diamond Plus Providers Of Invisalign

Gramercy Orthodontics is proud to be known as a Diamond Provider of Invisalign in New York, NY. Even though all Invisalign providers are trained and certified, very few reach the status of Diamond Provider. Diamond status means that our orthodontics team is in the top 1% of all Invisalign providers in the country. This means that our skills and experience are at a level you can feel confident in!