Traditional metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets, archwires, and rubber bands. Unfortunately, wires and rubber bands 一 the very parts of braces that shift your teeth into proper alignment 一 aren’t hassle-free.
The wires used in metal braces are notorious for causing sores, lesions, and cuts, while the rubber bands can snap, break, and be a nuisance to put in.
Dr. Roberto Palmieri and our team here at Palmieri Dentistry in Mooresville, North Carolina, provide an orthodontic solution that doesn’t rely on wires or rubber bands: Invisalign® clear aligners.
If wires and rubber bands are pivotal for teeth straightening, how can clear aligners shift your teeth without either?
Traditional metal braces work because the wires and rubber bands apply heavy pressure to your teeth. Depending on how the rubber bands are applied, they encourage movement in specific directions.
To treat an underbite, for example, the rubber bands link teeth on your lower jaw with molars on your upper jaw. The rubber bands help pull back your lower jaw to correct the underbite. It’s all about pressure!
Clear aligners follow the same principle: They apply pressure to your teeth to guide them into new positions. The difference is that clear aligners generate pressure using clear, BPA-free trays rather than rubber bands and wires.
Here’s a brief overview of the Invisalign process:
Each tray is slightly different from the previous one, encouraging your teeth to move in small increments.
The slots for your teeth in each tray are slightly straighter than your teeth actually are at that stage. This design puts pressure on your teeth so that over the course of the week, your teeth shift to correlate with the aligner.
This process is why wearing your trays for 20-22 hours each day is key to success.
Dr. Palmieri, accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, is an expert at creating beautiful 一 and healthy 一 smiles. Clear aligners can boost your oral health by making it easier to clean your teeth. Straighter teeth are easier to floss, reducing your risk of cavities.
Straightening your teeth can also:
Clear aligners can provide these benefits without the hassle and risk of discomfort associated with metal braces. Clear aligners are smooth, comfortable, and discreet. You can remove them to eat and clean your teeth.
To schedule your Invisalign consultation or to explore your options with a digital smile design simulation, call the Palmieri Dentistry office at 704-247-6276 or book your appointment online.
