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More and more adults are visiting their orthodontists with each passing year. For decades there has been a stigma that only children and teenagers should undergo orthodontic work, but that belief is thankfully changing. Much of this can be attributed to advances in orthodontic technology.
Many adults are not comfortable with wearing standard metal braces and worry that it could affect their professional image. However, clear aligners are able to assuage many of these issues while also providing effective care. If you’re an adult who wants to correct their current oral issues, then clear aligners may be just what you need.
Interested in learning more? If so, then continue reading and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know.
1. Less Discomfort and Pain
What’s so great about clear aligners is that they’re made of smooth plastic. This means that they shouldn’t cause any irritation to the gums or teeth that are so common with metal braces.
And even though you might feel some soreness for the first few days as you get used to wearing your trays, your mouth should quickly adjust. And then you won’t even notice that they’re there!
Some people have to adjust the way they speak a little bit with aligners, similar to how people adjust to retainers. But, once more, that’s all temporary.
Overall, clear aligners are very comfortable to wear and don’t require much adjustment at all.
2. No Food Restrictions
People with braces need to have a mental list going through their heads every time they sit down to eat. They have to make sure that they don’t eat any popcorn, gum, or hard candy for fear that the food will get stuck to their braces. This is thankfully not something that people with clear aligners have to worry about.
That’s because you always take your aligners out before you eat, so there are no restrictions on what you can and can’t eat. Flossing and brushing are also easier with clear aligners because you can remove the aligners for that too.
The main rule that comes with clear aligners is that you need to wear them in your mouth between 20 and 22 hours a day. If you don’t, you could end up prolonging your treatment. You should really only take your aligners out to eat and to brush and floss your teeth.
It’s also a good idea to brush and floss right after you eat so that there are shorter gaps in between you wearing your trays.
3. Improves Your Self-Confidence
Perhaps the most common reason for getting clear aligners is the fact that they’re clear. If you have crooked teeth or gaps, you might feel self-conscious at work. And wearing metal braces is probably not going to help you feel any better about your professional image.
This is where clear aligners can help immensely. When you wear aligners, you won’t only be able to improve your smile but you won’t have to worry about what people think about the metal braces in your mouth.
When you wear clear aligners, most people won’t even notice that you have them on at all.
4. Treats Most Alignment Problems
Clear aligners are a great solution for a variety of teeth alignment issues. Whether you have a couple of crooked teeth, underbites, overbites, or other issues, there’s a good chance that clear aligners can solve it. And these days, you can even use elastics in conjunction with clear aligners to make it even easier to treat more serious oral issues.
The most common issues that clear aligners are used to treat include:
gapped teeth
overbite
underbite
open bite
Other treatable issues are a crossbite – which can happen if both the lower and upper jaws aren’t aligned properly – and overcrowding of teeth.
5. Shorter Treatment Times
For teens and tweens, clear aligners usually take the same amount of time as metal braces do. For adults, however, aligning trays can usually be completed in as short as 18-24 months. You can also utilize accelerated orthodontic treatments that you can do along with your aligner treatment in order to speed up the process even more.
6. More Advanced Technology
Your clear aligners will be designed specifically for your mouth. Your orthodontist will utilize the latest in 3D technology in order to create a full three-dimensional map of your mouth. They’ll then be able to make a complete step by step plan for your treatment, so you’ll know exactly how the process is going to go.
Your orthodontist will take impressions and x-rays of your teeth in order to know exactly how your teeth are going to get straightened out. The information is then sent to a lab where they will manufacture your aligners to your orthodontist’s exact specifications and then ship those aligners to your orthodontist.
You can then expect to receive a new and updated set of aligners every few weeks until your treatment is completed.
There Are Many Reasons to Get Clear Aligners
As we can see, there are a variety of reasons as to why someone might want to get clear aligners. And after reading the above, it’s no wonder why millions of people have turned to clear aligners in recent years. If you’re considering getting clear aligners for yourself, then make sure to consult with your orthodontist and get their opinion.
Whether you’re a teen, working professional, or a retired senior, there’s a good chance that you could benefit from having a straighter smile made possible with clear aligners.
Are you looking for a new orthodontist in the Little Rock area? If so, then contact us today and see what we can do for you!
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