Rapid City Invisalign experts
For teens and adults who want the same results traditional braces provide, but with more freedom and flexibility, Invisalign could be the answer! Rapid City Orthodontics is your trusted expert straightening smiles for patients of all ages in Rapid City and the surrounding areas.
What is involved in Rapid City Invisalign treatment?
By using a series of clear, removable aligners, the Invisalign system aligns your teeth and improves your oral health. When used as directed, Invisalign has been proven to be just as effective as traditional braces at treating many of the most common orthodontic problems.
We will use x-rays and digital impressions to create a precise 3D image of the teeth at your initial consultation. We will use this to build an aligner designed just for your smile. The trays are constructed of a smooth, comfortable material that fits firmly over your teeth. These customized trays will be to be switched out every 1-2 weeks to keep up with the teeth as they move into their desired new positions.
What are the benefits of choosing Rapid City Invisalign treatment?
Besides being nearly invisible, one of the biggest benefits of Invisalign aligners is their removability. By design, you should remove your Invisalign aligners before eating or drinking anything other than water. This means you'll never have to worry about food getting stuck in brackets or wires. They should also be removed before brushing and flossing. It's much easier to maintain a good oral hygiene routine because you can access your teeth more easily. Keeping your teeth clean and healthy is especially important during your orthodontic treatment.
No need to worry about any food restrictions since you can remove your aligners to eat and drink. This is pretty significant because food restrictions are often the biggest learning curve with traditional braces. With Invisalign, you can eat all of your favorite foods while working on your straighter smile. Aligners do need to be removed before you eat to avoid staining, and they should be cleaned and rinsed out with warm water at least once or twice a day.
Another benefit that comes with Invisalign is the absence of pesky wires to poke out and irritate your mouth, and there aren't any adjustment appointments. With Invisalign aligners, there are Invisalign wearers are still expected to attend follow-up visits about every 6-8 weeks so that we can be sure that your teeth are making good progress.
How does Rapid City Invisalign system work?
The Invisalign system is pretty straightforward. You'll wear each aligner for about two weeks, and should only be removed to eat, drink, brush, or floss. As the aligners are replaced with the next one in the series, your teeth will be moving gradually, until they reach their new and improved positions.
During your visits with Rapid City Orthodontics, we will check to make sure treatment is progressing as planned. You must change the aligners on time and wear them as you are instructed to do. This is the most important part of the success of your smile with Rapid City Invisalign. Your trays will be custom designed to fit your unique dental needs. They will need to be changed often to keep up with the shifting of the teeth as they begin to straighten. Not changing aligners as scheduled or skipping your appointments can quickly undo any progress that has been made.
Keep in mind that every patient will respond to orthodontic treatment differently. Since Invisalign works in a slightly different and less invasive way than braces to straighten your teeth, it's hard to say for sure how long each patient will have to wear their aligners before you see encouraging and significant results. The average is somewhere between 6 and 18 months, this can vary widely from case to case. Treatment time depends in large part on patient compliance.
We estimate average treatment based on patients following the recommended guidelines. This means wearing aligners for at least 20-22 hours every single day during the entire treatment. Straying from this schedule even a little bit can add extra time to your overall treatment. Invisalign can only work if patients stick to the program.
To learn more about Rapid City Invisalign, or to find out if you are a good candidate for the Invisalign aligners, please contact our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.