Serving patients of Erwin, Jonesborough, and Greeneville TN
Did you have braces as a teen or young adult? If so, you might be surprised to know that up to 50% of patients who undergo orthodontic treatment experience orthodontic relapse, meaning that their teeth fail to retain the preferred alignment. Maybe you’ve experienced this relapse. Or, perhaps you were unable to receive orthodontic treatment in your youth. No matter your situation, if you’re an adult who wants to straighten their teeth, you might think braces are your only option. Think again! Read on to learn more about how you can straighten your teeth in Greeneville without the embarrassment of braces.
The importance of straightening crooked teeth
If you’re living with crooked teeth, it can magnify your risk for several oral health risks: tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss, just to name a few. This is because crooked teeth may overlap or be more difficult to clean, potentially compromising your oral hygiene.
Other consequences of having crooked teeth include:
- Discomfort or soreness in the jaws, including a greater susceptibility to TMJ disorder
- Living with frequent headaches
- Problems chewing
Invisalign is an alternative to braces
Tusculum Dental Care offers orthodontic treatment with Invisalign. Rather than straighten teeth with a system of brackets and wires, like braces does, Invisalign is a method of aligner therapy. You receive a set of plastic aligners made to fit snugly over your upper and lower teeth. These aligners use gentle pressure to straighten your teeth. You return to your Invisalign provider in Erwin every few weeks to have your progress monitored and receive a new set of aligners.
Although treatment time varies on a case-by-case basis, Invisalign usually yields results more quickly than braces: in 12-18 months, as opposed to the average treatment time of 18-24 months for patients with braces.
Why choose Invisalign?
Shorter treatment time is just one advantage to using Invisalign in Greeneville to straighten your smile. Another benefit, as mentioned, is that treatment is discreet. The aligners are transparent, making it all but impossible to notice them when worn. This is especially significant for patients who are adults and seek orthodontic treatment, but may be self-conscious or embarrassed about the potential social stigma from wearing braces as an adult.
Other advantages to Invisalign include:
- Comfort – Invisalign typically causes less discomfort than braces, which can poke or irritate the lips, cheeks or gums.
- Convenience – Although you should wear your aligners for at least 22 hours per day, the aligners can be removed when you eat, drink anything other than water or need to clean your teeth.
- Improved oral hygiene – Patients with braces sometimes have difficulty completely brushing their teeth, as bacteria and food particles may congregate around the brackets. With Invisalign, once the aligners are removed, you just brush and floss your teeth as normal.
Looking for the appearance of straighter teeth?
Cosmetic dentistry offers a couple of treatment options that create the appearance of straighter teeth, but do nothing to resolve the actual crookedness. A dental bonding treatment or the placement of porcelain veneers can transform a smile with slight crookedness. The use of veneers to change the appearance of crooked teeth is known as “instant orthodontics.”
Straighten teeth without braces in Greeneville, Erwin and Jonesborough in Tennessee
When it comes to correcting your crooked teeth, you have options other than braces. The team at Tusculum Dental Care is here and ready to help. To find out more or schedule your consultation, call (423) 639-7575 or contact us online.