Dental Care and Special Needs: Planning for Success

Posted on: 24 May 2021

Invisalign is often touted as the most aesthetically pleasing tooth straightening option. And this does tend to be true. The nearly invisible straightening trays are definitely more attractive and less intrusive than metal or even clear braces. But it would be incomplete to suggest that looks are the only benefit of Invisalign. Here are a few other reasons this straightening option is so often preferred over braces.

You can keep your teeth cleaner.

Before you brush your teeth, you will remove your Invisalign trays. As such, you can keep your teeth just as clean as you would without aligners. Braces, on the other hand, make it really tough to brush and floss your teeth. Many people with braces don't do the best job of brushing their teeth as a result, which can lead to bad breath and an increased risk of cavities. These are not issues you have to worry about with Invisalign since you can go on brushing and flossing like normal.

You are less likely to develop sores in your mouth.

Anyone who has had braces will tell you that the sores they can cause are pretty painful. Most people get rubs and ulcers, especially in the first few weeks before their cheeks and gums have time to callus over. This is much less of an issue with Invisalign since there are no wires or metal brackets to contend with. Some people have a little irritation the first few days they wear the trays, but nothing too bothersome.

You don't have to visit the dentist every few weeks.

Squeezing dentist appointments into your schedule can be a struggle. When you have braces, you have to get them adjusted every few weeks. With Invisalign, though, you have a lot fewer dental appointments. You'll generally have one every 6 months to fit you with a new series of aligners. But it will be your own responsibility to switch aligner trays every week or two between appointments.

You won't have dietary restrictions.

One of the biggest complaints among those with braces is that they can't eat sticky or crunchy foods. With Invisalign, you don't have any of those restrictions since you take the trays out before eating. You can eat anything you want, as long as you remember to remove your trays.

Invisalign is definitely the best-looking tooth straightening option, but that's only one of many reasons to choose this approach. 

For more information on Invisalign, contact a dentist.