San Antonio, Texas
Millions of people nationwide feel self-consciousness about their smile. If you have crooked and crowded teeth or gapped teeth and would like to correct that, we can help you achieve your smile goals with Invisalign® clear braces.
In the past, the only way you could straighten your teeth was through years of wearing uncomfortable and unsightly metal braces that were bonded to your teeth for the duration. Today, Invisalign gives us an alternative. Although they are often called “clear braces†they are not braces in the traditional sense. They are more like tooth whitening trays.
How Invisalign Works
- Invisalign tooth straightening uses a customized series of aligners. They are clear and virtually invisible when worn. Every two weeks, you would discard the current pair of aligners and start wearing the next pair in the series. Dr. Hale will give you several pairs in advance. About every six to eight weeks you would come in so he can check on your progress and give you the next few aligner sets.
- You can remove the aligners at any time, and should remove them to eat and to clean them, and to brush and floss your teeth. To be fully effective they should be worn for at least 22 hours each day. Each pair gently nudges certain teeth in certain directions with a certain pressure, according to your Invisalign treatment plan.
The Invisalign Process
- The Invisalign® process begins with an initial consultation at our San Antonio office. You can meet with Dr. Hale and discuss how best to improve your smile. Dr. Hale will be able to let you know if Invisalign® is a good option and whether or not some other alternatives might work, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding.
- When you decide to go ahead with Invisalign, Dr. Hale will take an impression of your teeth, upper and lower. He will assess and record your bite and take various measurements and photographs. All the data will be sent to the Invisalign lab which will create your complete series of aligners.
- When they are ready, your next visit will be to insert the first pair and let Dr. Hale check their fit. Then you will be on your way to a newly straightened smile! And you will feel like smiling indeed, doing it all without any braces!
If you would like to enhance your smile with Invisalign®, please contact our cosmetic dentistry office to schedule an initial consultation. Bring all your questions and Dr. Hale will give you clear answers.
