If you’ve thought about straightening your teeth and creating a more aesthetically pleasing smile, Invisalign is one of the most cutting-edge tools available. Bloom TV’s Gayle Guyardo visited Dr. Cindy Brayer at our Creating Smiles St. Petersburg location to learn more smile transformations with Invisalign.
Invisalign vs DIY Clear Aligner Treatment
In the past few years, there has been a significant rise in the number of DIY at-home clear aligner treatment products that promise professional results without having to go to a dentist or orthodontist. But are DIY aligners all that they are cracked up to be or is Invisalign a better option?
“We know that tooth movement is not always a simple and straightforward process. And patients who are interested in straightening their teeth may go online and hear about these ‘do it yourself at home’ clear aligners, which may lead them to think that the process is going to give them the same results as if they had orthodontic treatment done with a dentist under a dental office,” explains Dr. Cindy Brayer.
“But this is not always the case. I’ve had a number of patients who’ve come to my office after having done the DIY clear aligners and they just were not always happy with the results because their teeth are not moved completely straight. And so that’s why we’ve chosen Invisalign. They’ve done more than 9 million cases so they’ve just know how to move teeth. Most importantly, with Invisalign, they have these attachments that are customized to be placed on certain teeth, and that’s super important because it helps to move the teeth more accurately, and it makes it so that patients end up with a really nice final result.”
The Invisalign Journey
One of the things our patients love most about straightening their teeth with Invisalign is the convenience.
“We make it convenient for busy people to fix their imperfect teeth with Invisalign. We offer both in person and teledentistry consultations. You can fill out your paperwork online before you’ve come to meet us. From there, we take a free smile scan with our iTero scanner, which will give us an instant digital model of your teeth. It’s pretty awesome and even more accurate than the old tray impressions. You can see your before and after simulation right then so you have an idea of the final result,” says dental hygienist Tiffany Feger.
In addition, we take the other records, like digital X rays and photos, and perform a thorough exam to make sure your teeth are healthy overall. Your dentist will review your ClinCheck with you and discuss your needs, wants, and expectations. This will include how long your customized treatment will be. Our patients typically finish in about five to six months with our accelerated Invisalign treatment.
In just two weeks we will deliver your first set of clear aligners and accelerator, and show you how to use them. A week later we will place attachments on your teeth. You will get four to six sets of aligner trays so you can move through the numbered aligners at home. You do not need to come in every time you change to the next set. We will check your progress with periodic appointments and sometimes use our tele dentistry option if that is your preference. We keep a close eye on your smile to make sure it is tracking appropriately.
Before you know it, it’s time to remove the attachments and your Invisalign treatment is complete. The dentists here will cosmetically fix any chipped teeth before delivering your Vivera retainers. Did you know that when you finish Invisalign with us, we’ll also give you free teeth whitening?
As Tiffany says, ““You’ll have perfect teeth, and you’ll leave doing the happy dance.”
The Dentist You Choose Matters
When it comes to the success of your Invisalign treatment, the dentist you choose matters. As Dr. Brayer notes, “Invisalign is a tool that’s used to move your teeth and like any other tool experience with the user is critical to the success of the case.”
“When they’re choosing a dentist, patients should spend a lot of time doing research and make sure that their dentist has a lot of training and experience with Invisalign so that they can help to ensure that the outcome of their case is as ideal as possible.”
Creating Smiles is one of Pinellas County’s leading providers of cosmetic and general dentistry services, including Invisalign, teeth whitening, dental implants, and oral cancer screenings. To schedule your in-office or virtual new patient consultation please call our St. Petersburg office (727-323-0377).
