Clear aligners are an innovative, effective way to achieve a beautiful smile, but they are also discreet, comfortable, and convenient.

The most obvious benefit of clear aligners is that they are practically invisible. In fact, they are so discreet that people will have a hard time seeing them, even if they are standing right next to you!

But you can’t ignore the convenience factor. Traditional braces with wires and brackets come with many food restrictions, and food particles get stuck in them easily. This, along with the fact that they make brushing and flossing much more difficult, significantly increases your risk of dental decay and gum disease.

Since the clear aligners are removable, you take them out to eat and perform oral hygiene. This eliminates food restrictions and improves oral health. No special accommodations or tools are needed to keep your teeth clean.

Moreover, the aligners are made of smooth plastic, making them much more comfortable than painful, clunky, and irritating metal wires and brackets.

Other amazing benefits of clear aligners include:

• Less time in the dentist’s chair
• Reduced treatment time, giving you a beautiful smile faster
• No mouth injuries due to sharp edges or broken wires
• Elimination of “wire-tightening” pain
• No need for emergency visits to replace a broken bracket

All orthodontic treatment options reposition teeth through force. This force breaks down the bone that holds teeth in place, allowing them to move. Once a tooth achieves its new position, bone regeneration occurs to keep the tooth there.

With traditional braces, you must continually return to the orthodontist to get your wires tightened. Each time this occurs, the force changes to keep the teeth moving until they achieve their final desired position.

When your teeth reach their final position, the dentist will remove the wires and brackets and fit you for removable retainers. You will wear the retainers until all bone regeneration has occurred and the teeth are firmly fixed in their new positions.

Clear aligners, however, achieve the progression of force and tooth movement through a series of aligners. You will wear each set of aligners for approximately two weeks before advancing to the next set in the series. Since you progress through the aligners at home on your own, it is not necessary to return to the dentist as often.

As you move through the aligners, you will see your teeth becoming straighter and straighter. The final set of aligners will be your retainers.

During your consultation, Dr. Shahid will collect all the information needed to create a customized treatment plan for you. This will include examination, taking photographs and impressions, and discussing your goals. At SMILES ON 35^th, you will appreciate our advanced technology, which includes digital impressions with our CEREC Prime Scan scanner that avoids the messy, gooey, unpleasant materials needed for mold impressions.

Dr. Shahid will send all this information, along with her treatment plan, to the lab for fabrication of your custom aligners.

When we receive your aligners, we will bring you back in to give you specific instructions on how to wear them, how long to wear each set, and how often you will need to return for follow up. The follow-up appointments are to ensure you remain on track with your treatment.

Although the clear aligners are removable—and they should be removed whenever you eat or drink and for oral hygiene—you should wear them as much as possible. Wearing them less than 22 hours a day can get you off track and increase your treatment time. It is also essential to ensure you follow the correct sequence when advancing to a new set.

If your dental insurance offers coverage for orthodontics, it may help cover some of the cost of clear aligners. Our knowledgeable team will work with you to maximize your insurance benefits.

While clear aligners can correct many issues with misaligned teeth and bites, they are not for everyone. Some patients have issues that may be too complex for treatment with clear aligners.

Also, effective treatment requires excellent patient compliance. If you are not prepared to commit to wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours every day, you may not achieve satisfying results.

To find out if you are a good candidate, contact our Seattle clear aligners provider to schedule your consultation. Dr. Shahid would love to evaluate your smile and determine if we can achieve your desires and goals effectively with clear aligners.