Cathy is a 58-year-old married mother of three young adults. She’s always been self-conscious about her smile because her teeth were crowded. She had also become aware of how uneven the edges of her front teeth had become. Her hygienist pointed out to her the unevenness was due to wear that was occurring to her front teeth because of a misaligned bite. She made sure her children all had braces, but there was never enough money left over for hers. Now that her kids are out of the house, she wondered if it’s too late for her to have a beautiful smile.
Sarah is a 19-year-old student. The younger of two children, she was already in college by the time her turn for orthodontics came. Unlike her brother, who had braces at 13, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to wear railroad track braces. Sarah had seen the ads for clear braces. She wondered if she’d missed her chance now that she’s an adult.
Cathy and Sarah spoke to Dr. Sheridan and were delighted to hear it’s almost never too late to straighten your teeth. They learned they were excellent candidates for Invisalign, a non-metal alternative to traditional braces.
Here are a few of the advantages Dr. Sheridan shared with them:
1 Because Invisalign utilizes a series of clear acrylic aligners instead of metal brackets and wires, they are practically invisible. This is a huge plus, especially for adult or older teenage patients.
2 Invisalign aligners are removable, making brushing and flossing much easier and more effective. This helps prevent decay and gingivitis that sometimes occurs with traditional orthodontic treatment. Invisalign helps them keep a healthy smile during and after treatment.
3 Invisalign patients experience less gingival recession and root resorption, two other common and destructive side effects of bands and brackets.
4 Because Invisalign involves no metal components, patients can bleach their teeth while wearing the aligners.
Dr. Robert Boyd, chair of orthodontics at the University of the Pacific and one of the early pioneers of Invisalign, quoted in the Dental Tribune article, Spotlight on Invisalign: Pros and Cons of Treatment Planning with Clear Aligners, says “ When treatment planned and implemented properly, Invisalign is an effective alternative to traditional fixed appliances.”
If you’re wondering, like Cathy and Sarah did, if it’s too late for orthodontics, contact us. Dr. Sheridan is a dentist in Grove City, Ohio. You could be one of the more than one million people who now have a straighter, more beautiful smile because of Invisalign.