You'd love a straighter, healthier smile, but you hesitate because you don't like metal braces--how they look, how they feel, how long treatment takes. At Implant & General Dentistry, your dentists, Dr. Kirk Wilkie, Dr. Vic Turner, and Dr. Joey Pesicek, offer a great alternative: Invisalign clear aligners. Invisible, smooth and quicker than traditional braces, Invisalign could give you the smile you desire.

What orthodontia does

Braces--whether metal, ceramic, lingual (tongue-side) or clear acrylic aligners--move crooked teeth into healthier, better-looking positions. The American Dental Association says that while treatment works best during childhood and adolescent when malocclusions become obvious, teens and adults benefit from wearing braces, too.

What Invisalign does

Clear aligners, such as the very popular and effective Invisalign system, help the "older" patient correct a variety of smile alignment problems such as:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Openbite
• Crossbite
• Crowding
• Gaps
• Tooth rotation and tipping
• Protruding front teeth
• Orthodontic relapse (previously aligned teeth move back into poor positions)

While conventional braces take two or more years to accomplish treatment goals, Invisalign aligners move teeth in about one year on average. Then, most patients wear a retaining appliance to keep teeth in their new positions.

How it works

When you come to Implant & General Dentistry in Cary, NC your dentist will perform a complete oral examination, discuss his findings with you and if Invisalign is the right option, take special scans to formulate a step by step treatment plan.
Most Invisalign patients wear 18 to 30 pairs of thin, snugly-fitting aligners, changing them every two weeks or so. The aligners are removable for meals, brushing, flossing and, as needed, for special occasions such as job interviews and weddings. However, the aligners are so discreet, only the patient and dentist really know they're in place.
Additionally, patients come into the dental office every four to six weeks for quick check-ups and to pick up the next pairs of aligners. For teen patients, the dentist checks the compliance tabs on each aligner. These tabs tell him if the patient wears his or her appliances for the proper amount of time daily.

Benefits of Invisalign

Since the late nineties, millions of people have enjoyed the benefits of treatment with Invisalign. Those benefits include:

• Discreet appearance
• Smooth texture
• No dietary restrictions as with traditional braces
• Removability
• No oral irritations because there are no wires or brackets
• Faster treatment times
• No painful or complicated in-office adjustments

Find out more

If you long for a new look and teeth and gums that are healthier, contact Implant & General Dentistry for an Invisalign consultation with Dr. Wilkie, Dr. Turner or Dr. Pesicek. You can have that beautiful smile and really enjoy your treatment time, too. Call the office today to speaking with a friendly staff member: (919) 481-0330.