Parental dental tips

As a busy professional, wearing traditional metal braces for at least a year is out of the question. It isn't just a matter of your appearance, it's about the effect that traditional braces will have on your already hectic routine. When you are attending meetings and constantly on the move, there simply isn't time for the added responsibility that comes with wearing a brace.

There is another, faster, less intrusive way to straighten your teeth, however, and it doesn't involve metal brackets and wires. Invisalign is ideal for those working within the corporate arena, where time is money and appearance is paramount.

You Don't Have to Clean Them After Every Meal

The problem with traditional braces is that food particles become stuck between the wires and brackets during meals. This means that you need to clean them after every meal, otherwise your oral hygiene will suffer along with your appearance.

Invisalign completely removes this issue. Because Invisalign utilizes non-toxic, medical grade plastic aligners to straighten your teeth, you can remove them before every meal.

You Have a Small Window of 2-4 Hours During Which They Can Be Removed

Orthodontists recommend that you wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day for maximum results. This gives you a small window within which to work, but it is still one that wouldn't exist with traditional braces.

This gives you the opportunity to remove your Invisalign trays anytime you feel they might be more noticeable, such when meeting people in an area where the lighting is exceptionally bright, for example.

Treatment Time Is Significantly Shorter

The average treatment time for traditional metal braces is 24 months. This may be too long a period for many busy professionals. However, the average time that it takes for Invisalign to do its job is about 12 months. This means that

Invisalign Won't Change the Way You Speak

Not only does Invisalign have less of an effect on the way you speak than traditional braces, but you can also remove Invisalign aligners whenever you feel they might impede your speech, provided you wear each aligner for 20-22 hours a day.

If your corporate position leaves little time for traditional braces, talk to your dentist about Invisalign. As a professional with hours of face time each day, your appearance is important. Bear in mind, however, that Invisalign is designed for minor to moderate cases of crookedness, and your dentist will, therefore, first need to ensure that your case meets these criteria.