Watauga Invisalign

Shaw Orthodontics is your trusted expert straightening smiles for patients of all ages in Rockwall, Watauga, Keller, and surrounding communities. For teens and adults who want the same results traditional braces provide, but with more freedom and flexibility, Invisalign could be the answer! 

What is involved in Watauga Invisalign treatment?

The Invisalign clear aligner system aligns teeth and helps to improve oral health by using a series of clear, removable aligners. At your first consultation, we’ll use x-rays and digital impressions to create a precise 3D image of the teeth. We use this information to build a customized aligner that is specific to each patient’s smile. The trays are made out of a smooth, comfortable material that fits firmly over the teeth. These trays are designed to be switched out every 1-2 weeks to keep up with the teeth as they move into their desired new positions. When used as directed, Invisalign has been proven to be just as effective as traditional braces at treating many of the most common orthodontic issues. 

What are the benefits of choosing Watuaga Invisalign treatment?

One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign aligners besides being nearly invisible is the fact that you can take them off. Because Invisalign aligners are designed to be removed before eating or drinking anything other than water, you’ll never have to worry about food getting stuck in brackets or wires. They’re also meant to be removed before brushing and flossing. This makes it much easier to access your teeth and maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Taking care of your teeth is especially important when you’re an orthodontic patient. 

Being able to remove the aligners also means you can avoid any food restrictions, which can be one of the biggest learning curves with traditional braces. With Invisalign, you don’t have to stop eating any of your favorite foods while you’re working on a straighter smile! Aligners do need to be removed before all meals to avoid staining and should be cleaned and rinsed out with warm water at least once or twice a day.  

With Invisalign aligners, there are no pesky wires to poke out and irritate your mouth, and there aren’t any adjustment appointments. Invisalign wearers can still expect to attend follow-up visits about every 6-8 weeks, however, so that Dr. Shaw can be sure everything is progressing on schedule. 

How does the Watauga Invisalign system work?

The Invisalign system is pretty straightforward. Each aligner will be worn for about two weeks, and should only be removed to eat, drink, brush, or floss. As the aligners are replaced with the next one in the series, your teeth will be moving slowly but consistently, until they reach their final desired positions.

During visits with Shaw Orthodontics, we’ll check to make sure treatment is moving forward on schedule. Patients must keep up with changing the aligners on time, and must also wear them as directed. This is the most important part of getting a new smile with your Watauga Invisalign! Your trays will be custom designed to fit your unique dental needs and will need to be changed frequently in order to keep up with the shifting of the teeth as they begin to straighten. Skipping your appointments or not changing aligners as scheduled can quickly undo any progress that’s been made.

It’s important to remember that every patient will respond to orthodontic treatment differently. Invisalign works in a slightly different and less invasive way than braces to straighten your teeth, so it can be hard to say with certainty how long a patient will need to wear them before seeing results. Though the average tends to be somewhere between 6 and 18 months, this can vary widely from case to case and depends a great deal on patient compliance. 

We base our average treatment time on how well you follow the guidelines we give you. During your treatment you’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 20-22 hours a day. Any deviation from this, however small, can add extra time to the overall process. Invisalign can only work if patients stick to the plan.

To learn more about Watauga Invisalign, or to find out if you are a good candidate for the Invisalign aligners, please contact our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.