Invisalign – Kansas City, MO
Get a Straight Smile with Clear Aligners
Did you know you can achieve a straight smile without brackets and wires? Invisalign is the preferred orthodontic treatment among teens and adults because it’s virtually invisible. Clear aligners apply continual pressure to the teeth, gradually moving them into alignment. You’ll enjoy a discreet solution to help you feel confident throughout your treatment. Dr. Byars will create the customized plan you need to achieve a straight, healthy smile. If you would like to learn more, give us a call!
Why Choose Dr. Michael C. Byars for Invisalign?
- More reliable & comfortable than mail order aligners
- Individually designed for every patient
- Able to help adults & teens alike
How Invisalign Works
Brackets and wires pull your teeth into position, which is effective in correcting even the most complex issues. Unfortunately, braces can be very noticeable. Invisalign resolves the common complaints of metal braces because it doesn’t involve any brackets or wires.
Instead, impressions of your mouth are taken, which integrate with state-of-the-art technology to map the movement of your teeth. The information is transferred to a series of aligners you’ll wear over your teeth to move them into position. You’ll need to commit to wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours per day. You’ll switch to the next aligner in the series after about 1 week. On average, it takes 12-18 months to finish the treatment.
Who Can Invisalign Help?
Invisalign is effective for correcting a variety of bite and alignment issues that can lead to dental problems. Here’s a look at some examples.
Crowded Teeth
Unfortunately, if your teeth are overlapping, it’s more than an aesthetic problem. Poorly aligned teeth can also affect your dental health and your quality of life. Overcrowding can make it challenging to clean your teeth. Even with the best brushing and flossing techniques, food particles, plaque, and bacteria can get trapped in hard-to-reach places, increasing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
You’ll also have an increased likeliness of dental emergencies, especially if there’s impact or injury to the face. You might never expect one to happen to you, but 1 in 6 Americans requires urgent dental attention annually. You can lower your risk of an unplanned trip to your dentist by moving your teeth into their correct positions.
Invisalign can gradually reposition the teeth so that they’re no longer overcrowded, thus creating a healthier smile.
Spaces Between Teeth
It’s easy to feel embarrassed by gapped teeth, but aesthetics aren’t the only concern. Believe it or not, the large spaces can negatively affect your oral health. Food can get trapped in the gaps, leading to an increased risk for cavities and gum disease.
Gaps between teeth can occur for several reasons, such as periodontal disease, smaller than average teeth, tongue thrusting, thumb-sucking or pacifier use, missing teeth, and a large frenulum. We’ll evaluate the gaps and discuss your goals to ensure clear aligners are the right choice for you.
Bite Alignment
No matter if you are living with an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or open bite, the effects can take a toll over time. Apart from the fact that most individuals do not like walking around with a poorly aligned bite for aesthetic reasons, there are other motivations to fix this common problem. For example, if you leave the issue alone:
- It can negatively impact your ability to speak clearly
- It can cause embarrassment and self-esteem issues
- It can lead to chronic jaw pain and, eventually, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
- It can cause your teeth to wear down and become more susceptible to tooth decay, damage, and stains
Fortunately, Invisalign is versatile enough to alleviate a wide variety of bite problems.
Benefits of Invisalign
When compared to traditional braces, Invisalign offers a variety of benefits, including:
- Nearly invisible
- Doesn’t irritate the inside of the lips or cheeks
- Quicker results
- No dietary restrictions
- Easy maintenance and care
- Less time in the dental chair
- Convenience
Cost of Invisalign
The Factors That Influence Cost
Because every smile is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all cost of Invisalign treatment. The final cost will depend on a variety of factors, including the complexity of your case. If your bite is very uneven or you need to reposition many teeth to achieve a straight smile, you will likely require a higher number of aligners to complete treatment.
Another important factor is the patient’s commitment to wearing their Invisalign aligners as directed by their dentist – usually around 22 hours a day. Taking out your aligners more often than recommended can prolong your treatment schedule and lead to higher costs. For this reason, many cosmetic dentists do not recommend Invisalign treatment for very young patients, as they are more likely to misplace their aligners or forget to wear them.
Is Invisalign Worth the Investment?
Straightening your teeth with Invisalign clear braces does more than just improve your appearance – it can also boost your oral health! Correcting bite problems, closing dental gaps, and repositioning overcrowded teeth make it easier to clean your smile and prevent harmful plaque and bacteria from accumulating. Reducing the risk of tooth decay can translate to fewer cavities and less money spent on restorative treatments such as crowns or even root canals in the future. When you consider the fact that Invisalign clear braces can enhance both your physical appearance and your oral health, there can be no doubt that this treatment is a wise choice.
What to Expect During an Initial Consultation
The first step toward a straighter smile is to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Byars at our convenient Kansas City office. During this first appointment, Dr. Byars will carefully examine your teeth, gums, and oral structures. This examination helps to identify the specific issues that need to be resolved with orthodontics – such as bite problems or crowded, crooked, or rotated teeth.
For severe cases, traditional metal braces may be the more appropriate orthodontic treatment. Otherwise, after examining your mouth and discussing your unique smile goals, Dr. Byars will create a custom Invisalign treatment plan just for you.
The initial consultation is also an excellent opportunity to go over payment options for Invisalign treatment. While every plan is different, most insurance providers cover at least part of the cost of Invisalign clear braces. However, if you are uninsured or your plan does not cover Invisalign, you can still achieve a straight smile with us! We are proud to partner with CareCredit, which offers low and no-interest payment plans for dental care.
Living with Invisalign Aligners
Clear aligners can be the ideal option to fix your smile if you keep a few tips in mind:
- Wear your aligners for at least 22 hours per day
- Switch to the next aligner in the series on time
- Don’t eat or drink anything except water while wearing them
- Brush your teeth and rinse your aligners before placing them back into your mouth
- Clean your aligners daily
- Maintain your check-in appointments
Invisalign FAQs
If you are struggling with persistent jaw pain and TMD symptoms, our non-surgical orthopedics team in Fort Lauderdale is ready to help you find relief! However, we acknowledge that you may want to learn more before you visit us. Below, you will find answers to some relevant questions. If your specific points of interest are not addressed here, feel free to reach out to us directly.
How Long Does Invisalign Treatment Take?
The length of your treatment will depend on several factors, such as how misaligned your teeth originally were and how dedicated you are to wearing your aligners for 22 hours a day. Older patients generally have to wear the aligners much longer, as their teeth are more firmly established in their jaws.
Most patients finish Invisalign within 12 to 18 months. While that might sound like a long time, it’s worth mentioning that traditional braces often take 24 to 36 months. We’ll develop a customized treatment timeline for you during your consultation.
Will I Be Able to Speak Clearly While Wearing the Aligners?
Initially, the aligners will feel like foreign objects in your mouth, so it will take a few days to get used to them. Some people have no trouble speaking clearly while others may have a slight lisp at first. It shouldn’t take more than a week for your tongue and lips to grow accustomed to talking while wearing the aligners.
What Happens If I Lose One of My Aligners?
You’ll wear every set of aligners for about two weeks. We usually recommend hanging on to your previous aligners just in case you lose your current pair. That way, if you misplace your aligners, your most recent set will act as a temporary retainer to prevent your teeth from shifting out of place.
As soon as you lose an aligner, call us and begin wearing your previous set. We’ll contact the Invisalign lab and have them make a new pair, which might take a couple of weeks. Although your treatment time will be prolonged, at least your teeth won’t move back to their initial positions.
Can I Still Wear Invisalign If I’ve Already Had Braces?
Most likely. Many people who had braces had their teeth move back, at least partially, after not wearing their retainer. In most cases, Invisalign is a great choice, since the braces typically corrected the major alignment problems. Plus, your treatment might take even less time than patients who have never worn braces.
Will I Have to Wear a Retainer After I’m Done with Invisalign Treatment?
Yes. Otherwise, your teeth will revert back to their original positions since that feels most natural to them. At first, you’ll wear your retainers for 20-22 hours a day, but later on, you can switch to only wearing them at night.
Can You Drink Coffee with Invisalign?
Although you can drink coffee throughout your teeth-straightening journey, there is one rule you need to follow: you have to remove your aligners first. As your dental team, we also have a few additional recommendations, including using a straw, rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water afterward, and drinking this caffeinated beverage with your breakfast or lunch to help you meet the 20+ hour-a-day wear-time.
Does Invisalign Hurt?
No, Invisalign does not hurt. However, it is completely normal to experience some short-term soreness after switching to a new aligner. That’s because your teeth are moving the most in the first few hours or days following the start of a new set of aligners. Don’t worry – there are several things you can do to alleviate your discomfort, including sipping on cold water and sticking to soft foods. You can also take an OTC pain reliever about 30 minutes beforehand and switch to each new set of aligners directly before bed so you sleep through much of the adjustment period.
Can You Eat with Invisalign?
Eating while wearing your Invisalign aligners can cause them to stain and warp, making them yellow and virtually useless. That’s why you always need to remove them before you eat! Since oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease can also bring your treatment plan to a temporary stop, we recommend eating a well-balanced diet that’s filled with sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and other nutrient-dense foods.
How Do I Clean My Invisalign?
It’s quite easy! First, gently rinse your aligners off with clean, lukewarm water. Then, dampen the bristles of a soft-bristled toothbrush with some water before carefully scrubbing your aligners. When you’re done, rinse your aligners thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth. That’s it!
Note: If your aligners are looking quite yellow or are smelly, then you might be interested in learning how to provide them with a deeper clean. The answer is the Invisalign cleaning crystals. All you need to do is dissolve a packet in some slightly warm water. Carefully place your aligners in the mixture and shake the container to dissolve the crystals. After about 15 minutes, you can remove your aligners, rinse them thoroughly, and put them back in your mouth.
Who is Not Eligible for Invisalign?
Of course, Invisalign isn’t a great fit for everyone. For example, if your case of malocclusion is more severe, then you’ll likely need traditional braces instead. During your initial appointment, we will also check for tooth decay, gum disease, and other serious oral health problems. If we detect any, then we will need to intervene with the necessary restorative care before creating your clear aligner treatment plan. Otherwise, there could be complications with the movement of your teeth.
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