Invisalign

Springfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham, MA Cosmetic Dentistry

Do you feel that your teeth need more than a little cosmetic help here and there, but need a total straightening process? Most people need a little help from a dentist to achieve a straight, white set of teeth. In the past, the main method used to move teeth into proper position was metal braces. Today the cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental are fully trained and equipped to help you shift your teeth with Invisalign© technology.

Invisalign Treatment Planning

Invisalign is the nearly invisible way to straighten teeth using a series of custom-made aligners. In an initial examination, your dentist determines if Invisalign is right for you and unless your misalignment is quite severe, Invisalign will be an excellent choice.

Your cosmetic dentist will take photos and measurements of your teeth and input them to the computer. Using the Invisalign CAD/CAM software, he or she will design the stages of your straightening process. (CAD/CAM stands for Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing.)

You can see on the chairside monitor how your teeth will be gradually nudged into correct positions, and what they will look like at the end of the process.

When the whole plan is established, your dentist will send it to the Invisalign company where skilled technicians will make a series of aligners to match each treatment stage. When they have arrived at our office, you will have a visit to start this exciting transformation of your smile.

Implementing Your Invisalign Plan

Each aligner is worn for approximately two weeks. Then you discard the current one and start wearing the next in the series. Your dentist will give you several at a time and when you have used the last one you have, you will have an appointment with us for a check-up on your progress and to get the next few aligners.

You wear the aligner trays at all times, removing them only to eat, brush and floss. The aligners move your teeth gradually, week by week, millimeter by millimeter. Typically it takes about one year to complete your entire treatment.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign has been proven effective in both clinical research and in dental practices nationwide. In fact, more than a million people have used Invisalign. The aligners are transparent and therefore virtually invisible, although you can remove them for a special occasion if you prefer.

They should be removed for eating the dental hygiene, but generally, you need to wear them for at least 22 hours each day for best results. Although each aligner exerts pressure against some teeth, each is comfortable to wear once you get used to it, which just takes a day or so.

Please see Questions About Invisalign for more details.

If you would like to arrange a free Invisalign consultation with an orthodontist at Baystate Dental, please contact one of our Massachusetts offices today. Proudly serving cosmetic dentistry patients in Springfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham, MA.