Have you caught yourself masking your teeth during that all important family photograph, or in your profile picture for social media platforms? Perhaps instead you feel self-conscious when delivering a pitch to colleagues, or when socialising with your friends. If these seem like thoughts that you can relate to, then you may be encouraged to hear that you are not alone and if you are looking for a dentist in Ipswich to help to achieve the smile you want, then we can help!
There are a couple of possible avenues which can be explored in the journey to straighter teeth. It is important to start off by attending a face-to-face appointment with our dentist in Ipswich at Hawthorn Drive Dental Practice who would most likely wish to begin with a full oral examination. This is because, in order to offer suitable advice for you and your personal needs, they must first understand the current health and position of your teeth as well as any other problems which may be present (for example, gum disease). Our dentist might also wish to discuss relevant dental and medical history with you.
Following your examination you can expect to be advised about your options for teeth straightening. In some circumstances it is possible that you may not currently be eligible for treatment to straighten your teeth, if this applies to you your dentist will inform you of it. More often than not, at least one option for teeth straightening should be suitable for you, if not more than one. Many patients have heard of braces (in their traditional bracket and wire form) and increasingly we find our patients have heard of, and would like to pursue the use of, Invisalign clear aligners.
What are Invisalign aligners?
Invisalign aligners are made of a transparent, flexible material which is tailor made to your unique measurements. They are a series of removable braces (in a similar way to a sports mouth guard) which differ slightly from one another and are worn consecutively in order to facilitate the gradual realignment of your teeth.
What can I expect from treatment using Invisalign aligners?
At our dentist in Ipswich you can expect to first be invited for a consultation with an Invisalign trained practitioner. We will walk you through a case assessment which is a set of simple photographs to determine your suitability for treatment. Following this, when treatment is deemed to be suitable, we will take X-rays, photos, a dental impression and digital scans of your teeth. Then, using our advanced technology, we can create a treatment plan for you and show you the possible outcome of your treatment with Invisalign using a 3D video.
You will be given a set of aligners for daily wear at home (recommended to be worn for at least 22 hours per day) and will be instructed as to how frequently to move forward to your next aligner by our dentist. We will invite you back to the practice regularly, around once every 4-6 weeks for the duration of treatment. This allows us to not only hand your next set of aligners to you, but also to monitor the progress you are making. When treatment ends it is important to wear a retainer to maintain the new position of your teeth.
If you would like to find out more about Invisalign at Hawthorn Drive Dental Practice, or about one of the other treatments we offer, then we would love to hear from you!