With custom-designed, clear aligning trays, Invisalign® offers a discreet option for patients who are straightening their teeth. Many teenagers and adults prefer Invisalign® over traditional braces, because it allows them to straighten their teeth without drastically changing their appearance during treatment. The aligners are also removable for additional convenience.
Although many patients need orthodontic treatment, teenage and adult patients commonly prefer to avoid metal braces, if possible. With Invisalign®, men and women can achieve straighter teeth with a more subtle treatment. Invisalign® uses customized clear trays that can help shift the teeth into the desired position, addressing multiple issues such as crossbites, overbites, underbites, and misaligned teeth.
Invisalign® improves upon traditional methods of straightening teeth with metal wires, instead utilizing removable, transparent aligner trays to shift the teeth into a more ideal position. Patients receive new aligners every two to three weeks, with each tray in the series progressively working to correct teeth and jaw misalignment. The projected movements of your teeth are mapped out accurately and efficiently by your orthodontist’s treatment plan, allowing Invisalign® aligners to apply the correct amount of force at the right time. Treatment is typically optimized when patients get into the habit of wearing their aligners at all times, except when eating, brushing, or flossing. This can accelerate the Invisalign® system and help ensure your treatment remains on track.
The most obvious benefit of Invisalign® is that the aligner trays can go unnoticed while you are wearing them due to their clear appearance. Compared to traditional orthodontics, such as metal braces, Invisalign® aligners offer some other important advantages, including:
In some cases, Invisalign® may not be the best choice to address severe orthodontic issues. However, our dentists at Dental Professionals of Fair Lawn offer other discreet alternatives to braces that may be better-suited to your needs and goals. We can walk you through your treatment options during your consultation to find the most ideal system for your concerns and lifestyle.
To create customized aligner trays for you, our experienced orthodontist and dentists will use a 3D-imaging computer program. The program will create a series of custom-crafted trays that are designed to gradually straighten your teeth. The number of trays and length of time required for treatment will vary depending on your needs. Each tray must be worn 20 to 22 hours per day on average, but your dentist will instruct you how long to wear each tray before switching to the next tray in the series. Periodically, you may be asked to come in for a quick check-up in order to monitor your progress. These appointments are generally fairly brief, and are significantly less frequent than regular check-ups required for traditional metal braces. Overall, Invisalign® can help you achieve a healthier, straighter smile in a convenient and discreet manner.
Similar to Invisalign®, Invisalign Teen® can allow younger patients to discreetly straighten their teeth. Your teenager won’t have to worry about having braces in their yearbook photos or at the prom, and you won’t need to worry about making sure your child is avoiding foods that traditionally cannot be eaten with metal braces. Teenagers can also maintain good oral hygiene since the clear aligners are removable, making regular brushing and flossing possible throughout their treatment. Parents also find that Invisalign Teen® has an additional benefit for lost or broken aligners— Invisalign Teen® users can request up to six replacement aligners at no additional cost (please note that this benefit is only available for Invisalign Teen®, and does not apply to Invisalign®).
Conveniently, Invisalign® aligners require very little maintenance to remain in good condition. To clean each set, you can gently brush the aligner with toothpaste and lukewarm water. Never use hot water on your aligners, as high temperatures can warp the plastic. We also discourage smoking while wearing the aligners to avoid the possibility of staining. Lastly, it’s important to brush your teeth after every meal to prevent food residue, such as blueberries, from discoloring the clear Invisalign® trays.
Invisalign® is priced according to an individual’s unique orthodontic and oral health needs; therefore, the cost of treatment generally varies from patient to patient. Expenses are usually informed by:
At Dental Professionals of Fair Lawn, we accept dental financing through CareCredit® or ALPHAEON™ Credit, two trusted healthcare lending companies that each offer highly flexible payment plans to accommodate virtually any budget. For additional information about the cost of treatment at our practice, click here to learn about Invisalign® costs.
If Invisalign® is not the best treatment to straighten your smile, our cosmetic dentists offer alternative orthodontic systems that can still address your concerns while remaining discreet and unobtrusive to your daily life. Like the name suggests, Six Month Smiles® is an accelerated teeth-aligning process that is capable of closing gaps and straightening crooked teeth in as little as six months. It utilizes clear brackets and tooth-colored wires to provide an inconspicuous orthodontic treatment, typically proving most successful for adult patients who have mild to moderate alignment concerns. Patients also have the option of Damon™ self-ligating braces, which offer a more comfortable method of straightening the teeth. Utilizing a built-in mechanism that can keep wiring in place without elastic or metal bands, Damon™ eliminates friction and the need for tightening. This can allow teeth to move more freely and substantially reduce the treatment time required to achieve the desired outcome— sometimes, by more than half a year. We understand that there are many different systems available to help you straighten your teeth, and our experienced dental professionals can guide you in determining the best treatment for your concerns.
While the initial feeling of wearing a new set of aligners can take some getting used to, patients usually acclimate to their Invisalign® trays quickly. Invisalign® is designed to guide teeth into a straighter positioning using gentle force, and the mild pressure applied by the aligners is usually a sign that treatment is working. Moreover, patients typically appreciate the system’s ability to shift the teeth into the proper location without the irritation of metal wiring and brackets poking the gum tissue.
Most patients are able to achieve straighter teeth within 9 to 12 months, although in some cases patients complete their treatment in as little as six months. You’ll have a better idea of your treatment timeline once your teeth and bite are examined by an orthodontist.
Invisalign® aligners are made out of a flexible yet form-stable thermoplastic material called SmartTrack®, which was developed specifically for the Invisalign® system. They are gluten-free, FDA-approved, and custom-designed to fit comfortably over your teeth.
At first, your aligners may slightly alter your speech by producing a minor lisp. However, this is usually temporary as you grow accustomed to speaking with your aligners in. As you get used to wearing Invisalign® aligners, your speech should return to normal. For most patients, this acclimation period only takes a couple of days.
Yes, wearing a retainer after you complete Invisalign® is essential to keeping your teeth straight and aligned. Forgetting to wear a retainer after any type of orthodontic treatment is the primary reason why some adults require braces in the future. Fortunately, most patients only need to wear their retainers while sleeping, so this should not cause much interference to your daily life.
We suggest removing your aligners before drinking any beverage besides room temperature water. Most drinks, especially sodas and alcohol, contain staining agents and sugar that can cause your aligners to take on a yellow tint over time, potentially compromising the inconspicuousness of Invisalign® treatment. Our dentists recommend avoiding the risk altogether by taking your aligners out beforehand. You may also want to refrain from drinking cold or hot water while wearing aligners, as these temperatures can distort the thermoplastic material.
Dr. Mendia is a Dentist Anesthesiologist and the founder of the Advanced Dental Anesthesia Services Group. A New Jersey native, he attended Rutgers University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Nutrition. He then earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Directly following Dental School, Dr. Mendia completed a rigorous postdoctoral residency program in Dental Anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Dr. Mendia’s anesthesia training involved hospital rotations through various specialties providing general anesthesia in the areas of dentistry, general surgery, otolaryngology (ENT), pediatrics and obstetrics. Lastly, he received specialized training for office-based anesthesia.
Today, Dr. Mendia has found his niche in ambulatory anesthesia with pediatric and special needs patients. He is also a local, national and international guest lecturer who provides continuing education courses on sedation and medical emergencies in the dental office.
Dr. Mendia is a Diplomate of the National Board of Dental Anesthesiology and a Fellow of the American Society of Dental Anesthesiology. In addition, he is also a part of the following: American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists,
New Jersey Dental Association, and American Dental Association. He holds certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and is a Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider, training local dental offices for certification.
Get to Know Dr. Mendia:
Dr. Mendia resides in northern New Jersey with his wife and three children, all of which keep him very busy! A fun fact about Dr. Mendia, is that he loves following the weather and when he was younger, he wanted to be a meteorologist! His personal interests vary; he enjoys taking the kids to the zoo and Central Park; in the Fall you’ll find him at sporting events. He enjoys traveling to Long Beach Island and to warmer climates in the Winter.
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