5 Signs You’re a Good Candidate for Clear Braces

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN– While metal braces were once the main way to straighten teeth, there’s now an alternative: Invisalign. If your teeth are mildly to moderately misaligned and are otherwise healthy, Invisalign could be a great option for you! Contrary to some beliefs, Invisalign is actually suitable for most people. Optimal candidates have some specific traits in common.

Five Traits of Ideal Invisalign Candidates

1. Good oral health at present: You have no untreated cavities, infections, or gum disease. While your alignment may be off, your mouth is generally in good condition.
2. Only mild to moderate work needed: While Invisalign is used increasingly to treat complex cases, it is proven most effective for certain conditions. If your jaw needs to be dramatically restructured, another procedure would likely be best for you. However, Invisalign is ideal for the following problems:
   ● Gapped teeth, where there is too much space between teeth
   ● Overbites, where upper front teeth cover most of the lower front teeth (in severe cases, this is called a deep bite)
   ● Underbites, the opposite of overbites, where lower front teeth cover the upper ones
   ● Crossbites, when teeth overlap in various places; some upper teeth might tend to bite on the insides of the lower teeth
   ● Open bites, when the front upper and lower teeth don’t meet, but the teeth in the back of the mouth do
   ● Crowded teeth, where there isn’t enough space in the mouth and some teeth get pushed out of alignment
3. Fully-developed teeth: anyone whose adult teeth have come in and fully grown can get Invisalign. That means it’s great if you’re a teenagers or adult. In fact, there’s no upper age limit; many in their 50s and 60s are now opting for this treatment.
4. No tobacco use: Since Invisalign consists of two plastic aligners that need to be worn regularly (20-22 hours per day), any form of tobacco would interfere with Invisalign’s functionality. If you do use tobacco, it would be helpful to quit while using Invisalign.
5. Dedication to care: As the aligners need to be removed when eating, lots of self-led maintenance is required to ensure that the pieces are worn for as much of the day as possible. The bright side is that, unlike braces, Invisalign’s removal allows for regular opportunities to more completely clean teeth. When used properly, Invisalign offers a more hygienic alternative to traditional metal braces.

To see if Invisalign is a good option, you can use their simple Smile Assessment. From there, they can send you more information to get started on the process.

Seeking Professional Care

The advice above is a starting point, but to guarantee that this is the right treatment for you, schedule a free consultation with your doctor and her St. Paul-based team today! You can also call (651) 447-6768 to set up an appointment.

About Us: Your St. Paul-based ORTHODONTIST and team are skilled and knowledgeable dental professionals well-versed in Invisalign. In fact, Dr. Eisenhuth is one of Minnesota’s top Invisalign orthodontists, offering competent, experienced and compassionate care to all her patients.

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