Straighten Your Teeth Without Metal Braces: Everything You Need to Know About Clear Aligners

Whether your dentist has recommended that you correct a malocclusion (i.e., bite problem) or you just want straighter teeth for aesthetic reasons, you probably aren’t looking forward to wearing clunky metal braces. Traditional bracket-and-wire metal braces may leave you with more beautiful teeth, but only after months or years of enduring:

• So-called “railroad track” mouth
• Food getting stuck in brackets
• The inability to chew gum
• Pain from routine adjustments
• Potential soft-tissue injuries

You’re not the only one who wants a better way to straighten your teeth. Clear aligners answer that need by using high-quality, durable plastic aligner trays to move your teeth, instead of brackets and wires. Not only are they nearly invisible, they’re much more comfortable, too.

At Advanced Oral Dynamics in Allentown, Pennsylvania, we want you to be happy with your smile — and comfortable, too. That’s why Dr. Tejas Patel and our team offer CandidPro™ clear aligners to correct malocclusions and create a beautiful, straight, functional smile.

Are you considering clear aligners to straighten your teeth? Here’s what you should know.

Clear aligners are nearly invisible

The most obvious benefit to clear aligners is the one you can’t see. Clear aligners are made of transparent plastic material that’s molded to your teeth and cut to your gum line. Unless someone is right next to you, they’re virtually invisible. Even close up, they allow the beauty of your smile to shine through.

Clear aligners are more comfortable

Just as you’d imagine, smooth plastic trays are a lot more comfortable than metal brackets and wires. Unlike conventional braces, clear aligners won’t rub against or irritate your cheeks.

Clear aligners also don’t have wires that can break free and jab you in the cheeks or tongue. They also move your teeth gradually, so you don’t feel excess pressure on your teeth. As you change trays every week or two, the new tray feels tight, but that sensation soon lessens.

Clear aligners work faster

The average time for braces to move your teeth into healthy alignment ranges from about one to three years. Simple cases may be shorter, while complex cases may take longer. In contrast, clear aligners can correct your bite in as little as six months. That means your new smile could be closer than ever.

Clear aligners are just as effective

Except in cases of severe malocclusion, clear aligners work just as well as conventional braces. You can correct:

• Overbites
• Underbites
• Open bites
• Crooked teeth
• Crowded teeth
• Uneven teeth
• Gapped teeth

Dr. Patel lets you know if your malocclusion can be corrected with clear aligners.

You can take clear aligners out

Another advantage of clear aligners is that you don’t have to wear them 24/7. However, you do have to wear them for at least 22 hours a day to stay on track with your treatment plan. 

You can take them out briefly for meals. Be sure to rinse them off before reinsertion. Always put them in their carrying case to reduce the risk of breakage or loss.

Since you don’t wear clear aligners while eating, you don’t have to worry about getting food stuck in them. You simply brush and floss your teeth as you normally would every day. You also clean your trays daily.

Every week or so, you switch to a new set of trays. This way, your teeth move gradually, which reduces pain. You download an app to monitor your progress and check in with Dr. Patel to find out when you’re ready for a new tray.

Clear aligners also whiten your teeth

As a bonus, you can whiten your teeth while you straighten them. CandidPro makes a whitening foam that cleanses your trays. However, you can then leave in some whitener to do its work on your teeth while you sleep.

You see your results before you start

During the clear aligner process, we take digital images of your teeth and send them to the CandidPro lab. Not only do they create the customized series of clear aligner trays to gradually move your teeth into alignment, they provide a motion graphic that shows you the journey your teeth are about to take.

Are you ready to get straight teeth and a perfectly aligned bite — quickly, comfortably, and discreetly? Call us today at 610-632-1608 for a clear aligner consultation, or use our easy online form to schedule a visit with Dr. Patel at your convenience.