When you smile in the mirror, what do you see? If you glimpse crooked or misaligned teeth and you want a straighter, more confident smile, Invisalign® teeth treatment might be for you. Many people — over 12 million — have used Invisalign to achieve a fantastic smile they’re proud of.
Shoreline Dental Studio’s doctors are Orange County’s go-to Invisalign specialists – among the only Invisalign Platinum Plus providers in the area. Four of Shoreline’s dentists have gone the extra mile, training and continuously keeping up on advanced Invisalign techniques for the extensive experience and knowledge to treat a range of cases with Invisalign clear aligners – from mild to severe. Dr. Ritzau even serves as a Board Member at the American Academy of Clear Aligners.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a series of plastic trays that fit over your teeth to gently and gradually align them. Safe and comfortable, Invisalign trays are made of clear, BPA-free, phthalate-free plastic. You take out each set of trays and replace them with the next set every 1-2 weeks to incrementally shift your teeth into their correct positions.
Invisalign treatment typically consists of 18-30 sets of trays with a total treatment time of about a year. If you want to shorten that time, Shoreline Dental Studio offers PROPEL® accelerated technology which can lessen your Invisalign time by 50% with typical treatment time from six to eight months or even as few as three months.
Every Invisalign treatment plan is unique — the dentist prescribes a custom plan for your specific smile goals. Creating your plan is painless and 100% digital: Shoreline’s software produces a digital 3D rendering of your mouth to digitally map out every tooth movement from beginning to end. That way, you can see what your smile transformation will look like before you even start.
Can Invisalign fix issues like an overbite, underbite, open bite, or crossbite? Yes! How about crowded teeth or gaps? Again, an enthusiastic, “Yes!”
Invisalign for an Overbite
For many, an overbite is easy to identify: the top teeth stick out too far past the lower teeth. Overbites are quite common when compared with other jaw alignment issues, and a slight overbite is considered normal. But if left untreated, an overbite can result in jaw pain, excessive wear on your teeth, or make your top front teeth more prone to damage.
Invisalign for an Underbite
Think of an underbite as the opposite of an overbite: in an underbite, the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth when your mouth is closed. Sometimes an underbite is caused by the lower jaw growing at a faster rate than the upper jaw — so it ends up sticking out further. An underbite can lead to speaking or chewing difficulties, and just like an overbite, can cause uneven or excessive wear on your teeth.
Invisalign for an Open Bite
An open bite is when your upper and lower teeth don’t touch when your mouth is fully closed. Typically, it’s the front teeth that don’t make contact with each other. Difficulties with chewing and speaking, and the likelihood of TMJ disorder can arise from an open bite that hasn’t been corrected. Invisalign for an open bite shifts upper and lower teeth into place so they touch properly.
Invisalign for a Crossbite
When you close your teeth together, do some of your top teeth sit inside some of your bottom teeth? This is a crossbite which are either identified as a back (posterior) crossbite or a front (anterior) crossbite, depending on the location of your misaligned teeth in your mouth. Having a crossbite can wear your teeth down, cause chips, or lead to gum recession and can even result in painful notches above your gum line.
Invisalign for crossbite brings all your teeth into a functional, healthy bite. If your crossbite is quite serious, your dentist might opt for Invisalign attachments to encourage certain tooth movements.
Invisalign for Crowded Teeth
The name of this type of orthodontic issue says it all. Crowding is when your teeth look jammed together — they overlap, bunch up, or have shifted out of place in an attempt to fit. Crowded teeth typically happen because the jaw is too small to fit all your teeth with correct spacing.
Invisalign creates space for your teeth to fit and moves teeth into their ideal spots. And if your issues are complex, the dentists at Shoreline Dental Studio can add tooth-colored Invisalign SmartForce attachments before, during, or after your treatment to help teeth shift in the right direction.
Invisalign for Gaps in Your Teeth
Invisalign teeth aligners can also fix the opposite of crowding: Gaps. Spaces in teeth range from narrow to wide, one to many. If you have spaces between your teeth, Invisalign can close gaps or create the right amount of space for crowns or bridges later on.
Invisalign for Overjet Teeth
You’ve most likely heard the phrase “buck teeth” which is another way to describe overjet. This is when your top front teeth flare out excessively. A person with more extreme overjet can’t comfortably or completely close their mouth without their top front teeth getting in the way.
Using Invisalign for overjet teeth brings the top front teeth back into alignment with your upper teeth and improves chewing and speaking functions.
Invisalign for Boosting Your Self-Confidence
It’s fair to say that straightening teeth is not only about improving the function and health of your teeth, it’s also about achieving a spectacular smile that can elevate your confidence. One study found that people with straight, attractive smiles fared better socially and in the workplace. And they were perceived as more successful, approachable, and trustworthy. In our appearance-focused culture, a nice smile can go a long way.
Complimentary Invisalign Consultation
June 6th – 10th, 2022
