Invisible Braces for Adults and Teens in Seattle, WA
Clear aligners like Invisalign are a relatively esthetic treatment modality. In many circumstances you you can straighten your teeth without fixed braces attached to the teeth. Dr. Christopher Riolo is a certified Invisalign treatment provider, lectures and teaches “hands-on” courses covering Clear Aligner design, fabrication and clinical implementation. In our clinic, Dr Riolo frequently employs hybrid techniques combining both traditional braces as well as lingual (behind the teeth) braces and Clear Aligners using each appliance system to their particular strengths. Dr Riolo has treated thousands of cases with these leading edge appliance systems.
Invisalign – A “braceless” alternative to traditional metal braces!
Have you ever wished for a straighter, healthier smile, but not looked forward to all the metal wires and bands that often go along with braces? At Riolo Orthodontics, we can make your dream of having a new smile come to life. Dr. Riolo is a certified Invisalign orthodontist, giving patients a “clearly” effective and incredibly comfortable way to wear braces! To learn more about Invisalign and if you are a candidate or your child is a candidate for Invisalign Teen, contact our office today to schedule your Invisalign evaluation.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign uses a series of customized, clear aligners to straighten teeth with traditional braces or lingual braces behind the teeth. Invisalign is the most popular Clear Aligner system in the world. Thousands of orthodontists in the United States and Canada use Invisalign braces to accurately and effectively treat their patients. Invisalign aligners are:
What is the difference between Clear Aligners and Invisalign?
Invisalign is particular clear aligner system like “Kleenex” is a particular type of facial tissue or “Band Aid” is a particular type of stick on bandage. Everyone has heard of Invisalign because it’s parent company, Align Technology has marketed Invisalign directly to the public. Align Technology has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to make “Invisalign” one of the most recognized brands in the world. In many ways, Invisalign is the “McDonalds” of Clear Aligners systems; that is to say, Invisalign makes it easy but not always the best.
The Invisalign lab creates the setup and stages the tooth movements the dentist or orthodontist can make changes or they can just approve the planning work and Invisalign will manufacture, package and ship the product within days.
There are hundreds of different Clear Aligner systems in North America alone. Many of these systems allow the orthodontist greater flexibility to customize your treatment during the planning and fabrication of your Clear Aligners, providing a level of customization above and beyond that available with commercialized system designed to fit as many people as possible using standard technology like Invisalign.
Do Clear Aligners like Invisalign work as well as traditional braces?
It depends on many factors; including but not limited to, the type of tooth movements required, how many hours per days the aligner trays are worn, the digital design of the aligners called the “staging” and the type of Clear Aligner material used to thermoform the aligners. Invisalign offers a single material called “smart track” for all types of movement; many Clear aligner system offer a multitude of materials, each with different properties that can be used depending on the tooth movement required for a particular patient and the stage of treatment they are in. Clear Aligner systems like traditional or lingual braces, have both strengths and weaknesses. The real challenge is to use each of these systems to their strength to deliver the best orthodontic care possible efficiently and when desired esthetically.
There are many examples showing Invisalign correcting all kinds of complicated malocclusions (crooked teeth). The real question to ask is: How predictably can Invisalign or any Clear Aligner system correct a particular problem? Orthodontic treatment should not be a guessing game. Patient require solutions that are highly predictable, even a 90% effective solution is not acceptable unless you have a “Plan B” in case you are a patient that falls within the 10%!
One problem with adult esthetic treatment using Clear Aligners like Invisalign is for many patients, “Plan B” consists of traditional braces, but there is no reason why lingual braces behind the teeth cannot be employed when Clear Aligners fall short of expectations. Lingual braces or hybrid treatment involving both Clear Aligners and Lingual braces guarantee that invisible orthodontic treatment is within reach of all patient that desire discrete orthodontic correction.
Do Clear Aligners like Invisalign cost more than braces?
Fees structures vary across the country. In our office the cost of Clear Aligners is equivalent to traditional braces. We also offer braces behind the teeth (lingual Braces) for patient that desire the most Invisalign treatment possible or those that do not wish to wear aligners or for whom Clear Aligners are not likely to produce excellent treatment results.
Why Consider Invisalign or another Clear Aligner system?
People everywhere are beginning to experience the benefits of Clear Aligner treatment like Invisalign. Here’s why people just like you are choosing Clear Aligners or Invisalign over traditional braces:
- With Invisalign you can have a straighter, healthier smile without all the noticeable wires and brackets of traditional braces. Of course even Clear Aligners are not as discrete as 100% invisible lingual braces!
- Invisalign aligners are removable making it easy for you to enjoy the foods you love without worrying about breaking or bending your brackets and wires. You can also remove your Invisalign aligners to brush and floss regularly.
- Clear Aligners like Invisalign can be used in conjunction with braces (especially lingual braces) to provided the most efficient orthodontic treatment in many cases.
