People who undergo orthodontic treatment want a straight smile, and Invisalign is one of the most popular ways to straighten teeth, especially among adults. What many patients discover along the way is that they get much more out of Invisalign than just aligned teeth. By the time your treatment is complete, you’ll have reaped many other benefits too.
You’ll Finally Break Bad Habits
If you chew your nails, drink coffee or soda throughout the day, or gnaw on ice, these habits – sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious – do bad things to your oral health. When you wear Invisalign, however, bad habits are eliminated entirely.
You can’t bite your nails when aligners are in place. You might try to revert to this bad habit automatically when you’re stressed or thinking, but Invisalign simply won’t allow it. Before you know it, your nails will grow out and you’ll have better-looking hands than ever – that’s a new habit worth keeping.
If you’re a daytime coffee drinker or dark soda drinker, sipping on these beverages non-stop will stain your teeth. When you wear Invisalign, you can only drink water with the trays in place. All other beverages must be reserved for a specific brief time so you don’t stain your aligners. With Invisalign in place, your liquid crutch will be a thing of the past and you might be really happy about that.
Do you chew on ice or open packages with your teeth? Doing anything with your teeth but what they’re meant for can lead to disaster. Having trays in place eliminates the chance of getting a broken or damaged tooth. And, if you try to bite down with trays in place, you could break them – and no one wants to derail their Invisalign treatment before it’s barely gotten started.
You Might Lose Weight
Invisalign must be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day. That means meals must be carefully budgeted into your schedule so you don’t have the trays out for too long but do have them out long enough to enjoy your food and get the nutrition you need. What happens along the way, though, is that many wearers skip snacks or say no to midday indulgences that appear because they don’t want to remove their aligners. These seemingly insignificant choices can make a big difference in your waistline.
Over the course of your Invisalign treatment, you can easily drop a few pounds because you can’t eat or drink while the trays are in place, unless you’re having water.
Improve Your Confidence
It’s natural to get Invisalign because you want to look better and feel better about yourself, but what many patients don’t realize is the confidence boost they’ll get almost right away. After only a few weeks they notice a difference in the alignment of their smile, and that motivation and physical shift is a major boon to self-esteem – for adults and teens.
Contact Lawrenceville Orthodontics and schedule a consultation with Drs. Roberts or de Marsche to find out if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign.