Am I Too Old for Invisalign?

FDA-approved Invisalign® revolutionized orthodontics when it was introduced to the United States in 1999. Maybe you’re even old enough to remember how revolutionary it was! Since then, 13 million smiles and counting have benefited from Invisalign’s nearly invisible teeth alignment system.

Your parents may not have had the funds for orthodontics when you were a kid. Or, if they did, and you went through the embarrassment and pain of braces, your teeth may have shifted out of alignment again. 

Whether you’ve had braces before or not, Invisalign can straighten (or re-straighten) your teeth. Straighter teeth offer many benefits — both aesthetic and medical — to all ages. 

Our expert dentists, Krystle L Fenton, DDS and Benjamin Radlein, DDS, of Laguna Vista Dental in Elk Grove, California, recommend Invisalign to adults who want to straighten their teeth discreetly. Invisalign allows you to undergo orthodontics while maintaining a professional and mature appearance.

Here’s how Invisalign can help you, no matter what your age.

Invisalign protects your jaws 

Straightening your teeth corrects your bite. When your teeth are out of alignment, the odd arrangement puts excess pressure on one side of your jaw. This also creates stress on individual teeth. Over time, that extra stress may cause your teeth to crack or chip.

The stress affects your jawbone, too. Healthy teeth are like gears: They grind and tear evenly throughout both arches. When one or more teeth are misaligned, the gears don’t fit and, therefore, can’t work as efficiently. 

You can develop temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and pain unless you straighten your teeth. Misaligned jaws pop, crunch, lock, and can develop arthritis.

Invisalign protects your teeth

Bruxism is nighttime teeth grinding that not only wears down and weakens your teeth but also may lead you to wake up briefly multiple times a night, interfering with sleep. You may not know whether you grind your teeth at night or not, but your dentist can tell you. Over time, the chewing surfaces of your molars become flattened.

Because you wear the aligners while you sleep, they protect your teeth from bruxism. The aligners add two layers between your teeth, so that you can’t wear them down.

Invisalign makes you more confident

When your teeth are crooked, gapped, or uneven, you feel self-conscious about your smile. Other people feel welcomed by a confident smile. When you don’t smile fully, they don’t feel as welcomed or as trusted. They can also sense your lack of confidence.

However, when you smile at your coworkers and friends, they view you as more trustworthy and confident. Smiling faces are also perceived as more youthful and attractive. Smiling even helps you feel better. 

Invisalign is nearly care-free

Invisalign is a perfect teeth-straightening system for busy adults. Your alignnment problems are corrected in about 12-18 months. That’s 50% faster than other corrective treatments that handle the same issues Invisalign does, including:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite
• Crowded teeth
• Gapped teeth
• Unevenly sized teeth

You wear your aligners for 22-23 hours per day. You remove them when you eat and when you clean them. Every week or so, you switch to a new set of aligners that ease your teeth closer to their final goal. 

Your daily routine doesn’t change much: You eat food normally, and brush and floss your teeth as usual. You just have to remember to clean your alignment trays before you sleep. Before you know it, you have the smile of your dreams.

Invisalign is discreet

Invisalign doesn’t fill your mouth with metal “railroad tracks” that let everyone know you're straightening your teeth. The comfortable, nearly invisible patented SmartTrack® aligners let you appear in public without feeling self-conscious about straightening your teeth.

When you have a special event— such as a wedding, photo session, or date — remove your aligners briefly. Make sure that you wear them for at least 22 hours a day, regardless. 

Invisalign lasts

The old braces-and-retainer routine worked for a few decades. But, eventually, your teeth shifted out of alignment. That’s because teeth have a tendency to “go home.” Without a nightly retainer to nudge them back into place, they try to return to their original alignment 

Invisalign recommends lifetime use of a nearly invisible Vivera™ retainer. It’s made of the same SmartTrack material as the aligners. You wear the retainer while you sleep to maintain your alignment for life. 

Are you ready for a confident, straight Invisalign smile? Call us today or book an appointment online.