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Dental braces–such as metal Houston braces and ceramic Houston braces–are fairly common these days. Pre-teens, teenagers, and even adults wear them for an average of 1-2 years in order to get a healthier smile that they can show with pride. Invisalign is also gaining popularity, especially due to its subtlety, but it works slightly differently than our aforementioned dental braces. In this article, we will explain how South Houston Invisalign works.

How Invisalign Houston Braces Work

First and foremost, Invisalign is made up of plastic–unlike its metal and ceramic counterparts–but the general logic behind how Invisalign works is the same as our other Houston braces. Essentially, we are pressing a strong material against your teeth in order to apply pressure that will gradually move them to the correct alignment.

Gathering Your Information

When you come in for your South Houston braces consultation, we will discuss what we need from you in order to put you on Invisalign treatment. Some of the things we gather include:

• X-rays
• Photos of your teeth
• Impressions

These materials will aid us in designing the right treatment for you that addresses how your teeth should move over time. Next, we will send this to our dental lab so they can design your custom Invisalign Clear Aligner trays, which are unique to your bite and how it should change throughout the course of your treatment. 

What You Can Expect For Your South Houston Invisalign Treatment

When it comes to Invisalign trays, your clear aligner trays are all shaped slightly differently, and you will wear one set at a time for a few weeks, depending on your unique treatment plan. Once you finish wearing one set of clear aligners, you will come into our South Houston dentist office so we can assess the progress of your Invisalign treatment, and then we will give you your new set, which will help guide your teeth to the next phase in their alignment. 

Considering Invisalign? Visit Our South Houston Dentists At Centra Dental!

If you’re interested in wearing Invisalign as opposed to ceramic or metal Houston braces, then please book an appointment with our dentist. We will schedule a Houston braces consultation with you and discuss what your unique needs and preferences are, and then we will move forward with giving you a smile you’re eager to show off!

Approaching the end of your Houston braces treatment is so exciting! Before you know it, you’ll be showing off your brand new smile, but remember that you still need to wear retainers after your Houston braces come on in order to ensure your new smile sticks around. Don’t worry, though. Retainers are removable and offer more flexibility than dental braces. In this article, our South Houston family dentists will explain the importance of wearing retainers after concluding your braces treatment. 

Orthodontic Retainers Prevent Your Teeth From Shifting Again 

Believe it or not, after braces, your teeth will try to shift again. This occurs because your teeth haven’t had a chance to fully settle into the soft tissues of your mouth. Remember that, for at least an entire year, your teeth have been 100% reliant on metal, ceramic, or even plastic from your Invisalign Clear Aligners in order to hold them in place. To mitigate this and let them settle into their new alignment, you should wear your retainers day and night for at least a year, but this will also depend on the individual’s case.

Orthodontic Retainers Protect Your Investment In Your New Smile

Wearing retainers after completing your Invisalign, metal braces, or ceramic Houston braces treatment is a sure way to make your investment in your smile well worth it. As frustrating as it is to realize that you need to take another step to allow your teeth to stay in their alignment, remember that dental braces from our Houston and South Houston dentist offices prevented (or got rid of) some serious complications with your dental health. 

By diligently wearing your retainers day and night and then transitioning to only wearing them most nights, you will strengthen your teeth so they remain straight for years and years to come. You might even get to enjoy your new, perfectly aligned smile for the rest of your life.

Get Fitted For Retainers at Centra Dental In Houston And South Houston

When you’re near the end of your Houston braces treatment, please book an appointment with us so we can confirm that you’re ready for your braces to be removed soon. At this appointment, we will also take impressions of your new smile so we can fit you for your retainers and educate you and how to wear them and how to best take care of them. Houston braces and orthodontic retainers won’t last forever, but with adequate care, your new smile can last as long as you let it!

Houston braces at Centra Dental in Houston and South Houston not only improve your smile, but they also improve your overall dental health. As great as Houston braces are, many children are rather hesitant about getting dental braces because they are self-conscious or concerned about pain. However, being more informed about our various Houston braces treatments may aid in their hesitation. In this article, we offer some of our tips for helping your child warm up to the idea of getting braces.

Understand What Exactly Causes Your Child To Feel Hesitant About Houston Braces

The best way to address your teen’s concerns about dental braces is to understand the root cause of their concerns. Let them express their worries and acknowledge that their hesitation is valid, but can be overcome.

Reassure Them That Dental Braces Are Common

Dental braces are already common. In 2015, about 4 million Americans wore dental braces, but they keep growing in popularity. Today, even adults are becoming more open to wearing dental braces thanks to the subtle treatments that Invisalign and ceramic Houston braces offer. Even celebrities undergo dental braces treatment, and chances are someone your child knows and admires–famous or not–is also wearing dental braces. If your friend knows someone who wears Houston braces, it wouldn’t hurt to encourage them to speak to their peer about their experience

Let Your Child Know That Houston Braces Don’t Cause As Much Pain As They Think

We get it–metal in your mouth looks very intimidating, but today’s dental braces are so much more lightweight than they were 10 years ago, which significantly reduces how much pain a child may experience. Sure, there is some pain in the very beginning, but if you follow our tips for managing Houston braces pain, they will feel much more comfortable.

Visit Centra Dental In Houston Or South Houston For A Dental Braces Consultation

Dental braces are well worth it for a healthier, more beautiful smile, especially with our caring family dentists. If you think it’s time for your child to get braces, then please book an appointment for a Houston braces consultation. We look forward to giving your child a healthier smile and aiding in overcoming their hesitation about braces.

Invisalign has been growing in popularity over the last several years, especially for adults who prefer a subtle Houston braces treatment to correct the alignment of their teeth. Unfortunately, despite its growing popularity some of our patients at our Houston and South Houston family dentist offices still question how well Invisalign works. In this article, we will debunk 3 common myths and misconceptions that patients have about Invisalign Houston braces.

Invisalign Takes A Lot Longer To Correct A Malocclusion Than Regular Houston Braces Do

Because Invisalign Clear Aligners are made of plastic, they are mistakenly seen as a less effective method of correcting a malocclusion–the term we use to describe a poorly aligned bite–than metal Houston braces or ceramic Houston braces. In reality, Invisalign treatment lasts about 12-18 months on average, just like ceramic and metal dental braces treatments. However, much like our other Houston braces, how severe your malocclusion is and how well you maintain health and hygiene during braces treatment will affect how long your treatment lasts.

Invisalign-Like Clear Aligners Bought Online Are Also Effective And Much More Affordable

Within recent years, online businesses that claim to offer custom clear aligners if you simply submit some photos of your teeth have begun to emerge. They are marketed as cheap and effective in the comfort of your home, but their cheap pricing and lack of in-person orthodontic appointments spell trouble for people who buy into them. Photos are not enough to design an entire Invisalign (or any Houston braces) treatment. When we prepare you for Houston braces treatment at our Houston and South Houston dentist offices, we gather impressions and x-rays as well. Photos will simply never be enough to get a close look at the anatomy of your mouth, which means the aligners you receive will not provide accurate, effective treatment or results. 

Everyone Can Undergo Invisalign Treatment

Although Invisalign is a good alternative to metal and ceramic Houston braces for both teenagers and adults, not every case may do well with Invisalign. If a patient’s particular case is extremely complicated, Invisalign may not work as effectively, so they should invest in one of the other forms of Houston braces treatment we offer at our Houston and South Houston dentist offices.

Outstanding Invisalign Treatment At Our Houston And South Houston Dentist Offices

At Centra Dental in Houston and South Houston, we are proud to offer outstanding Invisalign treatment for various malocclusions. Now that we have debunked these myths and misconceptions, please book an appointment with our Houston and South Houston dentists if you are considering Houston braces treatment. We will start with a Houston braces consultation to start designing your custom treatment plan.