The natural processes of aging can mildly alter the structure of your mouth leading to alignment issues. This is even more likely to happen if you’ve lost one or more teeth in the past. The missing structure can cause the nearby teeth in your mouth to twist and move toward the void. Fortunately, Dr. Tao Sun can improve your smile in a short amount of time by fitting you for Invisalign®.
To be fitted for Invisalign® Dr. Tao Sun will need to examine your mouth and take a few X-rays. This provides a clear understanding of the structure of your mouth, while also serving to define your alignment goals. Then a detailed impression will be made of all your teeth. This will serve as a guide for the Invisalign® laboratory that produces your custom sets of aligners.
Each set of aligners is designed to gradually and progressively adjust the periodontal ligaments anchoring your teeth into the sockets. You will need to wear the clear plastic aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day to minimize the total duration of the realignment process.
Every two weeks you will switch to another set of aligners that will bring your teeth a little bit closer to their ideal alignment. Most people meet their alignment goals in around six to eight weeks.
While the aligners are in your mouth, you can drink normally. However, you will need to remove them when eating. You will also need to abstain from smoking or chewing gum. When you are not wearing the aligners you should keep the aligners in the case provided.
If you have minor alignment issues with your teeth, you should call Dr. Tao Sun’s orthodontic clinic in Costa Mesa, California at 949-645-8887 to ask about Invisalign®.