If you’re an adult (or a teen) with misaligned teeth, you may be searching for options on how to straighten teeth without braces. We get it, and we have a proven alternative solution for straightening your misaligned teeth – Invisalign.

But what do we mean by misaligned teeth? When we say misaligned teeth, we’re talking about crowded or crooked teeth, an overbite, an underbite, an open bite, gap teeth, or a crossbite. If your teeth are properly aligned, the teeth of your upper jaw should slightly overlap the teeth of your lower jaw. This means the grooves of your upper molars fit into the grooves of your lower molars.

Can You Straighten Your Teeth without Braces?

Yes, there are a few different ways to straighten your teeth. Braces are not the only option available when looking to align your teeth. People often narrow down their top teeth straightening options to Invisalign vs braces. While wire braces have been a common fix for misaligned teeth, Invisalign is a newer advanced process that is becoming more and more popular as a solution for misaligned teeth. 

Invisalign consists of wearing a series of clear, removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth. Because there are no brackets, wires, or restrictions like those that come with metal braces, there is little to no discomfort. 

Invisalign is worn for 20 to 22 hours a day, and you can remove your aligners to eat, drink, complete your oral hygiene, and more. This means no worrying about breaking a bracket on hard foods, wearing rubber bands, or other hassles often associated with bracket braces.

Invisalign can be used to correct common mild to moderate teeth-straightening and bite issues. On average, aligning teeth with Invisalign can take 6 – 24 months when wearing them up to 22 hours a day, whereas metal braces take an average of 2 years when wearing them 24/7.

6 Reasons to Consider Invisalign to Get Straight Teeth

When reviewing your teeth straightening options, here are six reasons you may want to consider Invisalign. 

• Appearance

Everyone knows when you have braces that the brackets are easily noticeable. Even the “clear” brackets are noticeable as they can become yellow over time. With Invisalign, your aligners are virtually invisible, even up close, as these aligners are clear plastic. Far less noticeable than the metal brackets and wires used with traditional wire braces.

• Comfort

You’ll often hear about people with traditional braces needing to use dental wax to protect their inner cheeks from the wires and brackets. This isn’t something you’ll need to worry about with Invisalign, as the aligners fit flush against your teeth so there are no sharp edges to catch your cheeks on. 

Plus, Invisalign does not require tightening by an orthodontist. Instead, you’re given different sets of aligners that are changed approximately every two weeks to adjust your teeth. You may feel slight discomfort when changing to a new aligner, but this discomfort shouldn’t last more than a day or two. 

• Less Limitations

If you’ve known anyone with braces, you can probably think of at least one instance where they had to avoid certain foods (hard candy, popcorn, apples, etc.) so they wouldn’t risk breaking a bracket. Since you remove Invisalign when you eat or drink, there’s no need to worry about whether or not you can eat certain foods. 

• Fewer Orthodontist Visits

Wire braces require regular orthodontist visits to tighten and adjust your braces. And once your braces are removed, you have to be fitted for a retainer that you wear for up to three years to maintain your results. 

Invisalign requires the same dental examination and imaging in the beginning as wire braces, but follow up appointments are less often. This is due to you continuing to realign your teeth as you change your aligners every few weeks rather than an orthodontist manually tightening and adjusting your braces.

• Easier to Clean

Wired braces can make cleaning your teeth a hassle. Food gets stuck around the brackets, between your teeth under the wires, and around the wires. To floss, you need threaders or a water flosser. Meanwhile, you can remove Invisalign to easily clean your teeth as you normally would. 

• No Discoloration

Some people with braces may notice discoloration once the braces are removed. This can be because of improper hygiene due to the challenges of cleaning your teeth with wire braces or because of staining foods and drinks consumed while wearing braces. Teeth whitening can help correct this discoloration, but opting for Invisalign can help avoid it all together.

How Do I Know If My Teeth Are Out of Alignment? 

It’s common for people to have some sort of misalignment of their teeth. Some signs your teeth are out of alignment are barely noticeable, while others are more obvious. 

Some less noticeable signs of misalignment include the improper alignment of your teeth (if this is slight, you may not even notice), frequent biting of your tongue or inner cheeks, and breathing through your mouth instead of your nose. Other more noticeable signs can include discomfort when biting or chewing, changes in the appearance of your face, and speech changes or impediments, such as a lisp. 

If your teeth are out of alignment, there are some habits or conditions that may be to blame. These include frequent use of a pacifier after 3 years of age, thumb sucking, injuries to the jaw, atypically shaped teeth, or improperly fitting dental crowns or fillings. There are other causes for misaligned teeth, but these are some of the most common.

If you’re looking for teeth straightening options other than braces, schedule a virtual Invisalign consultation with our expert dental providers here at Shapiro Family Dentistry. With four offices located across South Florida in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Fort Pierce, our husband and wife dental team, along with our team of dental practitioners and specialists, provide expert dental care at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or learn more about our family dental services guaranteed to make you smile.