Clear aligners provide a comfortable alternative teeth straightening method from traditional metal braces to straighten and adjust teeth. Known as the “clear aligner treatment”, Clear aligners are orthodontic devices that adjusts and straightens teeth with the help of custom made transparent, plastic form dental aligners.

They offer plenty of benefits. Read on to discover why more consumers are choosing clear aligners.

1. Comfort and cleanliness
Aligner wearers report comfort and cleanliness as top benefits. For instance, the plastic aligners can be removed easily for brushing, flossing, and eating so they don’t trap food particles within. This also means you won’t have to forgo many of your favorite foods, such as candy, nuts, apples, corn on the cob, and popcorn while you wear them. With clear aligners, simply remove the trays when you eat and clean your teeth. Clean the aligners separately and reinsert them. This ability to remove the aligners prevents odor and bacteria buildup, plaque, and discoloration that often occurs with traditional metal braces. Clear aligners also prevent embarrassment compared to trapped food particles in teeth that are common with traditional metal braces

2. Virtual invisibility
Clear plastic aligners are pretty much invisible as opposed to traditional metal braces, which may be less conspicuous and less embarrassing to the wearer. Not only does this allow clear aligners to be worn with comfort and confidence; it also allows many wearers to actually see the week to week improvements and results over time as they switch to their next set of custom aligners.

3. No pain
As opposed to traditional metal braces which are outfitted with tight brackets, Clear aligners offer a repose from frequent dental visits to tighten braces. This frequent tightening often causes cuts on the gums caused by the bracket wires of braces, mouth sores, and teeth and jaw discomfort from tight metal braces

4. Fewer dental office visits
With regular metal braces, patients are required to visit their dentist or hygienist for frequent cleanings, checkups and adjustments. With clear aligners, you may notice a bit of tightness as your mouth adjusts to a new set of aligners, however, there is little pain once your mouth adjusts to daily wear as they are custom fit to your unique mouth.

5. Precise, timely results
While every patient differs, time spent wearing traditional metal braces can last up to 3 years. Alternatively, clear aligners have been known to transform smiles in as little as 12 to18-months. During this time, many patients report visible results within a few weeks of wearing their first set of customized clear aligners.

6. Fixes multiple oral issues
The technology is constantly improving. Where these clear orthodontic devices once focused on straightening crooked teeth only, today clear aligners are available to correct the following oral issues:

Underbites: A class 3 malocclusion, or prognathism in which the lower teeth protrude outward surpassing the upper front teeth.

Overbites: Ranging from slight to severe, an overbite results when the upper jaw overlaps the lower jaw by 2-millimeters or more.

Crooked teeth: This occurs when teeth are too small causing crowding, overlapping, twisted teeth.

Crossbites: Also known as an “open bite”, this occurs when the upper teeth sit inside vs.outside the lower teeth when the mouth is shut

Gaps in teeth: Noticeable spaces between teeth, which can occur anywhere in the mouth, but most likely between the upper front teeth.

To find out if you’re a candidate for clear aligners, please talk to your doctor or dentist today, or take a quiz online to determine if they can correct your dental issues.