Invisalign® Specialist

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a modern orthodontic system that gets your teeth and jaw into proper alignment with a series of removable aligners made from clear, flexible, BPA-free plastic. Dr. Hiroshige makes your aligners from an impression of your teeth, so they fit snugly and comfortably over your smile.

Invisalign works on the same fundamental principle as braces by exerting a small amount of constant pressure that gradually pushes your teeth into their target alignment. Invisalign offers a number of advantages over braces, which is why seven million people worldwide have chosen it to straighten their teeth.

What are the advantages of Invisalign?

Compared to traditional metal braces, straightening your teeth with Invisalign is:

Comfortable

The smooth, flexible plastic of your aligners doesn’t tear up the inside of your mouth like the metal wires and brackets of traditional braces.

Convenient

Your aligners are removable, so you can take them out whenever you need to brush, floss, or eat. That means you won’t have to change your diet or learn special techniques for keeping your teeth clean.

Discreet

Because your aligners are clear, they virtually disappear when you put them on your teeth, which offers a much more subtle alternative to the mouthful-of-metal look that you get with braces.

What conditions does Invisalign treat?

Invisalign treats many of the same orthodontic conditions for which braces are typically used, including:

• Crowding
• Widely spaced teeth
• Crooked teeth
• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite

Many patients also use Invisalign for cosmetic purposes, like generally straightening their teeth.

How do I get started with Invisalign?

When you decide to start the Invisalign process, Dr. Hiroshige takes an impression of your teeth and uploads it to a computer where it becomes a virtual model of your smile. He adjusts your virtual smile to create a projection of what your teeth will look like in their target alignment and then maps out all of the “steps” that your smile needs to take in order to get there. Each of those steps becomes an aligner in your series.

You wear your aligners as often as possible for at least 22 hours every day. You switch over to the next aligner in your series every two weeks as your teeth get closer to their target alignment and check-in with Dr. Hiroshige every six weeks to monitor your progress. Some Invisalign patients complete their treatment in less than a year, at which point all you’ll have to do is wear a retainer to maintain your beautiful new smile.

Get started on your journey towards a straighter smile today by calling the office of Stephen Hiroshige, DDS, or by booking a visit online.