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Invisalign

A Top Rated Dental Practice Serving Virginia

Falls Church Invisalign Specialist

Since smiling is considered one of mankind’s most fundamental and natural expressions, it is vital that an individual feels confident enough to share a smile. Although some people are blessed with a beautiful, nearly perfect set of pearly whites, the reality is that most people need orthodontic treatment to attain the perfectly straight teeth they desire. Today, adults and teens can discreetly straighten their misaligned and crooked teeth with a revolutionary teeth-straightening method called Invisalign. This method allows people to straighten their teeth using a series of custom-designed, removable clear aligners (aka trays). With this teeth-straightening method, an individual can create a perfect smile without experiencing the discomfort and inconveniences associated with traditional metal braces. At the NOVA Dental Studio in Virginia, Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael J. Paesani helps his patients straighten their teeth using Invisalign clear aligners.

Invisalign Treatment in Falls Church

If an adult has crooked or misaligned teeth because orthodontic treatment was never sought during childhood or due to the individual neglecting to wear his or her retainer following orthodontic treatment, these issues can be addressed with Invisalign.

There are many adults and teens throughout Virginia who are choosing this innovative teeth-straightening method to address some of the issues that previously required the application of traditional metal braces, and the like.

This method involves patients using a series of clear aligners to gradually straighten their teeth. These aligners are typically changed out for a new set every week or two.

What Are the Benefits of Invisalign in Virginia?

The benefits of using this innovative method for teeth-straightening are many.

Benefits of this teeth straightening option include

  • Convenience:- can be removed, which ensures that the patient’s diet and lifestyle are not disrupted.
  • Discretion:- – aligners are much less noticeable than the other teeth-straightening options that are currently available. Comfort – when compared to traditional teeth-straightening options, the clear aligners are much more comfortable.
  • Shorter treatment time:- – treatment time is usually shorter with this method than with the traditional teeth-straightening options (e.g., metal braces, ceramic braces, etc.). Even after just a few months many of Dr. Michael Paesani’s Virginia patients notice changes.

Dental Issues Clear Aligners Are Frequently Used to Address

For the most part, this revolutionary treatment method addresses almost all the dental issues currently being treated with traditional metal braces, and the like.

Dental issues Invisalign treats include:

  • An underbite.
  • An overbite.
  • Crooked teeth.
  • Gaps between teeth.
  • A crossbite.
  • Crowded teeth.
  • An open bite.
  • While the results this treatment method provides are amazing, there are circumstances when traditional metal braces are necessary because they will provide the patient with more effective results than those that can be achieved with the clear aligners. When this is the case, Dr. Paesani recommends that the patient opt for a fixed set of braces.

Invisalign vs. Braces: Eating, Drinking and Daily Dental Hygiene

The clear aligners are removed while eating, drinking, brushing and flossing, therefore, unlike with traditional braces, patients choosing this teeth-straightening method can still eat all the foods they love. Furthermore, patients can effectively clean in between their teeth using regular dental floss or the easy-to-use flossers. With metal braces, patients usually need to purchase some specific dental hygiene products.

Dental hygiene products frequently used with traditional braces, and the like:

  • To thoroughly clean the teeth and the braces, patients need a threading floss or a reusable floss threader. These specialty flossing products are designed to help the patient thread the floss beneath the main wire.
  • Small interproximal brushes may be necessary. These brushes allow the patient to clean under his or her wires as well as around the bands and the brackets.

None of these special dental hygiene products are necessary when the Invisalign Teeth-Straightening Method is used.

The Invisalign Difference

Companies trying mimic this revolutionary treatment method have been emerging. These companies tend to offer individuals a way to purchase clear aligners through the mail. The mail-order clear aligners people receive from these companies are inferior because each orthodontist and cosmetic dentist that offers Invisalign as a teeth-straightening method has been specially trained on the use of these aligners. Furthermore, a licensed Invisalign dental professional can assist the patient throughout his or her treatment (e.g., reviewing the progress the patient is making).

The Invisalign Teeth-Straightening Process in Virginia: What Patients Can Expect

Before the first appointment, patients need to fill out the online eForms and then click on the send button at the bottom of the form to ensure the office receives this vital information:

New Patient eForm.
Medical History eForm.
Dental History eForm.

During the initial consultation, Dr. Michael Paesani wants to know what the patient would like to accomplish. Dr. Paesani will examine the patient’s mouth to determine if he or she is a good candidate for teeth-straightening with this method in Virginia. If the patient is considered a good candidate, detailed records are collected. These records include Digital 3D X-rays, photographs of the patient’s teeth and face as well as a scan of the teeth using an iTero® scanner. Dr. Michael J. Paesani uses this information to create the patient’s customized teeth-straightening treatment plan.

After creating the patient’s treatment plan, Dr. Paesani sends the plan along with some of the patient’s current imaging records to Invisalign’s Lab, which is where the patient’s custom aligners are created.

Aligner creation can take up to four weeks’ time. Once the patient’s custom-designed aligners arrive at NOVA Dental Studio in Falls Church, Virginia, the teeth-straightening process begins.

What Patients Need to Know About This Teeth-Straightening Method

Sets of aligners are typically worn for a week, possibly two. Using the Invisalign aligners, the patient’s teeth are slowly moved. Each new set of aligners is a little bit different than the one before, designed in such a way as to slightly move the teeth to a straighter position.

Aligners must be worn for at least 22 hours a day. If the aligners are not worn the prescribed amount of time, the patient’s teeth will not move. When the time comes to change out the aligners for a new set, the new set will not fit properly.

The Importance of Wearing the Aligners as Prescribed

Patients who neglect to wear their aligners the prescribed amount of time will notice that as they move through the teeth-straightening process, their aligners are not fitting properly. If this happens, Dr. Michael Paesani may need to have the patient wear some of his or her previous aligners, which delays completion time.

Since the Invisalign aligners put gentle, continuous pressure on the teeth, once the week (or two) passes, the patient’s teeth have moved and now match the aligner. As each set of aligners is switched out, the teeth slowly move until their final position is reached.

Monitoring the Patient’s Progress

Patients return to NOVA Dental Studio in Falls Church, Virginia, every couple of months so that Dr. Paesani can ensure the patient’s teeth are moving into place as expected.

Duration of Treatment

Each patient’s case is unique, which is why treatment time for an Invisalign patient ranges anywhere from a year to 18 months. During treatment, patients wear from 20 to 50 sets of aligners.

Once the patient completes his or her first series of aligners, Dr. Michael J. Paesani examines the patient’s teeth. If he believes that a patient needs additional treatment, a digital scan is taken. In the event that the patient needs additional aligners, Dr. Paesani sends a new prescription to the Invisalign Lab.

Once patients complete their teeth-straightening treatment, they receive a retainer. It is vital that patients wear their retainer as prescribed, otherwise, the teeth will gradually move back to their original positions.

What a Patient Needs to Know Before Beginning Treatment with Invisalign The Clear Aligners Are Discreet, But Not Completely Invisible

These clear aligners offer patients a way to straighten their teeth discreetly, however, the trays are not 100 percent invisible. With this teeth-straightening method, patients can feel confident when they smile because, chances are, no one will even notice they are wearing an aligner. No unsightly metal brackets or wires that could break and cause irritation or wounds in the mouth are necessary with this treatment method.

Cleaning the Clear Aligners

Patients need to make sure their aligners remain clean. Otherwise, the likelihood of tooth decay increases. In addition, buildup on the aligners will make them more visible. Every morning, evening and after eating a snack or meal, patients need to remove their aligners so they can brush and floss. Also, patients should use their toothbrush to gently brush their aligners and then rinse them before placing them back in their mouth.

Properly cleaning the aligners is very important because without proper care, bacteria can build up on the trays, which can lead to dental issues, including cavities.

There is An Invisalign Cleaning System Available

Patients who are interested in learning more about this system can ask Dr. Paesani about it during their appointment at NOVA Dental Studio in Church Falls, Virginia.

Patients Can Only Consume Water While Wearing Their Aligners

Patients must remove their aligners before eating or drinking anything except for clear water: Neglecting to do so could result in unsightly stains on the aligner.

After Eating or Drinking, Patients Must Clean Their Teeth

  • Location of the tooth.
  • Amount of tooth that will be visible when the patient smiles.
  • Function of the tooth needing the dental crown.
  • Position of the patient’s gum tissue at the location where the crown will be placed.
  • Color of the teeth that will surround the crown.
  • Amount of natural tooth that remains.
  • Covering a tooth that has experienced root canal treatment

To ensure the aligners remain clear and free of debris, after consuming food or beverages patients need to clean their teeth before reinserting their aligners.

The Importance of Flossing During Treatment with Invisalign in Virginia

Good oral hygiene always includes flossing at least once a day. Patients who lack to implement a flossing routine usually experience a buildup of plaque and food on their teeth, both of which feed the bacteria that releases acids and destroys the tooth enamel.

The tooth enamel is the protective layer on the teeth. Once the enamel breaks down, cavity formation is imminent. Furthermore, this plaque and food can rub off onto the aligners. Accumulation of plaque and food on an aligner can negatively affect a patient’s results because the position of the aligner is changed. In addition, this buildup can cause the patient to experience unnecessary pain.

Creating a Well-Fitting Invisalign Tray

The best results are attained when the patient’s aligners are firmly seated over his or her teeth, which means the tray fits firmly against the patient’s teeth. Chewies, attachments and rubber bands may be used to supplement the aligners so that the patient’s trays fit snugly.

Chewies

If a patient notices that there are air gaps between the aligner and his or her teeth, the tray is not fitting well. When a tray does not fit properly, it cannot effectively move the teeth. To address this issue, patients can use chewies.

Chewies are small, cylindrical cushions that patients bite up and down on a few times a day. In addition, chewies should be used every time the patient removes his or her aligners.

Using these cushions help seat the tray. Patients in Virginia who use chewies on a regular basis can increase the likelihood that they finish their treatment on schedule.

What Are Invisalign Attachments?

Attachments are designed to make this innovative teeth-straightening method possible for patients with more complicated alignment problems. Some people who have previously been told that they are not good candidates for this method of teeth-straightening may be able to benefit from the Invisalign method now that attachments are available. These attachments allow the aligners to use a little extra force to move the teeth.

Extra force is only necessary when the desired alignment changes cannot be accomplished using just the aligners. Dental issues related to the shape, size or angle of a tooth may require the use of attachments.

Attachment specifics:

  • These attachments are very small:- – these tooth-colored attachments are created using a composite filling material.
  • The attachment may be circular, rectangular, triangular or square:- – The shape of attachment a patient receives is determined by his or her goal (to address tooth rotation, extrusion or intrusion).
  • Tooth location matters:- – typically, attachments are placed around the center of a tooth, to serve as an anchor. The anchor makes the aligner more effective.
  • Attachments may not be necessary on every tooth or for the entire treatment time:- – when a patient needs attachments, Dr. Michael Paesani determines the number of attachments, where they will be placed and how long the patient needs to wear them during the Invisalign Teeth-Straightening Treatment.
  • The attachments are like anchors for the aligners:- – when attachments are used, the patient’s aligners fit snugly, which assists with moving the teeth more effectively.
  • Attachments provide extra force:- – attachments assist the aligner by providing a little bit of additional force, which helps with moving the teeth to their proper location. At NOVA Dental Studio in Falls Church, Virginia, Dr. Paesani bonds the attachments to the patient’s teeth.
  • Sometimes, the attachments are noticeable:- – patients who need to have attachments placed on their front teeth should expect that they will be more visible than if they were placed on any of the other teeth. However, Dr. Michael Paesani customizes the shade of the attachments to ensure they match the patient’s natural tooth color, which helps make them less visible.
  • As they insert their aligners, patients hear a click:- – when attachments are used, patients need to learn how to insert their aligners so they properly click into place.
  • Attachments can irritate the mouth:- – some patients state that the attachments are bothersome when the aligners are removed.
  • Food buildup:- – another issue patients complain about is food building up around their attachments as they eat. It is essential that Invisalign wearers diligently clean their teeth before inserting their aligners following a meal or snack. In addition, patients need to rinse their mouth after consuming any beverage other than water.

How Does Dr. Michael Paesani Add These Attachments to the Teeth?

To add an attachment, at his dental studio in Virginia, Dr. Paesani preps the surface of the tooth. He uses a special template to mark where the attachments will be placed. Dr. Michael J. Paesani fills the template and then cures the bonding so that the attachments harden and remain in place. When no longer needed, he can easily remove these attachments by buffing them off. When the aligners can move the teeth without assistance, patients do not need to have any attachments placed.

Rubber Bands May Be Used to Increase the Force

Dr. Paesani recommends rubber bands when more force is necessary to move the patient’s teeth to a position that allows the upper and lower jaw to fit together properly.

Patients who frequently use rubber bands have an overbite or an underbite. When Dr. Michael Paesani recommends that the patient use rubber bands, they must be worn as prescribed on a daily basis.

Just like the Invisalign trays, the rubber bands are removed while eating. After brushing and flossing the tray is rinsed and placed, then the rubber bands are applied.

Applying the Rubber Bands

With traditional braces, the brackets already have hooks. It is on these hooks that the rubber bands are attached. The clear trays do not have these hooks, however, at his dental studio in Virginia, Dr. Paesani can place small metal or plastic brackets, which are referred to as buttons, on the patient’s teeth. Sometimes, the tray itself can be used as an anchor. If the aligner is to be used as an anchor, the tray will have a hook shape for the rubber band.

Invisalign creates the buttons that Dr. Michael J. Paesani adheres to the patient’s teeth. Once the rubber bands are in place, to make sure the rubber bands work effectively, patients need to change them out twice a day.

Button Visibility

The buttons used to hold the rubber bands are usually created in a color that closely resembles the color of the patient’s teeth. The buttons are placed near the gumline, which makes them less noticeable, however, when the rubber bands are being worn, they will be visible.

The Cost of Invisalign

To determine how much an individual’s treatment will cost, he or she must schedule an initial consultation with Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Paesani at NOVA Dental Studio in Falls Church, Virginia. During this consultation, Dr. Paesani performs an oral examination to determine the health of the patient’s mouth as well as the condition of his or her teeth. Once the examination is over, Dr. Paesani will be able to determine how much an individual’s treatment will cost. To schedule an initial consultation at NOVA Dental Studio, please call: (703) 237-7725 or use the online form by clicking here.

Dental Insurance

Patients who have dental insurance should check to see if their policy covers Invisalign. Finding this out before the initial consultation can help the patient determine if this is a viable treatment option. Dr. Michael Paesani is an experienced cosmetic dentist in Falls Church, Virginia, who is dedicated to helping people achieve the smile they have always wanted.

The Role of Cosmetic Dentistry in Orthodontic Solutions

Cosmetic dentistry offers patients a variety of solutions for filling in gaps, straightening the teeth and reshaping the teeth. Some of the treatments used to address these issues include veneers, bonding and bridges.

Dr. Paesani is an experienced, top-rated cosmetic dentist in Falls Church, Virginia, who frequently creates individualized Invisalign treatment plans for his patients. He is dedicated to helping people achieve the smile they have always wanted.

Individuals who would like to improve their smile should make an appointment for an initial consultation at the NOVA Dental Studio. To make an appointment via the telephone, please call – (703) 237-7725. Patients who would prefer to request an appointment using the online form can click here. The NOVA Dental Studio is located at 200 Little Falls Street, No. 101, Falls Church, Virginia.

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