Request Request an Appointment Find Us Like Us on Facebook Reviews Leave a Google Review Call Map

Invisalign® Clear Braces – Rocky Hill, CT

Straighten Your Smile the Easy Way

young man smiling while holding an aligner for Invisalign in Rocky Hill

Maybe you weren’t able to wear braces in high school. Maybe you were, but your teeth have become crooked again in the years since. Either way, the last thing you want to do is sacrifice your professional appearance by wearing metal braces for years. Fortunately, that’s no longer your only option for fixing crooked teeth. Now, you can straighten your smile the easy way with Invisalign clear braces. Thanks to this system of removable, see-through aligners, Invisalign in Rocky Hill has allowed countless adults and teenagers to enjoy straighter teeth without the people around them even noticing! If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Dental Essentials of Rocky Hill today to schedule an Invisalign consultation with Dr. Karpman.

Why Choose Dental Essentials of Rocky Hill for Invisalign?

  • Preview Your Results with Virtual Smile Design Technology
  • Down-to-Earth Dentist
  • Insurance Accepted & Low- to No-Interest Dental Financing Available

How Invisalign Works

close-up of a person putting an Invisalign aligner over their teeth

Instead of threading an archwire through metal brackets on each of your teeth, Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic trays to align your pearly whites. Each set of aligners – which you’ll wear for 20-22 hours a day – is designed to shift a small section of your smile at a time. After a few weeks, you’ll switch to the next set of aligners until your entire grin is perfectly uniform. Over the course of your treatment, you’ll visit your dentist in Rocky Hill for brief checkups about every six weeks just to pick up your next few pairs of aligners and ensure your treatment is progressing as planned.

Issues That Invisalign Can Fix

dentist in Rocky Hill explaining Invisalign to a patient

Believe it or not, Invisalign can correct many of the same orthodontic issues that braces can, including:

Crowded Teeth

Brushing and flossing can be difficult when your teeth are too close together. As a result, you may have a higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Luckily, Invisalign can gradually shift your teeth into more ideal positions to make cleaning your teeth easier and more effective.

Gaps Between Teeth

Not only are noticeable spaces between teeth considered conventionally unattractive, but they may also have oral health consequences. Pieces of food can get trapped in these gaps and attract harmful bacteria that lead to decay, infections, and more. Invisalign can be an excellent way to even out the spaces between your teeth and create a healthier, more confident grin.

Bite Misalignment

If your upper and lower teeth don’t come together properly, then your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects your jawbone to your skull, may be exposed to great pressure. There’s a chance you could develop TMJ disorder as well as a habit of grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw. Invisalign can correct mild to moderate cases of overbite, underbite, crossbite, and other bite alignment problems.

The Benefits of Invisalign

close-up of a man pointing to his smile

With all of the advantages that this treatment provides, it’s no wonder why Invisalign remains much more popular than metal braces. Some of the benefits of Invisalign that you can look forward to include:

  • Seamless appearance – Unless someone around you knows that you’re going through Invisalign treatment, your aligners should be virtually undetectable.
  • Convenience – You can remove the aligners whenever you want to eat, drink, and clean your teeth. This means there are no dietary restrictions as there are with braces, and oral hygiene is as simple as it always has been.
  • Comfort – Metal braces notoriously irritate the gums, cheeks, tongue, and lips with their sharp wires and brackets. Invisalign, on the other hand, is made from smooth plastic for maximum comfort.
  • Faster results – The average treatment time for Invisalign is 12 to 18 months, while braces often take two to three full years to accomplish the same results.

How Much Does Invisalign Cost?

dentist holding two Invisalign aligners in the shape of a heart

Due to the customizable nature of Invisalign, it’s practically impossible for us to give you a cost estimate until we’ve gone over the specifics of your situation. In many cases, the cost of Invisalign is comparable to that of braces, and there’s a chance that dental insurance will cover a portion of the cost. Our team will work with your insurance and can even help you afford your treatment more easily with CareCredit financing.

Invisalign FAQs

Patient placing an Invisalign clear aligner into her mouth

Whether you’re learning about Invisalign for the first time or you’ve always been curious about its effectiveness for straightening teeth, we welcome any questions you may have. Dental Essentials of Rocky Hills wants you to feel confident about your future care, whether you’re trying to resolve gaps, uneven bites or other orthodontic concerns regarding your smile. Below, you’ll find some of the most common questions we hear as well as detailed responses for your convenience.

Does Invisalign Hurt?

Invisalign is not a particularly painful or uncomfortable treatment. When you start wearing your aligners for the first time, you may notice a slight soreness that some may characterize as discomfort, but this goes away rather quickly as you adjust. Keep in mind that clear aligners are shifting your teeth, which means any pressure you feel is a sign that the treatment is working as intended. If you need additional help getting used to wearing your aligners, taking over-the-counter medication can be helpful. Use a cold compress as needed or simply drink a glass of iced water for fast and easy relief.

Is Invisalign Cheaper than Braces?

No two smiles are identical, which means depending on what needs to be corrected, you may need to pay more or less than the average treatment case. In most cases, Invisalign will run about the same as traditional braces in terms of cost, which is around $5,000. Keep in mind that specific variables and your commitment to wearing and caring for the aligners may affect how much you’ll need to pay. How your teeth react to treatment will also have an impact. Since Invisalign is less likely to be covered by insurance, it can be more expensive. Many patients, however, will note that the added convenience Invisalign provides makes them worth it. If you have dental insurance, double check if your insurer offers coverage.

How Do I Clean My Invisalign?

Invisalign sells their own cleaning system specifically for keeping clear aligners clean and sanitized. They are often referred as “cleaning crystals” that do a fantastic job of loosening food debris and plaque from the appliances. They’re also simple to use and extremely reliable for keeping your aligners as transparent as possible. However, it’s perfectly fine to take a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently scrub the aligners with water and a basic appliance cleanser (such as those used for dentures). Just make sure to never use hot water as this can warp the plastic material. You’ll also want to brush your teeth after eating a meal and before wearing your aligners. This will minimize food and plaque buildup once you take the aligners back out.

Who is Not Eligible for Invisalign?

If you have all of your full, permanent teeth and no existing dental disease that requires treatment, then you should be able to use Invisalign. This means patients as young as 13 years old can realign teeth through this option. However, there are instances where the bite is so misaligned that only traditional braces will effectively resolve it. If you smoke and are unable to stop ahead of wearing the aligners, you may want to consider other options as the aligners can become permanently stained. If you have extra small, misshapen or eroded teeth, aligners may not be right for you either.