What's the best path to a healthy, straight smile? If Nature hasn't provided it, explore discreet orthodontic correction with Invisalign clear aligners. Made from a proprietary acrylic, these thin, removable appliances guide crooked or gapped teeth into favorable positions within a short time frame. At White Flint Dental Associates in Rockville, Dr. H. David Allick and Dr. Ghassan Jacklis use Invisalign to help older teens and adults have great smiles, but without the obvious appearance and lifestyle changes typical of conventional orthodontics.

Invisalign and you

Your relationship with this amazing orthodontic system starts with an evaluation at White Flint Dental Associates. A careful visual examination and X-rays, along with a three-dimensional scan, tell your dentist in Rockville the particulars of your alignment issues and determine if Invisalign can help. Fortunately, the Invisalign system treats a wide range of problems, including:

• Gaps
• Tooth rotation and tipping
• Overcrowding
• Overlapping
• Overbite
• Underbite
• Openbite
• Crossbite
• Overject, or protruding front teeth
• Tooth drift after prior orthodontic correction

These issues should be in the mild to moderate range. More complicated malocclusions or spacing problems need conventional metal braces.

If Invisalign is a viable treatment option, look forward to care which progresses quickly and comfortably. Normally, patients wear smooth, invisible aligner pairs numbering 18 to 30 in all, and treatment takes 9 to 15 months. That's shorter than traditional orthodontics, and to your advantage, oral hygiene and eating meals and snacks is easy because you simply remove your appliances to eat or brush and floss.

Each day, an Invisalign patient should wear his or her aligners a total of 20 to 22 hours. Your care plan will tell you when to move on the next aligner pair, and your dentist at White Flint Dental Associates will check your progress during a short visit every four to six weeks.

Along the way, only your dentist and closest family or friends will know you're wearing aligners. Plus, for special events, such as proms, weddings or job-related presentations, simply take your aligners out if you like and replace them afterward.

Here comes a new smile

Expect some minor discomfort as you wear your aligners, especially as you begin treatment. However, Invisalign patients experience none of the oral lacerations that people with metal braces do. Also, because there are no brackets to dislodge or wires to break, you eat what you want and brush and floss as you usually do.

When treatment concludes, you'll probably wear a retainer--either the last clear aligner or a custom-made retainer. Either way, your new smile will stay straight and beautiful.

Additionally, your new smile will be healthier--easier to clean and less prone to decay and gum disease. The Oral Health Foundation maintains that people with proper dental bites experience fewer jaw joint issues and headaches, too.

Find out more

Learn about the benefits of treatment with discreet Invisalign aligners by arranging a personal consultation at White Flint Dental Associates. Call today. (301) 881-6666.