Everything You Should Know About Smile Perfection with the NYC Invisalign System, PART 1

This two-part article series provides readers with an in-depth explanation of the Invisalign System and how it works to treat a variety of common orthodontic conditions.

Gone are the days when orthodontic treatment meant a 12-36 month ban on beauty. Those hideous traditional braces have now been replaced by a virtually invisible system that can correct a wide variety of common orthodontic problems in the same amount of time. We're talking about Invisalign, of course, and it's giving NYC residents all kinds of reasons to smile.

In this two-part article series, we will be speaking to a pair of New York-based cosmetic dentists who will explain to us what Invisalign is and how it works. They will also answer a number of questions we feel many patients would have about this innovative system, so without further ado, let's get started!

Thank you for speaking to us today about Invisalign! I'm quite curious to find out more about this treatment solution, as I myself wore braces as a teenager. To find out there is now a virtually invisible alternative comes as considerably interesting news to me as I'm sure it does to many. Can you start by telling us what exactly Invisalign is?

Our NYC Cosmetic Dentists: "Thank you for giving us this opportunity to speak about Invisalign, because we really do feel it is a revolutionary treatment for a wide variety of orthodontic problems. So often, New Yorkers avoid dental treatment because they feel they are beyond the age where wearing traditional braces is "acceptable." Now, with the introduction of Invisalign to the market, people of all ages can receive orthodontic treatment, oftentimes without anyone even knowing it. This is what Invisalign is. It's a treatment solution that is virtually invisible and doesn't cause the terrible pain, discomfort and acute self-consciousness that traditional braces do."

All right, so how does Invisalign treatment work?

Our NYC Cosmetic Dentists: "The Invisalign System consists of a consecutive array or series of transparent, durable plastic aligners or mouth trays that are custom designed to fit the individual's mouth. The patient will begin their treatment by wearing the first aligner in the series for a period of two weeks. This aligner, while custom designed precisely for you, will feel a little strange because it's configured to apply a slight pressure to the teeth in your mouth that aren't aligned correctly. After a few days, you'll hardly notice this anymore.

"By the end of the second week of treatment, you'll be required to change to the second aligner in the series. Again, this will feel a little strange as the new aligner applies a slightly different pressure to your teeth. You'll wear your second aligner for another two weeks and so on and so forth until you've worked your way through the entire treatment.

"This is how the Invisalign System works. It applies a gradual pressure to the teeth that aren't aligned properly and, over time, gently pushes them into better positions. However, because we are using clear mouth trays to do this, patients don't need to contend with uncomfortable, sharp and unsightly braces."

How long in total does the Invisalign System take to achieve its intended outcomes?

Our NYC Cosmetic Dentists: "As with traditional orthodontic braces, the total treatment time required really depends on the individual case. However, NYC Invisalign treatment typically takes the same amount of time as traditional braces do – between 12 to 24 months on average - and can achieve precisely the same outcomes without the disadvantages."

The Invisalign System is already sounding fantastic. So, stay tuned for the second half of this two-part article series coming next week to find out some more information about the orthodontic treatment taking New York by storm.