Invisalign, or treatment with clear plastic aligners, can be a great way to straighten your teeth and improve your smile. Many patients tell me that this method is a perfect fit for their active lifestyles. An important thing to understand however, is that invisalign is just a high tech dental lab. I must accurately diagnose the patient's dental problem and convey the correct treatment plan to the lab tech. This tech will digitally position the teeth. This is where it gets tricky. In order for my expected result to be achieved, I have to communicate back and forth with this tech, usually 8-10 times, refining the tooth movements to achieve the best functional and esthetic result possible. Just because the lab tech moves a tooth a certain way in the virtual world, does not mean this will actually happen in the patient's mouth. What a bummer! As an orthodontist who has been moving teeth for 22 years, I feel confident with my knowledge of the force systems necessary to move teeth effectively. I have been using Invisalign now for 11years and and after completing over 200 cases, I feel it is an excellent way to provide teens and adults the orthodontic treatment they desire in a manner that is appropriate for their professional or social realm.
Credit for this blog goes out to: Miss March- my 10th grade typing teacher, Mrs. Raviv- my 10th grade English teacher (both at Mtn. Brook high school). Also thanks to Al Gore for inventing the world wide webb. Dr L
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