Teen with Braces, Then Adult with Invisalign? Yep, It’s Possible!

In your school pictures, you see silvery metal and awkwardness for a brief time, but after your hard work, you had a perfectly straight smile. You definitely enjoyed it and loved every smile you shared. Fast forward to now, your teeth have become crooked again. Fortunately, these days as a grown-up, you don’t have to get braces again, but will you be able to get Invisalign if you’ve worn braces before? Even if you can get it, do you really understand what’s involved in the process? Keep reading to figure out whether this treatment would help you regain your ideally straight smile.

Can I Get Invisalign?

Having braces before does not exclude you from being eligible for Invisalign. The only requirements you need to meet are having a healthy mouth, having only mild to moderate misalignment, and having a willingness to follow your dentist’s instructions and stay on track with your treatment plan.

The type of alignment issue you have doesn’t determine whether you’re a good candidate. You can have an overbite, underbite, cross bite, gaps or crowded teeth, or any other kind of misalignment.

Why Do Teeth Shift?

If you don’t wear your retainer long enough following braces, teeth can easily regress or shift back to where they were prior to treatment. Even if you did, you may find years later that your teeth move into a more crowded or crooked position because you grind your teeth when you sleep, putting pressure on your dentition and gums. Regardless of how you got to a place where orthodontic treatment is needed—again—Invisalign is a great option as an adult.

How Does Invisalign Work?

While metal brackets and wires pulled your teeth into position and showed your treatment to the whole world, Invisalign is gentler and more subtle. The aligners are completely clear and smooth, which means you don’t have worry as much about your lips and cheeks getting scraped.

You are supposed to wear your Invisalign trays for 20 to 22 hours every day, taking them out only to clean your teeth and to eat and drink anything other than water. Sticking to this time commitment for about two weeks puts pressure on your teeth to shift, and then you switch to your new set and one step closer to your straight-smile goal.

How Can I Prevent Regression After Invisalign?

Back when you finished braces, the main option for retainers were those with a metal bar and colored acrylic base, but times have changed! Your retainer for Invisalign may look like another tray, and for a while you will need to wear it just as you did your aligners. However, at some point, you will be instructed to wear your Invisalign retainers only at night moving forward. It is important to continue to wear them at night to avoid the same result as your post-braces experience.

Don’t let the fact that you once wore braces keep you from loving your smile again. Invisalign can give you a more streamlined, easier, and more aesthetic. This time around, make sure your orthodontic treatment lasts by continuing to wear your retainer, so there’s no need for another time!

About the Practice

Applegate Dental is happy to provide Invisalign treatment to both adults and teens. Also, in case you remember them from your braces experience, impressions are much more comfortable with our team because we use digital technology. Instead of gagging on putty, you can simply open your mouth for a device to digital scan for precise measurements. To learn more about Invisalign, contact us online here to call us at 716-668-4646 and set up an appointment.