Are you searching for a dental office in San Francisco that offers Invisalign®? If you want to straighten your teeth but hate the idea of wearing metal braces, contact Dr. Mina Levi. At California Dental Innovations, Dr. Mina Levi offers Invisalign® for patients in San Francisco and surrounding areas. Here, she lists and addresses eight misconceptions about Invisalign®.

Myth #1: Invisalign® can’t treat complex cases.

Align Technology, the company behind Invisalign®, has been around for decades and is constantly evolving to support more and more cases. Now, Invisalign® can tackle severe cases of malocclusion, missing teeth, and other complications that weren’t possible before.

Myth #2: Invisalign® can treat all misalignment cases.

On the other hand, not all patients qualify for Invisalign® and might be better suited to traditional braces. The best way to understand if you qualify for Invisalign® is to schedule a consultation at a dental office in San Francisco.

Myth #3: Clear aligner treatment is just for straightening teeth.

Famously, Invisalign® corrects spacing and bite issues. Still, it can be used for other purposes, such as correcting alignment to treat TMJ discomfort.

Myth #4: Invisalign® treatment requires etching teeth.

When bonding orthodontic attachments to the enamel, it’s standard practice for an orthodontist to gently etch the enamel to promote adherence. Though this might seem vulnerable, this practice has been in place since the 1960s and has had decades of success.

Conversely, we understand that your dental enamel is precious. Enamel doesn’t grow back on its own, so the idea of etching your teeth (even a little bit) during orthodontic treatment might be off the table. The good news is that Invisalign® does not typically require etching. Instead of brackets, this proven system uses the power of multiple trays to move teeth.

Myth #5: You’ll have to have a few teeth taken out before braces.

Some patients worry they might need to remove teeth before braces or Invisalign®. However, not everyone experiences this. Albeit rare, dentists remove teeth before braces to alleviate crowding and stabilize the bite.

Myth #6: Invisalign® is only for adults.

Even though clear aligners are popular among adults since they are a discreet orthodontic treatment method, Invisalign® is not solely for patients over 18. If you’re a parent seeking orthodontic treatment for your child or teen, consider Invisalign®. This patented system can tackle developing smiles. For example, Invisalign First® is a system designed to treat patients as young as 6.

Myth #7: All clear aligners are the same.

You’ve probably seen advertisements for mail-order, do-it-yourself aligners online or on billboards. While some jump on this bandwagon, you might end up unsatisfied with the results.

As the original clear aligner system, Invisalign® is supported by decades of research and 12 million smiles. This patented system straightens teeth with more predictable results.

Myth #8: Invisalign® treatment is shorter than braces.

Roughly, traditional braces and Invisalign® work at the same speed. However, total treatment time with Invisalign® is based on your biology and your compliance with treatment.

Schedule an Invisalign® Consultation at California Dental Innovations

Every case is different, and Dr. Mina Levi can analyze your smile and give you more details about your personalized treatment plan when you book an Invisalign® consultation. Call 415-513-5066 or message us online to find out if you qualify.