Invisalign Clear Braces improve health as well as appearance for Los Angeles patients

A smile that’s red-carpet-ready may be the most desirable – and visible – benefit of wearing braces. But, if you’re thinking about straightening your teeth, don’t overlook the unseen health benefits that come with the gorgeous grin.

Teeth that aren’t properly aligned can contribute to a variety of health issues. These range from nagging jaw pain to serious gum infections that could be a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Invisalign Clear Braces have become an increasingly popular choice for Los Angeles residents who want a star-quality smile and the health benefits that go with it. That’s largely because the Invisalign system can straighten teeth in less time and with less discomfort than traditional metal braces.

A better bite means better health

Invisalign employs a series of clear plastic trays, customized just for you, to gently straighten your teeth. Each tray, or aligner, is slightly different from the one before. As you change the aligners every two to three weeks, they coax misaligned teeth into the proper position, a fraction of a millimeter at a time.

The following conditions, and their associated health concerns, are well-suited to treatment with Invisalign:

• A crowded mouth – You may have inherited a small jaw and large teeth. This leads to a crowded mouth, one of the most common problems that dentists see. Crowding can cause jaw pain, headaches, and earaches. It’s also tough to brush and floss thoroughly when teeth are wedged into spaces they were never meant to occupy. Bacteria may build up, causing cavities and potentially creating gum disease.
• Gaps between teeth – Spaces between your teeth can also contribute to gum disease. Food gets caught in the pockets between teeth, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Overbite – Another common problem, the overbite, occurs when upper teeth overlap lower teeth. Overbites can erode teeth and cause jaw pain.
• Underbite – An underbite is the result of lower teeth jutting out in front of upper teeth. Like the overbite, an underbite may erode your teeth. It also makes it difficult to chew certain foods and can even impair speech.
• Open bite – If your upper and lower teeth don’t touch when you close your mouth, you have an open bite. Open bites also impact the ability to chew and can affect nutrition because the condition may make it difficult to bite into healthy foods like apples.
• Crossbite – In a normal bite, the upper teeth come down slightly over the bottom teeth all the way across. If teeth don’t line up correctly in just one part of the mouth, the condition is referred to as a crossbite. For example, your upper teeth might sit behind your lower teeth on one side of your mouth. This could lead to chipped and eroded teeth, painful gum problems, and possible bone loss.

Treatment you can sink your teeth into

Over 5 million people have chosen Invisalign to straighten their pearly whites and improve their health. Here’s why:

• Clear plastic aligners are less painful than metal braces, which require the gluing of brackets to teeth and the regular tightening of wires.
• Although plastic aligners do fit snugly, they are flexible and therefore less apt to irritate sensitive gums or scrape tender spots inside your mouth as metal braces can.
• It’s almost impossible for the casual observer to notice that you’re wearing clear plastic aligners.
• Those who wear aligners often see results faster than those being treated with metal braces.
• Faster results mean fewer trips to your dentist’s office.
• Aligners are removable for special occasions.
• Invisalign trays are easy to care for. Take them out, clean them, pop them back in; there’s no struggling to brush and floss around wires and rubber bands.
• You can continue to eat your favorite foods since you don’t have to worry about popcorn hulls or salad greens getting lodged in your braces.

Investing in Invisalign Clear Braces can be a life-changing, perhaps even life-saving, decision. For expert advice on Invisalign, call Dr. Don Mungcal at Downtown Dental, 213-863-9464. He and his highly-skilled staff devote hundreds of hours annually to continuing education. They have the knowledge and training to explain the best options available and provide you with the latest treatment techniques.

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