Invisalign and Traditional Orthodontics
At Hawaiian Island Dental, we offer Invisalign clear aligners and traditional braces for adults and children. If someone in your family has crooked or crowded teeth or uneven gaps and spacing between teeth, we’ll help you find the treatment that works best for you.
For adults and older teens who want straighter teeth but don’t want or need metal braces, Invisalign clear aligners are a great choice.
Children and adults with more complex tooth alignment and bite problems are good candidates for traditional bracket-and-wire braces.
How Invisalign Moves Teeth
Instead of brackets and wires to move your teeth, Invisalign uses crystal-clear plastic aligners that are almost invisible when worn. Since you can remove the aligners, you can continue to eat all your favorite foods, and you can brush and floss easily.
Dr. Jaurequi starts by taking x-rays, impressions, and photos of your teeth to determine if you're a good Invisalign candidate. Then, he uses specialized software that takes all this information and creates an interactive digital treatment plan that shows how your teeth will move throughout treatment.
We send this information electronically to an Invisalign lab that customizes your aligners specifically for your smile. When we receive them back from the Invisalign lab, you’ll return to Hawaiian Island Dental so we can give you your aligners along with instructions for wearing them.
Wearing Your Clear Aligners
As a busy adult, you’ll appreciate how convenient treatment is with removable aligners! Your goal is to wear your aligners 22 hours a day, but you can remove them to enjoy your favorite foods and brush and floss twice a day.
You also have the freedom to take your clear aligners out for a big event like a wedding or reunion. However, remember that the longer you wear your aligners each day, the sooner you’ll be showing off your new smile.
Dr. Jaurequi will check your progress every 4-6 weeks, and treatment is finished when you've worn all your aligners and your smile is straight and beautiful.
How Traditional Braces Work
Sometimes a patient has severe tooth misalignment or bite problems that respond better to traditional braces than clear aligners. In this case, Dr. Jaurequi bonds clear, tooth-colored brackets to each tooth then threads a thin metal wire through them that helps moves teeth into proper alignment.
With bracket-and-wire braces, you’ll visit our dental office for regular adjustments every month so that our dentist can tighten the wires and monitor your progress.
Straight Teeth Are Healthier Teeth
Straight are more attractive and are also better for your oral health. Teeth that are crooked or crowded are difficult to clean thoroughly, putting you at increased risk for cavities and gum disease. Tooth misalignment can also create problems with your dental bite, leading to teeth grinding, wearing of teeth, and jaw joint problems, including TMJ pain.
Would You Like to See a Straighter Smile?
With Invisalign clear aligners and traditional braces, Dr. Jaurequi helps children, teens, adults, and seniors discover their best smiles. If you'd like to see if you're a good candidate for orthodontic treatment, we would be happy to schedule an appointment at our Lihue, HI dental office to see how we can help you.
