The following variables can make a patient a good candidate for Invisalign®:

• Personal responsibility
• Good oral hygiene discipline
• No Smoking
• healthy gum tissue
• mature jaw

There's a reason most Invisalign® clear aligner patients are teenagers and adults; this orthodontics not only requires dental maturity, but a higher level of general maturity. While you won't have to worry about food debris getting caught in your plastic, you will need to be diligent about cleaning your teeth, as well as aligning your Invisalign® trays. That means making sure you:

• Brush at least 2-3 times a day, for 2 minutes at a time
• Floss and, for good measure, use an interdental brush.
• Brush your aligners carefully
• Rinse and dry your splints before storing them to minimize bacteria buildup.

Patients of all ages must exercise due diligence, responsibility, and refrain from bad habits. It's common knowledge that smoking is a general health hazard, but it can also stain your teeth, stain your aligners, and subsequently disrupt your routine.

To reiterate a few points above, patients with poorer diets, tobacco smokers, and some other bad habits may not be ideal candidates for Invisalign®. Typically, most Invisalign® patients will need to wear their aligners for 22 hours a day, with those two removal hours spent eating, drinking, and cleaning teeth and veneers.

A patient who constantly removes their aligner sleeves for smoke or snack breaks will NOT be a good candidate for Invisalign®. Beyond not practicing healthy habits and inconsistently following the treatment program, here are some other factors that would make you a poor candidate for Invisalign®:

• Active gum disease (must be treated before Invisalign®)
• Active cavity (must be treated before Invisalign®)
• Serious oral problems that require more extensive treatment (not always a deal breaker, but certainly can be)

Invisalign®'s ability to be removable aligners may always seem like an advantage over traditional fixed braces; it can actually be a double-edged sword if you're not careful. If you do not control them effectively, you could easily damage them, lose them, or contaminate them with external elements. 

Good news: with Invisalign, you can eat and drink what you want! Unlike metal braces, which require many dietary restrictions, Invisalign clear aligners are removable, so you can take them out to eat and eat whatever you want. This is one of the many benefits of Invisalign.

However, there is one important rule: you must remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything other than water. Food can damage aligners or cause bacteria to grow rapidly on the plastic material, while drinking beverages other than water can cause staining, discoloration, and deformation of the plastic, as well as white spots on tooth enamel.

The unobtrusive appearance of Invisalign® makes it an attractive option for adults and teens, creating a great smile without altering appearance during treatment. But, as Invisalign® gains popularity, it has become a treatment option for patients of all ages!

Invisalign® is safe, effective and comfortable. However, it is not for everyone. Our team is the best resource for achieving the smile of your dreams, and will examine your teeth to determine the best treatment to achieve the best results.