Smile NPB CAOver time, it may be hard to keep track of minor changes within the mouth. Or maybe you’ve just learned to live with a gap or a misaligned tooth. But you don’t have to live like that!

Clear aligners, a technology that has become incredibly popular for the past two decades, might be a solution for you. You can make more subtle changes to the appearance of your smile without letting the world know you’ve decided to make this change.

Today, your Newport Beach, CA dentist writes about how straightening your smile can be done without anyone else knowing you’re working on your smile!

I Thought That Was For Young People

Often, patients will report that they believe smile readjustment to be something for people in high school, not for the working or the retired. They have memories of older people with braces and feel a sense of embarrassment. For them, the slight adjustment issue simply was not worth it!

But now, with clear aligners, you can improve your smile, and nobody else has to even know! You use a mouthguard-like apparatus to slowly reform the mouth in order to perfect your smile.

Many people also find that they have a bit more expendable income after their children have moved out of the house. For the first time in decades, they are able to fully focus on improving themselves. This makes it a perfect time to use clear technology to improve your teeth.

Not Just Cosmetic

When the teeth rest next to each other in uncomfortable ways, it creates pockets where foot particles can begin to build up. Bacteria then feast upon these particles, leaving behind highly acidic waste that can eat through the enamel.

Sometimes these areas can be hard to reach, maybe some molars are crowding. Or overlapped teeth can prevent flossing, and even cause damage to each other.

Crowded, overlapped teeth can become serious risks to bacterial tooth decay. By straightening them out and ensuring that no dangerous pockets remain, we can seriously mitigate the risk of tooth decay. Just because a procedure is cosmetic doesn’t mean it can’t improve your health, as well!

What Is It Like?

Clear aligners are worn nearly all day, at least 20 hours on average. The trays are switched out every two weeks, until the desired change has taken effect. Most of the time, patients take anywhere from 6 months to a year improving their smile. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for mouths, and so many various factors play into how long the procedure can take.

Bite Better

If you want to know how clear aligners can make your smile better than ever, please give Dr. Hofkes at Balboa Dental Surgery a call at (949)630-0143. Or stop by our office here in Newport Beach, CA!