Oakwood Dental in Staten Island, N.Y., fits you with a nearly undetectable alternative to metal braces

Tooth alignment without a metallic display of wires and brackets lets your corrective dental work go unnoticed. Although traditional metal braces may start conversations, a useful alternative available at Oakwood’s Staten Island dentist offices is more comfortable. It’s called Invisalign, and part of the name alludes to the invisibility of its clear plastic removable aligners.

Many adults needing braces can be self-conscious about having the metal kind that are associated with adolescence, and because metal braces aren’t removable, certain foods often have to be avoided. Invisalign also caters to youngsters who dislike the metallic look with their Invisalign Teen version.

The dental straightening, which occurs a little at a time, lets the user remove the aligner for brushing and flossing, a big advantage over non-removable metal. At two-week intervals new straighteners replace the previous ones until they are no longer needed.

Crowded teeth, gaps, and other misalignments like overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite are among the problems that the method can treat.

Guided by custom aligners fitted by a Staten Island dentist at Oakwood Dental, teeth gently start to shift into place. As the gradual process advances, it can take about a year to complete.

Aligners can be cleaned before bedtime and kept in the mouth during sleep. They should be worn 20 to 22 hours per day. Typically, they are removed also for meals. They also can be removed when contact sports warrant a mouth guard.

The cost of Invisalign is comparable to that of traditional metallic braces.