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    Common Invisalign Questions from ChicagoSmileDesign.com Patients

    Posted on January 10th, 2025 by Dr. Peter Tomaselli

    We are back with another blog post to go along with a new set of videos of Dr. Laura answering our dental patients’ most commonly asked questions. This week we are turning our focus to the most frequently asked questions involving Invisalign, and more specifically, how Invisalign compares to traditional braces. While both Invisalign and traditional braces are effective at repositioning the teeth, they achieve this result in very different ways. As you will read in the following paragraphs, our office chooses to use Invisalign for its flexibility, comfort and excellent results.   

    What Happens if you lose an Invisalign Tray?

    Losing an aligner/tray is nothing to worry about. With the way Invisalign is setup, if you lose an aligner, more often than not, you can just skip forward to the next Invisalign aligner in the set. This way you will still be able to maintain your progress without having any negative side effects. 

    Can You Eat or Drink with Your Invisalign Trays In?

    Unfortunately, you should not eat or drink while the aligners are still in your mouth. Eating or drinking with the aligners in your mouth will make your aligners very unclean and could even damage the aligners. After you finish eating, you will then need to brush and floss your teeth before placing the aligners back in your mouth. At Chicago Smile Design our doctors recommend that you leave your Invisalign aligners in at least 23 hours a day. 

    Whats Better for Straightening Teeth Invisalign or Braces?

    At Chicago Smile Design we wouldn’t say one is better than the other. They are both different. Braces and Invisalign have different goals and different benefits. The main incentive to use Invisalign is the flexibility of using the aligners. With Invisalign you have the ability to take the Invisalign Trays in and out whenever you wish, and so long as you wear your aligners at least 23 hours a day, this won’t treatment. Another draw of Invisalign is, unlike braces that are fairly obvious to see, the Invisalign aligners are completely clear. So for individuals who wish to straighten their teeth without anyone noticing, the clear aligners are ideal. Both Invisalign or Braces will move your teeth at the end of the day, but we at Chicago Smile Design choose to use Invisalign aligners because of their excellent results and the flexibility they offer our patients. 

    Which is More Painful Invisalign or Braces?

    Neither braces or Invisalign should be extremely painful. Patients might be a little sore after first starting a new Invisalign tray, but this discomfort should subside in a day or so. Usually, traditional braces can cause more patient discomfort because braces are intended to achieve very aggressive movements in a very short amount of time, but everyone’s case is different.    Whether you are in orthodontic treatment now, or are interested in pursuing it in the future, we hope this information will be helpful for you.  At Chicago Smile Design our goal is to keep our patients healthy and educated. Book your appointment today by texting or calling our office at #312-664-2100. We are excited to see you soon!   
    Best, Dr Tomaselli

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