10 Things You Need To Know about Str8 Clear Aligners

10 Things You Need To Know about Str8 Clear Aligners

10 Things You Need To Know About Clear Aligners

Popular clear aligner brands like Str8 Oral Care have become the norm among popular orthodontic treatments. Even though clear aligners have been around for over 20 years, the technology is still progressing a little more each year. Today’s clear aligner treatments are now some of the best solutions for patients. If you’re still uncertain whether or not invisible braces are right for you, here are 10 things you need to know about Str8 Clear Aligners.

 

#1 Clear Aligners Were Originally Designed for Adults

 

A lot of adults assume that they’re too old for braces. But the fact of the matter is that clear aligners were actually designed with adults in mind. Originally the clear aligners were meant to help correct minor tooth movement or relapse, such as what might happen if a college student didn’t keep up with their orthodontic retainer.

 The unique design of the transparent aligners is discreet enough that it allows adults to undergo comprehensive orthodontic therapy without people realizing they’re in braces. So if you’re a busy professional or just don’t like the idea of visible orthodontic appliances on your teeth, you’re in luck! Most people won’t be able to see anything on your teeth unless they’re looking up close from a few inches away.

 

 

#2 Treatment Times for Clear Aligners are Shorter Than Ever

 

As new technological advancements have come about, the average length of treatment for Str8 has significantly improved. While the exact length of each case is dependent upon your unique tooth alignment and whether you wear your aligners as directed, our team can at least give you a fairly accurate estimate during your  consultation. As soon as we know how many sets of trays you’ll need to move your teeth, you’ll know how long the overall treatment will take. On average, it’s around 12 months.

 

However, short-term accelerated options are also available in certain cases. Meaning that if you only need to straighten a few front teeth, you can use clear aligners and have a straighter smile in a period of just 3-6 months or so.

 

#3 Improving Tooth Alignment is Good for Your Oral Health

 

Yes, there are actual dental health advantages to having straighter teeth. When your teeth are properly aligned, you’re statistically less likely to get cavities, gum disease, or develop TMJ disorder compared to people with crooked or gapped teeth. If you already have certain areas in your mouth that are harder to clean — due to tooth misalignment — or are wearing down prematurely, then you could benefit from clear aligner therapy.

 

Some dental experts go as far as to say that adding clear aligners into your periodontal care plan is an effective way to help combat gum disease. The reason being that you’re both straightening your teeth while also enjoying the convenience of ultra easy-to-clean appliances. There are no extra areas for food or plaque to build up.

 

#4 There are Lines of Str8 for Teens and Young Patients

 

Even though clear aligners were initially introduced and originally targeted at adults, teens have wanted to get in on the action too. Although some teenagers do have a bit of a time trying to keep up with removable aligners (fixed braces might be better in those cases) others are quite responsible. The option of wearing clear braces instead of metal brackets is appealing to some teens.

 

#5 More People Qualify More Than Ever Before!

 The earliest clear aligners patients had to fit strict, limited criteria. There was only a certain degree of tooth misalignment that they could correct, and anything beyond that would mean wearing invisible trays wasn’t going to work. Braces were your only option.

 

Today that’s no longer the case. Advancements in clear alignment therapy has expanded the type of malocclusion (misaligned bite) cases that can effectively — and predictably — be treated with Str8. So if you were told you didn’t qualify for clear braces 8 or 9 years ago, it might be time to get a second opinion! Even more aggressive tooth discrepancies can often be corrected thanks to years of tweaking the technology.

 

#6 The Appointments are Shorter and Less Frequent Than Braces

 

Anyone wearing braces knows that it takes regular adjustment appointments to keep your teeth moving along smoothly. You go in, have appliances adjusted, changed out, or wires updated, and then plan an appointment for about six weeks out.

 Str8 is planned out in advance, and all you have to do to keep your teeth moving along is to change your aligners out as directed. It’s that easy. 

 

#7 The Price of Clear Aligners is More Competitive Than it Used to Be

 

When clear aligners first came out 20 years ago, it was nearly double the price of traditional braces systems. That’s no longer the case. As clear aligner technology has become more mainstream and accessible, so has the price tag.

 The cost of clear aligners is relatively comparable to that of conventional orthodontics. Str8 oral care offers several different financing options as well.

 

#8 You Can Whiten Your Teeth at the Same Time

 

Did you know that your Str8 Oral Care clear aligner could also double as a whitening tray? Since your aligner is snuggly fitted to the contour of each of your teeth, you can also place a small dot of whitening foam boost (included in your aligner kit) inside of each space to brighten your smile at the same time.

 

 

#9 Your Tooth Movement is Digitally Mapped Out in Advance

 Str8's virtual treatment planning process virtually “moves” your teeth in the computer software to the desired location and alignment. Each tooth is individually adjusted alongside its neighboring teeth, with all of the arch being fine-tuned in each corresponding phase of therapy.

 

After your tooth movement is digitally mapped, a series of 3D-printed alignment trays are created for each segment of tooth movement. So long as you change your trays out as directed (usually every two weeks) and replace them with the next in the series, your teeth will follow along with the virtual care plan that was created before your treatment started. Occasionally we might need to fine-tune something here or there, but everything is scanned into the digital platform so you’ll never need more messy impressions.

 

#10 They’re Super Convenient

 Easily straighten your smile without visible or irritating braces. Since you don’t have brackets and wires, you can eat whatever you want without having to alter your diet. Just remove your trays during meals. Even cleaning your smile is simple, because you take your aligners out to brush and floss like normal.

 

The smooth shape of clear aligners prevents wires or metal from irritating the inside of your cheeks and lips. Ultimately most of our  invisible braces patients say that Str8 aligners are much more comfortable than fixed types of appliances. If one thing is for certain, you’ll never need orthodontic wax to cover a poky wire or broken bracket!

 

Even though Str8 is designed to wear all day, every day, you always have the option to take them out if needed. Just make a plan to wear them for a minimum of about 22 hours a day.

 

Back to blog