Discreet ClearCorrect aligners help you straighten your teeth with confidence.

There’s an old saying that a smile is worth a thousand words—and it’s certainly true that smiles can often convey more than words alone can. People across the world from many different cultures smile every day to express a range of emotions. It’s so ingrained in our behavior that even babies smile! If you’re self-conscious of your smile because it’s crooked or misaligned, however, smiling might not come as naturally as it should.

ClearCorrect aligners are a cutting-edge orthodontic treatment that works as an alternative to braces, straightening your teeth discreetly. They help your confidence to grow as your smile changes throughout the treatment process. But what are ClearCorrect aligners, how do aligners compare with traditional braces, and are you a candidate for this alternative treatment? We’ve put together a guide to help you learn more about ClearCorrect orthodontics in Lawton, OK and whether they could be right for you.

What is ClearCorrect aligner therapy?

ClearCorrect aligner therapy is an alternative to traditional braces that straightens teeth and corrects misaligned bites using a series of clear plastic aligners. These aligners can treat nearly every issue that traditional braces can, including crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, overcrowding, and malocclusions like overbites, underbites, crossbites, open bites, and more. ClearCorrect aligners do this while providing many unique advantages that make them an attractive treatment option for many people.

The most noticeable of these benefits is that the plastic aligners are almost invisible on your teeth. It’s a major change from traditional braces that allows you to undergo treatment discreetly and helps you to see and benefit from the improvements to your smile right as they happen. This helps you not only stay confident throughout your treatment process but to gain confidence as your treatment progresses!

ClearCorrect aligners are also removable and need to be taken out when you eat or drink anything other than water to ensure that they stay clear and invisible on your teeth. This removability, however, means that you can continue to eat all your favorite foods throughout your orthodontic treatment. It also makes your oral hygiene routine just as easy as it was before you began straightening your teeth! You still need to wear your ClearCorrect aligners for at least 22 hours a day to allow them to straighten your teeth on schedule, but the treatment gives you a lot more flexibility compared to traditional braces.

How does ClearCorrect work compared to braces?

When you break down the differences between how ClearCorrect aligners vs. braces function, the aligners really function a lot like braces. Both aligners and braces exert gentle, gradually increasing pressure on your teeth to straighten them over time—they simply go about exerting this pressure in different ways. Braces use brackets attached to each of your teeth and connected by a system of wires that are tightened by your orthodontist every four to six weeks.

ClearCorrect relies on a series of aligners to achieve the same results. When you begin your treatment, your dentist outlines your entire step-by-step treatment process and sends the information to ClearCorrect, which uses it to design and make the series of aligners that will guide you through that process. Every two or three weeks, you switch to the next set of aligners in your plan. This is the equivalent of having an orthodontist adjust your braces, as it gradually increases and changes the pressure on your teeth to continue shifting them into the ideal position.

You will still need to visit your dentist every six weeks or so to ensure that your teeth are moving on schedule and in the way they’re supposed to, but since your dentist shouldn’t have to make any adjustments, this appointment is normally pretty quick and easy! 

What makes someone a great candidate for ClearCorrect treatment?

Traditional braces are sometimes the best option for more severe malocclusions, but ClearCorrect aligners’ ability to treat almost all of the same issues as traditional braces means that they remain a great option for many people. If you have mild to moderate orthodontic issues, you might be a great candidate for ClearCorrect aligners!

Since wearing the aligners at least 22 hours a day is so important to their ability to straighten your teeth—and to do so on schedule—the best candidates for ClearCorrect aligners are responsible people who are confident in their ability to take some ownership of their treatment. This means someone who is willing to ensure they’re wearing the aligners for at least the minimum amount of time each day and confident in their ability to keep track of them when they’re not wearing them. 

The aligners also need regular cleaning, which is easy to do during your daily oral hygiene routine, to ensure that they stay clear and invisible on your teeth while you’re wearing them. If this sounds like a level of work you’re willing to put into your orthodontic treatment, you could be an ideal candidate for ClearCorrect orthodontics in Lawton OK!

How long does ClearCorrect treatment take?

No matter what orthodontic treatment you choose, your treatment time will always vary a little based on the severity of your case. The treatment time for ClearCorrect can also be impacted by how good you are at wearing your aligners for as long as you should each day. When you compare ClearCorrect aligners vs. braces, however, the aligners have a shorter average treatment time. 

They can give you straight teeth in an average of 12 to 18 months, sometimes managing more minor corrections in as little as 10 months. In contrast, the shortest treatment time with braces is 12 months, with average treatments taking about 24 months to complete. Everyone is different, however, so if you’re trying to decide between the two treatments, don’t be afraid to ask your dentist for an estimate of how long each would likely take.

What can you expect from your results?

ClearCorrect aligners guide your teeth into the ideal position for them, giving you the confidence that comes with a beautifully straight smile. This confidence can have a huge impact on the way you feel about yourself and how you carry yourself every day in both your personal and professional life. Like other orthodontic treatments, correcting misaligned bites allows ClearCorrect aligners to achieve so much more than straight teeth. Straight teeth are easier to clean because there are fewer hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. This makes it easier to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth, helping you protect your oral health against issues like cavities and gum disease.

Correcting misaligned bites also reduces your likelihood of experiencing TMJ pain and related symptoms, such as frequent headaches, in the future. It can also help alleviate issues with these symptoms that you’re already experiencing because of your misaligned bite. As a result, you’ll end up with a smile that’s healthier, more beautiful, and more confident than ever before!

For many people, ClearCorrect aligners are the perfect alternative to braces. They give you freedom and confidence throughout your treatment process while giving you a beautifully straight smile in record time. If you’d like to learn more about your orthodontic treatment options like ClearCorrect orthodontics in Lawton, OK or want to get started with treatment, the best thing you can do is schedule an appointment with your dentist. They can help you through the process, including ensuring that you’re choosing the best option for you! Don’t be afraid to take the first step today!