Are Aligners for Me?

I started using Invisalign aligners in October of 2000 and it is amazing the amount of changes that have come from Align over the last 21 years. Things that were difficult or even impossible with the Original Aligners are now being accomplished everyday. Align is on its 8th Generation of the product and there are more great things to come!

With that being said, it is still not an easy product to use. Orthodontists are the specialists of dentistry for moving teeth, having to spend 2 ½ to 3 years after graduating from dental school to learn all about moving teeth and dentofacial orthopedics. I am often asked about aligners eliminating the need for Orthodontists with companies like Smile Direct Club and others marketing straight to the consumer. Perhaps someday this will happen, like the self-driving car, the self-flying airlines and other wonderful technologies coming to a future near you.

But for the time being the algorithms are not even close to doing anything but aligning simple cases with little if any concern as to how the teeth function - which seems to me, to be a pretty important reason why we have teeth. Kind of like a beautiful car with no engine (combustion driven) or motor (electric driven). Looks great sitting in the driveway, but it cannot do what a car is supposed to do.

Aligners, like braces, are great tools that Orthodontists can use to improve the alignment and function of your teeth.

Improving the World one Smile at a Time.