Spark Clear Aligners Bethel Park & McMurray
Attaining a Straighter Smile Has Never Been Easier
Almost everyone has met someone with braces at some point in their lifetime – or they’ve had to undergo this orthodontic treatment themselves. As iconic as braces are, advancements in modern dentistry have seen other forms of orthodontia emerge, and few are as groundbreaking and exciting as Spark clear aligners. They perform the same job as traditional braces; however, patients often find that this experience is light-years ahead of the metal brackets and wires when it comes to comfort and convenience. To learn more about how Dr. Palmer and our team can turn to Spark clear aligners in Bethel Park or McMurray to help you straighten your smile, continue reading or contact our orthodontic office today!
Why Choose Smiles by Palmer for Spark Clear Aligners?
- Board-Certified Orthodontist on Staff
- Treatments for Patients of All Ages
- More Convenient Than Metal Braces
How Do Spark Clear Aligners Work?
Spark clear aligners utilize precise, guided pressure to rearrange and realign teeth. Just like how braces rely on brackets and wires for this movement, the aligners themselves provide gentle, steady force to teeth, encouraging them to move into healthier positions based on Dr. Palmer’s treatment plan. As long as the patient complies with the treatment and wears their aligners continuously, they can see misalignment, bite issues, and other orthodontic concerns vanish over the course of several months, revealing a straight and symmetrical smile!
Benefits of Spark Clear Aligners
Spark clear aligners hold several advantages over traditional metal braces. In fact, patients often rave about just how convenient and comfortable the overall treatment process is! If you are currently deciding if this orthodontic treatment is right for you, then keep reading to learn a few noteworthy benefits.
Basically Invisible Braces
Although effective, many patients are hesitant to commit to traditional braces because the metal brackets and wires are so noticeable. Fortunately, Spark clear aligners are remarkably transparent and discreet. As a result, only you and Dr. Palmer will know you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment!
No Dietary Restrictions
Another downside of traditional braces is that patients need to abide by a long list of dietary restrictions. That’s not the case with Spark clear aligners because they are removable! As a result, patients can enjoy virtually all types of foods and beverages as long as they take their trays off and store them properly first.
Tip: Eat lots of healthy, well-balanced meals to reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other common oral health problems during your teeth-straightening journey.
Metal-Free Trays
In addition to being stain-resistant, durable, and removable, Spark clear aligners have smooth edges and are custom-made to fit the contours of your teeth without irritating your gums. In other words, they’re quite comfortable to wear long-term.
Shorter Average Treatment Timeline
Although there are several factors at play, many patients wear traditional braces for 2-3 years. Conversely, clear aligners deliver results in an average of just 12-18 months. So, if you have a wedding or another important event you want a straight smile for, this might be the best option!
Better Dental Hygiene
Another benefit that Spark clear aligners have over other orthodontic treatments is that it’s much easier to maintain a healthy smile. That’s because the aligners are removable and, therefore, patients don’t need to adopt cumbersome oral hygiene regimens or buy special dental care products. They can brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash like usual!
Tip: Keep a travel-sized toothbrush with you so you can clean your teeth and your trays on-the-go.
Boosted Confidence
Have a date you’re looking forward to? Is there a big presentation coming up at work? Maybe you’re about to go on vacation and don’t want “metal mouth” to be featured in all of your pictures. Whatever the case may be, you don’t have to worry – Spark clear aligners won’t draw any unwanted attention to your smile.
Living with Spark Aligners
Whether you’ve just started your journey to a straighter smile with Spark clear aligners or you’ve been undergoing treatment for a while now, you should know that you have quite a large amount of control over your treatment’s outcome! Successfully integrating the treatment into your daily life might not seem easy at all times, but with a little knowledge and preparation, you can easily set your smile up for success. Here’s what you need to know about living with Spark clear aligners.
Wearing Your Trays
Since your aligners aren’t bonded to your teeth, you might feel like taking them out at your leisure—but you shouldn’t do this! The trays need to be worn for 20 to 22 hours every day in order for them to shift your teeth as intended. Only remove your Spark clear aligners for meals and oral hygiene; wear them the rest of the time, advancing to new sets as instructed. Even having them out for a few hours or days here and there can add up and potentially cause delays to your treatment timeline.
Cleaning Your Aligners
If you’re familiar with metal braces, either due to wearing them yourself in the past or watching a loved one go through treatment, you might already know that the treatment impacts oral hygiene. Mainly, it makes it a little trickier to keep the teeth properly clean, as well as the braces themselves. When it comes to Spark clear aligners, you don’t need any fancy equipment or products—you just need a soft-bristled toothbrush and clean, cool (not warm) water! You can rinse your trays off after each meal and gently brush them, carefully cleaning every surface. If they still look a bit yellow, you can use the cleaning crystals that came with your clear aligner kit.
Eating & Drinking
One thing that patients absolutely love about Spark clear aligners is that the treatment doesn’t come with any dietary restrictions—meaning as long as you remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything (aside from regular water), you can enjoy all of your favorites! However, this doesn’t mean you should be careless. It’s still wise to avoid excessively sugary items or enjoy them in moderation, since you’re still susceptible to cavities and gum disease while wearing the aligners. It’s also smart to rinse your mouth and trays after eating or snacking, especially if you’re unable to immediately brush your teeth.
Losing or Damaging a Tray
Every moment you aren’t wearing your aligners is an opportunity for something to happen to them. This isn’t meant to frighten you, but rather, encourage you to prioritize your treatment! If you’ve lost one or both of your trays, do your best to retrace your steps. Let us know if your search doesn’t turn anything up, and we’ll tell you how to proceed. We might ask you to come in, and in the meantime, you may need to wear an older aligner. In the case of damaged aligners, never try to repair them yourself using household items; give us a call instead, and we’ll determine the next best steps.
Routine Check-Ins
One aspect of Spark clear aligner treatment that patients also enjoy is how independent the overall process feels. Compared to traditional braces, Spark patients have fewer routine check-ins to keep up with. That’s not to say these appointments aren’t important, though; they allow our team to carefully examine your smile and chart your treatment’s progress before making any adjustments or updates as needed. If any issues have popped up during your treatment, they’ll also be able to promptly address them during these visits. Do your best to attend every single one of these check-ins!
Spark vs. Invisalign
You’ve probably heard of Invisalign, which is another popular brand of clear aligners that patients turn toward to improve their smiles. But what you probably haven’t heard is that compared to Invisalign, Spark clear aligners are quite exceptional. Not only do these aligners do the exact same job as Invisalign and other leading competitors, but they do often so in a more comfortable and convenient manner. The edges of these transparent aligners are smooth where they touch your gums, leading to drastically less discomfort while they’re being worn. Plus, Spark aligners also tend to be notably less expensive!