Clear Aligners in Foley, AL
A straighter smile is possible at any age! If you’ve always wanted to improve your smile but don’t want the hassle of metal braces, clear aligners offer a comfortable, discreet solution. At Riviera Dental Care, we believe everyone deserves a confident, functional smile without the discomfort and inconvenience of traditional braces. Our custom clear aligners gently straighten teeth while blending seamlessly into your lifestyle. With this hassle-free solution, you can achieve the smile you’ve always wanted!
What Are Clear Aligners?
Clear aligners are thin plastic trays that are custom-fit to your smile’s contours! Using state-of-the-art technology, we create a series of clear trays designed to move your teeth to the proper position over time.
Unlike traditional metal braces, clear aligners offer a much more comfortable experience since they don’t require wires or brackets that can irritate your mouth. While more severe alignment issues may require metal braces, clear aligners can correct many dental problems, including:
- Crooked teeth: Some people are born with naturally straight teeth, but many aren’t so lucky. If your teeth are crooked, clear aligners can straighten them so they look more even and balanced.
- Small gaps: We can close the small spaces between teeth with clear aligners. Over time, these clear plastic trays shift your teeth into the perfect position, eliminating gaps.
- Crowded teeth: Overcrowded teeth can potentially cause further dental issues down the road. Food can easily get caught, and bacteria can gather in tight spaces between teeth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Additionally, crowded teeth are more likely to chip or cause pain from uneven pressure and pushing. Clear aligners shift these teeth back into position, relieving tension and fixing your smile.
- Bite issues: Clear aligners can effectively treat mild to moderate cases of malocclusion, including overbite, underbite, and other types of misalignment. More complex bite issues may require metal braces. At Riviera Dental Care, we can determine the best treatment for you at your consultation.
Getting Clear Aligners: How the Process Works
The first step to straightening your smile is an initial consultation. At this appointment, we’ll perform a thorough dental exam to assess your oral health and determine your eligibility for clear aligners. If you have tooth decay or gum disease, we’ll treat these underlying issues before proceeding with clear aligner treatment. In some cases, certain medications or bone health issues may be a setback for the clear aligner process.
If you’re a good candidate for aligners, we’ll take digital scans of your smile and formulate a treatment plan that suits your needs. We’ll send these diagnostic images to a dental lab where technicians will create a series of aligners that gradually move your teeth into the ideal position.
After fitting your first set of clear aligners, you’ll return to Riviera Dental Care periodically to receive your next set, as determined by your treatment plan. Each aligner set is uniquely designed to apply gentle pressure, gradually guiding your teeth into proper alignment. You’ll wear your aligners for about 22-23 hours a day, only removing them to eat and brush. As you progress through the series, your teeth will continue to move, bringing you closer to your ideal smile.
Once the active phase of your clear aligner treatment is done, we’ll provide a retainer that is custom-fit for your new smile. For the first 3 months after your treatment, we recommend wearing your retainer for at least 18 hours per day. In this stabilization phase, your teeth are still easily moved, so without a retainer they may begin to shift out of alignment. After the 3 months pass, you can switch to only wearing your retainer at night.
What Are the Benefits of Clear Aligners?
At Riviera Dental Care, we use ClearCorrect—a brand of clear aligners that offers a wide range of benefits:
- Discrete design: All clear aligners use a transparent plastic design that is far less noticeable than traditional braces. However, ClearCorrect takes this feature a step further with its thinner material, making it even more subtle and nearly invisible when worn.
- Comfortable fit: Traditional metal braces rely on bulky brackets and a rigid wire that can feel uncomfortable in your mouth. Adjustments to the wire often cause soreness. In contrast, clear aligners are metal-free and designed to fit snugly over your teeth, providing a smoother and more comfortable experience with minimal discomfort and a shorter adjustment period.
- Convenient treatment: Clear aligners are removable whenever needed, unlike metal braces that are fixed to the teeth. While you should wear them for about 22-23 hours daily, you’ll take them out when eating or brushing. This flexibility makes oral hygiene easier and adds extra convenience to your daily routine!
- No food restrictions: With traditional braces, dietary restrictions are necessary to protect the brackets and wires. ClearCorrect, on the other hand, has no food limitations since you remove the aligners before eating. That means you can enjoy anything you’d like, from corn on the cob to chewy caramel. After eating, simply brush your teeth and pop your aligners back in when you’re done!
- Quick results: Clear aligners typically straighten teeth in less time than traditional braces. While braces often require 18-24 months of treatment, clear aligners can deliver results in as little as 4-6 months, depending on the case. Their customized, gradual adjustments move teeth efficiently, helping you achieve a straighter smile faster—with fewer office visits along the way.
Straighten Your Smile With ClearCorrect Aligners!
If you have gaps, crowding, or misaligned teeth, know that it’s never too late to achieve a straighter smile! At Riviera Dental Care, we proudly offer ClearCorrect, a premium clear aligner system designed for greater comfort and convenience. With this advanced technology, we can gently guide your teeth into their ideal position—without the hassle of metal braces. Book a clear aligners consultation at Riviera Dental Care to experience a more pleasant, comfortable, and discreet orthodontic journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of clear aligner treatment depends on the complexity and duration of your case. More complex dental issues requiring longer treatment will be more expensive than simpler cases with shorter timelines. In most cases, however, the price of clear aligners is comparable to traditional braces.
At your consultation, we will create a custom treatment plan that details your treatment’s expected length and cost. If your dental insurance offers coverage for your aligners, we will gladly help you maximize your benefits. At Riviera Dental Care, we also offer flexible financing through various third-party companies. These plans allow you to break down costs into manageable monthly payments.
While you might feel a little soreness at first (just like with any orthodontic treatment), clear aligners are more comfortable than traditional braces.
Since they’re made of smooth plastic—not bulky metal—there’s no poking wires or rough brackets to irritate your mouth. Plus, instead of tightening a metal wire, clear aligners use gentle, consistent pressure to shift your teeth gradually. That means any discomfort is usually mild and short-lived.
While your teeth may feel a little tender when switching to a new set of trays, most patients adjust quickly and find their aligners easy and comfortable to wear.
Yes, you’ll wear your aligners while you sleep, as they need to be worn about 22 hours a day to work effectively. Their gentle, consistent pressure keeps your teeth moving along the carefully planned path, helping you stay on track with your treatment.
Skipping hours here and there might not seem like a big deal, but it can lead to setbacks. Your teeth may shift out of alignment, treatment time could take longer, and in some cases, we may even need to create a whole new set of aligners—which can add extra costs.
The more you wear your aligners, the better and faster your results. Stick with it, and you’ll have a beautifully aligned smile before you know it!