3M™ Clear Aligners
The Discreet Way To Straighten Your Teeth
The 3M™ Clear Aligner system is a custom fit for your smile, offering a treatment experience that is convenient, comfortable and nearly invisible.
Most people aren’t born with perfectly straight teeth, but with the advancements in dental technology, you don’t need a mouth full of metal to get straight teeth. Steel City Orthodontics offers 3M™ clear aligners to teens. Clear aligners are a discreet solution for straightening your teeth. The Steel City Orthodontics team uses a system of removable, nearly invisible plastic trays designed to help guide your teeth into the ideal position helping you achieve the straight, healthy smile you want.
What Are 3M™ Clear Aligners?
3M™ Clear Aligner treatment involves a series of clear, removable, BPA-free plastic aligners custom-designed by your orthodontist just for your smile. The aligners exert steady, gentle pressure to shift the teeth into place. As you progress through your trays, your new smile takes shape bit by bit.
Your aligners are designed based on 3D models of your teeth and the recommended movement strategy our orthodontists determine by scanning your teeth in the office. The models of your teeth are used to guide your teeth into the desired alignment. The aligners are virtually invisible once placed in your mouth, and they are also removable during meals and to brush and floss.
For the most effective results, you should wear aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day. You will wear each aligner set for one to two weeks or as recommended by your Steel City orthodontist.
The 3M™ Clear Aligner Process
When you visit Steel City Orthodontics for your complimentary consultation, our orthodontists will determine if you are a candidate for clear aligners. If you are, they will take digital impressions of your smile. The digital impressions will allow your dentist to see which teeth need to move and in what order, and you will be able to see what your smile is expected to look like by the end of treatment.
From these digital impressions, sets of custom clear aligners will be designed specifically for your mouth and your treatment plan. By wearing the clear aligners, your teeth will gradually move into their proper position. As directed by your orthodontist, you will switch to a new set of aligners each week or two to modify the movements.
Periodic visits will be scheduled with the orthodontist to ensure that the straightening process stays on track. Once treatment is complete, we will make a custom retainer to help your teeth stay in place as they settle into their new position.
What Can 3M™ Clear Aligners Treat?
3M™ Clear Aligners are designed to treat several common orthodontic issues, including:
What Are The Advantages of 3M™ Clear Aligners?
Caring for 3M™ Clear Aligners
The good news is that you can remove your clear aligners to eat and brush and floss your teeth so you don’t have to worry about food getting stuck in your aligners. There are a few things you should do to keep your teeth and aligners in great condition:
