Top Temecula Invisalign and Self-Ligating Braces (Including Damon Braces) Orthodontics
Since 1991, this amazing private orthodontist practice has been referred to as the best orthodontist in Temecula and Lake Elsinore for your family to shape and transform beautiful smiles. While reading all of the 5-star reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp, chances are that your friends, family, and neighbors have benefited from our expertise by creating gorgeous smiles with orthodontics.
Dr. Burke and Dr. Redford are members of some of the most elite professional groups in their field, including accreditations and certifications, which benefit each of their valued patients. These include:
- American Board of Orthodontics™
- American Association of Orthodontists®
- California Dental Association (cda®)
- California Association of Orthodontics
- American Dental Association
- Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists
Dr. Burke and Dr. Redford are committed to providing their patients with the safest, highest quality, and most advanced technology / treatment options. This is why our offices offer Invisalign® and self-ligating braces (including Damon Braces™), in both ceramic and metal varieties.
Why Patients Love Invisalign
Before Invisalign was introduced in 2000, braces were the primary way to straighten teeth, fix bites, and correct other orthodontic issues. Invisalign quickly gained popularity among adults and teens who wanted a braces alternative that was more flexible and discreet. To date, well over 6 million patients, including both adults and teens, have used these popular aligners with as part of their orthodontic treatment.
Our offices have been offering Invisalign in Temecula and Lake Elsinore since it first became available. In fact, our offices were among the first group of Invisalign-trained orthodontists in the nation. Today, we are the top, preferred Invisalign provider in Riverside County.
Unlike braces that use wires and brackets to straighten teeth, Invisalign uses a series of transparent, customized aligners (trays) to reposition and straighten teeth and align bites. The trays must be worn up to 22 hours a day to be effective. Patients switch to a new tray every one to two weeks, depending on their unique case and personal rate of tooth movement. Office visits are scheduled every 8 weeks or so to monitor progress.
The trays are FDA-approved and free from BPA, BPS, latex, and gluten. The trays are made from Invisalign’s unique, patented material called SmartTrack®. Patients report that this material feels more comfortable and gentler in the mouth than other types of plastic aligners and braces. SmartTrack’s flexible material helps to speed up tooth movement, improve results, and make aligners easier to take on and off than previous versions of the material.
Many patients prefer the comfort and convenience of Invisalign for the following reasons.
- The trays are transparent, which means most people don’t notice when someone is wearing them.
- The trays can be removed for eating. This means patients can eat foods (such as popcorn, taffy, and other chewy/sticky treats) that must be avoided while wearing braces.
- The trays can be removed for brushing and flossing, which allows patients to more easily maintain their regular oral hygiene routine. By contrast, braces require a bit more effort to keep clean.
- The trays contain no metal, which reduces mouth abrasions.
Treatment times with Invisalign depend on the complexity of the case. In mild cases, Invisalign can actually be more efficient that braces. However, the actual time will vary depending on a patient’s unique orthodontic needs and commitment to diligently wearing the aligners as prescribed by the orthodontist.
Creating Invisalign Aligners—Without Goop
In the past, patients had to bite into sticky goop to create impressions for aligners. However, the mess and unpleasant taste of traditional impressions are long gone! Our office uses a 3D digital scanner called the iTero® Element to produce the digital impressions needed to create a patient’s Invisalign trays.
The iTero combines powerful software with advanced scanning technology to create accurate and highly detailed 3D digital impressions of a patient’s teeth, gums, and bite. The 3D model is formed by moving a small wand inside the patient’s mouth. The wand captures images of tooth surfaces and gum tissue, which are then pieced together to create a color model of the inside of a patient’s mouth.
The scanning process can be seen in real-time on a screen. This allows the doctors to explain and discuss their treatment with patients while they are in the chair. Better yet, the iTero system is fully compatible with Invisalign’s system, including the Invisalign Outcome Simulator. This simulator shows patients the outcome of their treatment before it even starts.
Once the model is complete, the treating orthodontist will direct the Invisalign lab technicians how, when, and where to move the teeth to create the desired result. Invisalign then manufactures the patient’s aligners according to the doctor’s prescription. This results in patient’s receiving aligners that are more accurate and have a more precise fit than trays made with other scanners or 2D technology.
Unlike some other clear aligner systems, we do not outsource the important diagnosis and treatment planning portion of clear aligner treatment to a remote dentist or lab technician. We carefully study and measure important diagnostic information prior to designing the clear aligner sequence. Orthodontic treatment is not a commodity or a one approach fits all process. For ideal results, meticulous attention must be paid to each step of the process. We will be with you the whole way to make sure your goals are met and your investment in treatment well-spent! We will also be there to follow up after treatment with the best retention protocol so that your investment is preserved.
Invisalign might not be suited for all patients, especially those with complex bite issues, special orthodontic needs, or those who feel they are not up for the commitment it takes to wear aligners full time. For these patients, braces are a great option!
What Are Self-ligating braces?
Self-ligating braces systems (such as the Damon braces system) differ from other orthodontic treatments (such as traditional braces) in three primary ways.
- No elastic or metal ties are used. Wires are secured to the braces via a door that opens and closes. This means the elastics and clips used in traditional braces are not required. Colored ties are still an option as a fun decoration if desired.
- Fewer office visits are needed for adjustments because ties do not need to be replaced along with the using lightweight, high-technology, shape-memory wires that work over long periods of time.
- Office visits are shorter because the process of opening and closing doors and changing wires (adjusting the braces) is more efficient. This means less time in the dental chair and a more comfortable in-office experience.
Damon System Braces vs. Traditional Braces
Damon braces are a type of self-ligating braces and one of the self-ligating systems used in our office. Self-ligating braces use special doors and clips to secure the orthodontic wire rather than the elastic ties that usually go around brackets in traditional braces.
Earlier, we described three ways that the Damon system is different—no clips or elastics, fewer office visits, and reduced time spent in the dental chair. In addition to these differences, one other advantage of self-ligating braces over traditional braces is:
- Easier to clean than traditional braces since no elastic ties to attract and collect plaque are required.
What Are Damon Clear Braces?
Self-ligating braces (including Damon braces) come in two versions: metal and clear. Stainless steel and polycarbonate are used in the metal version. The clear version—known as ceramic self-ligating braces or Damon Clear—are made of ceramic and can be tooth-colored or transparent.
In pictures, you can hardly tell that patients are wearing Damon Clear braces. This is because there are no metal clips or elastic ties and the archwire is very thin. Damon Clear braces are virtually invisible!
Patients that opt for Clear Damon braces are usually older teens or adults concerned with the cosmetic appearance of their braces. However, Damon Clear is an option for patients of any age. Other than the color and material used for the brackets, there is no difference in treatment quality or results between metal and clear braces.
Deciding On The Best Orthodontic Treatment
Aside from self-ligating braces, including Damon braces and Invisalign, our offices also offer other types of self-ligating braces, lingual braces (braces on the back of the teeth), retainers, and other orthodontic appliances. Although we don’t typically put traditional style braces (those requiring a tie to hold the wire in place) on our new patients, we are able to treat patients who already have these types of braces in place (i.e., Patients moving into the area with braces already in place).
It is important to remember that Invisalign and all types of braces are effective for teeth straightening, closing gap teeth, and fixing other orthodontic issues, when in the right hands. Those directing and performing the treatment are the greatest single greatest factor in achieving a great result! Clear aligners and braces are simply a tool at a good orthodontists’ disposal.
At a patient’s first visit to our offices, the doctors will conduct a thorough clinical examination and discuss potential treatment options. The patient’s age and readiness for orthodontic treatment will be considered, along with the patient’s specific orthodontic issues.
To learn more about Invisalign, self-ligating braces, and why Burke & Redford Orthodontists are known as the best orthodontist in Temecula and Lake Elsinore, call our office at (951) 699-8011 to schedule a free consultation. You can also fill out the form on our website and our staff will contact you during business hours.
