Clear aligners are a popular choice for teens and adults who want a discreet orthodontic treatment experience. Unlike their traditional wire-and-bracket counterparts, clear aligners are virtually invisible, comfortable, and can be removed to eat and drink easily.
Invisalign was the first to introduce clear aligners to the public and for many years, was the only company who offered a way to straighten teeth without traditional braces. Today, Laster Perfect Smile clear aligners offer a safe, cost-friendly, and precise way to improve your smile. When it comes to choosing discreet orthodontic treatment, knowing your options, and the benefits of each, will help you decide the best way to achieve your perfect smile.
Invisalign: How it Works
Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners to help adjust the position and alignment of your teeth and bite. Each Invisalign treatment plan is customized specifically for each patient, mapping out how the teeth and bite will be incrementally moved. The custom Invisalign aligners are created at Align Technologies using the CAD/CAM provided by your dentist or orthodontist.
Each aligner will be worn for one to two weeks, depending on your treatment plan. Your Invisalign treatment needs to be appropriately and routinely monitored, so you will need to schedule check-ups with your orthodontist or dentist to get your next set of aligners. While it’s fine to remove your Invisalign aligners for eating, brushing, and flossing, it’s critical that you wear them for a minimum of 22 hours per day to successfully reposition your teeth. Typically an average of 20 or more Invisalign aligners are used for each treatment plan.
Aligner systems like Invisalign can be used to correct mild dental problems. Some of these problems include:
- Overbite – When your upper teeth bite over top of your lower set of teeth.
- Overcrowded Teeth – When your jaw lacks room for all of your teeth to fit normally. The teeth will appear crowded on top of each other.
- Mild Relapse – When you’ve had traditional braces before and relapsing tooth movement has occurred, usually due to a lack of proper retainer use.
- Crossbite – When the lower and upper jaws are misaligned it results in one or more of your upper teeth to sit inside your lower teeth when you bite. Braces are more typically more effective than Invisalign with treating crossbites.
- Widely Spaced Teeth – When you have too much space between your teeth.
- Malocclusions – These are bite irregularities. Braces will be recommended over Invisalign for significant bite issues.
Laster Perfect Smile: The Invisalign Alternative
Laster Perfect Smile is the safe Invisalign alternative you’ve been looking for. Like Invisalign, the Laster Perfect Smile system uses a series of clear, plastic aligner trays that gently guide your teeth to their new position. Laster Perfect Smile aligners can treat all of the orthodontics problems Invisalign can, and are also virtually invisible. Laster Perfect Smile allows patients to straighten their teeth with the confidence to smile, talk, and laugh. LPS clear aligners have several advantages over Invisalign, including:
- Price – One of the biggest benefits Laster Perfect Smile holds over Invisalign is the cost. Because Laster Perfect Smile aligners are made in-house, the production cost of the aligners is considerably lower than Invisalign. These savings are then passed down to the patients.
- Quality – Laster Perfect Smile clear aligners are made from superior quality plastics, Zendura and Taglus. LPS aligners can also be made gluten-free to accompany a variety of patients.
- Professional Oversight – Unlike other clear aligner therapy systems, Dr. Laster diagnoses, creates, and supervises all Laster Perfect Smile cases. Lab technicians are often the ones creating Invisalign, Smile Direct Club, and other aligner systems. Professional oversight helps guarantee a safe, effective clear aligner treatment.
- Customization and Personalization – Laster Perfect Smile provides individualized care that ensures higher treatment accuracy and increased patient satisfaction. The detailed and precise technology used at Laster Orthodontics to capture the patient’s initial smile, plan the clear aligner treatment, and create the aligners themselves are superior compared to Invisalign and the popular at-home aligner treatment, Smile Direct Club.
- Free Retainers – At the end of your Laster Perfect Smile treatment, you’ll need to wear a retainer to keep your new perfect smile from shifting. Laster Orthodontics provides a free retainer to LPS patients and keeps your 3D printed model on file just in case you ever need another retainer.
- Faster Treatment – Since Dr. Laster can accurately plan your entire treatment using Sure Smile technology and the iTero 3D scanner, you’ll be able to enjoy a perfect smile in less time than with other traditional orthodontic options.
The Laster Perfect Smile Experience
The Laster Perfect Smile system has three main stages:
1. Initial Consultation and Scan
The first step in receiving your Laster Perfect Smile begins with an initial consultation and scan of your current smile. Your consultation at Laster Orthodontics will be with the New Patient Coordinator. The New Patient Coordinator asks routine questions about your past orthodontic treatments, previous cosmetic dental treatments, and general dental history. The coordinator then takes a digital “before” picture, and panoramic x-rays for documentation.
Your teeth spacing, bite, and other components of your dental makeup will then be evaluated by Dr. Laster, who will create a personalized contingency plan for your perfect smile treatment.
2. Aligner Fitting and Beginning of Treatment
At your initial aligner fitting appointment, Dr. Laster and his team will place invisible ‘buttons’ on your teeth which will help shift your bite quickly, but safely. Once the buttons are in place, you’ll go through Laster Orthodontics aligner tutorial. Your chairside assistant will ensure that your aligners fit correctly, and will show you the correct way to put the aligners on and take them off.
After your aligners are on, Dr. Laster will inspect the complete fit and you’ll be on your way with your new aligners. Like other clear aligner treatments, you’ll need to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day. The aligners are designed to gradually shift your teeth into the next position of your treatment plan over small increments of time. These measured movements are incremental, so you’ll change out to a new aligner set every 2 weeks.
3. Retainer Fitting and Your Perfect Smile
After your last set of LPS clear aligners, you’ll need to visit the Laster Orthodontics office for your retainer. Your removable retainer will keep your perfect smile from shifting back to their starting point. Dr. Laster will use 3D imaging scans to create your retainer, similar to the process used to create your clear aligners. Dr. Laster will then ensure that your retainers fit snug and comfortable, and will instruct you on their use. After this process, you’ll be able to enjoy your new perfect smile.
If you’re looking for an Invisalign alternative that is safe, fast, and effective, Laster Perfect Smile is the best option. With three office locations in Raleigh, North Carolina, Laster Orthodontics can offer perfect smile treatment to a variety of patients. Don’t let unsafe at-home aligner systems be your only ‘affordable’ aligner option. Contact Laster Orthodontics today and learn how Laster Perfect Smile can provide your perfect smile at a fraction of the cost and time as Invisalign.
At Laster Orthodontics, we help families develop healthy, life-changing smiles using customized treatments, cutting-edge technologies, and caring relationships. Our individualized treatment plans help our patients achieve their perfect smile in the quickest, most painless way possible by utilizing a wide range of options from traditional braces to Propel accelerated treatment to Dr. Laster’s in-house aligner program, Laster Perfect Smile. With three locations throughout the Triangle Area, we create life-changing smiles every day.