Invisalign clear aligners are the orthodontic choice at Southern York Smile Care, serving York, PA, and nearby towns from Shrewsbury. They straighten teeth without brackets or wires. Dr. Steven Haywood is an Elite Invisalign Provider and plans every case personally, for teens and adults alike.
Not long ago, wire braces and metal brackets were the standard way to straighten teeth in the United States. Many adults who wanted or needed straighter teeth simply said no, because they did not want a mouth full of metal for a year or more. Clear aligners changed that. This article explains why Southern York Smile Care moved away from wire braces, how Invisalign works and the advantages it offers.
Why the practice chose clear aligners
Dr. Haywood has moved teeth for patients since dental school, through an advanced residency with the US Air Force and over more than 35 years in practice. Much of that work has been cosmetic and implant dentistry, where tooth position matters a great deal. Teeth that are properly aligned make veneers, crowns, bridges and implants look and work better. Without good alignment, a dentist sometimes has to make compromises.
The problem was that adults resisted wire braces, no matter how much the treatment could help. So in 2005 the practice stopped offering wire braces and focused on Invisalign clear aligners. Adults who had put off treatment for years were suddenly willing to go ahead. Today, Dr. Haywood is an Elite Invisalign Provider, a level Invisalign reserves for its most experienced practices. Southern York Smile Care offers Invisalign, Invisalign Teen and Invisalign Express, plus instant orthodontics for some cosmetic cases. Metal braces are not offered.
Advantage 1: Hard to notice
Invisalign aligners are thin, clear trays that fit snugly over your teeth. They are not truly invisible, but from normal speaking distance most people will not notice them. Many patients go through treatment without coworkers or classmates realizing it. That makes Invisalign a comfortable choice for adults in client-facing jobs, for teens who feel self-conscious and for anyone who simply does not want metal on their teeth.
Advantage 2: You can keep your teeth clean
Brackets and wires trap plaque and are hard to clean around. Decay and white scars on the enamel around brackets are a well-known risk of traditional braces, especially for teenagers.
Aligners come out. You remove them to eat and to clean your teeth, so brushing and flossing work just as they always have. During treatment, Dr. Haywood recommends:
- Brushing and cleaning between your teeth after meals and snacks, before putting your aligners back in
- Rinsing your aligners and cleaning them gently each day
- Drinking only water while the aligners are in
- Cleanings about every three months during treatment
A water flosser can make the routine quicker on busy days.
Advantage 3: A predictable plan you can see
Invisalign treatment begins with photos, X-rays, an exam and a digital scan with the iTero Element 3D scanner, so there are no goopy impression trays. Digital X-rays use up to 90% less radiation than older film.
Those records are used to build a 3D model of your teeth. Dr. Haywood then designs each case in Invisalign's ClinCheck software, planning how each tooth will move, step by step. Because the movements are planned in advance, the length of treatment can be estimated with good accuracy. Simple cases are often finished in about six months, while full treatment for adults and teens often takes longer, commonly well over a year. You can see a preview of your planned result before you start.
Along the way, you will know where you are in treatment, how far you have come and when you should finish. Your job is to wear the aligners as directed, usually 20 to 22 hours a day, and switch trays on schedule.
Advantage 4: Aligners can treat a wide range of bite problems
Clear aligners are not only for minor crowding. In experienced hands, they can treat many bite problems:
- Crossbite, where some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth instead of outside them
- Narrow arches, which can be gradually widened in many cases without a traditional palate expander
- Overbite and underbite
- Gaps and spacing
- Crowding and rotated teeth
A crossbite in the front teeth can affect both looks and jaw growth in children, so early treatment matters. Our article does your child have an overbite? explains the signs to look for. Severe jaw problems may need other care, and Dr. Haywood will tell you honestly if aligners are not the right fit.
Advantage 5: Gentle, controlled tooth movement
Each aligner moves teeth a small, planned amount, spreading gentle pressure across the teeth. Traditional brackets and wires tend to place stronger force on the teeth that are most out of place. Many patients find aligners more comfortable, with less soreness and no wires poking the cheeks.
All orthodontic movement carries some risk of root shortening, called root resorption. Controlled, gentle forces and careful planning help keep that risk low, and Dr. Haywood monitors your progress throughout.
Invisalign for teens and adults
Invisalign Teen is designed for growing smiles. It includes features that help parents and the team check that aligners are being worn. Teens can play sports and instruments and eat normally, since the aligners come out. For adults, aligners are often the first step in a larger plan. Straightening first can mean less tooth reduction for veneers or better spacing for an implant. Our article on Invisalign vs. mail-order aligners explains why an in-person exam matters.
After treatment: keeping your teeth straight
Teeth naturally try to drift back. Wearing a retainer after treatment holds them in their new position. Invisalign's Vivera retainers are made from the same digital records and can also serve as a night guard for patients who grind.
Paying for Invisalign
Invisalign can be paid monthly after a down payment, and CareCredit and Cherry payment plans are also available. Southern York Smile Care is out of network with every insurer: you pay at the visit and the team files the claim so your insurance can reimburse you for any orthodontic coverage you have. Kelley Fisher, the Patient Care and Treatment Coordinator, will go over the cost of your plan and your options. See our financing page.
Schedule your Invisalign consultation
From pre-teens to grandparents, it is rarely too late for a healthier, straighter smile. Learn more on our Invisalign clear aligners page, then call Southern York Smile Care at (717) 235-3871 or request an appointment. The office is at 4 S. Main St in Shrewsbury, PA, a short drive from York, and serves southern York County and northern Baltimore County, MD.
DDS cum laude 1987, US Air Force residency, NYU cosmetic training and Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, with 35+ years in practice.
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