Straighten Your Teeth Without Braces
Not loving the idea of brackets and wires? We have amazing alternatives here at Dr. Melanie Orthodontics. We're a leading provider of 3M™ Clarity™ Aligners, uLab clear aligners, and TLC aligners in San Diego and Rancho Santa Fe, CA.
The treatments involve a series of clear, removable plastic aligners designed according to Dr. Melanie's prescription. You'll get your dream smile comfortably, conveniently and aesthetically.
What Are Clear Aligners?
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.
The cool thing is Dr. Melanie has pioneered a unique hybrid approach to treatment using a combination of clear aligners and braces for complex cases. So, even if you wouldn't traditionally be a candidate for treatment with clear aligners, you may be at our practice! That means you'll have an aesthetic option without compromising your results.
The Clear Benefits of Aligners
Discreet
Clear aligners are clear, smooth, and custom molded to fit your mouth, making them nearly undetectable. You can keep your orthodontic treatment under wraps!
Flexible
Clear aligners give Dr. Melanie maximum flexibility. She can treat a range of issues with just aligners or, in complex cases, do hybrid treatment with aligners and braces.
Eat What You Love
Clear aligners are removable, and you'll take them out to brush and floss your teeth and eat. This means there are no food restrictions, and oral hygiene is easy.
Shorter Visits
You'll never have emergency repair appointments, and your check-ups will be shorter because, unlike braces, aligners don't need to be tightened or adjusted.
TLC Aligners: Treatment That's as Custom as It Gets
Dr. Melanie is all about creating truly custom treatment that meets your smile needs. That's one of the reasons she created TLC Aligners.
What are TLC Aligners?
TLC Aligners are our in-house brand of clear dental aligners. Just like 3M Clarity or uLab clear aligners, they're made from clear, smooth, BPA-free plastic.
We take digital scans of your teeth and send them to our software. Dr. Melanie maps out your tooth movements directly on the computerized 3D rendering of your mouth.
She creates different dental models, each featuring your teeth moving closer to their final positions.
Dr. Melanie 3D prints these models and makes the clear aligner trays using a thermo vacuum forming process.
Since we do everything in the office, Dr. Melanie has complete control and greater flexibility.
So, say you want limited treatment or just need minor corrections, we can create the exact number of trays you need, allowing you to get results more quickly and affordably.
The Benefits of TLC Aligners
Clear & Comfortable
TLC Dental Aligners are smooth and clear. They're a comfortable, discreet way to get the smile of your dreams without brackets and wires.
Flexibility
Dr. Melanie can print as many or as few aligners as necessary and make adjustments on the fly, giving you more flexibility.
Affordable
We skip the middleman (or woman!) and design and print the aligners in our office. We then pass on the savings to our patients.
Saves Time
Since the aligners aren't being shipped from another state or country, you'll get them sooner, and we can make adjustments or replacements right away.
Your Path to a New Smile
We're all about making treatment convenient and comfortable, and clear aligners are a great fit for our high-tech approach. Using computerized treatment planning and various innovative aligner options, the team at Dr. Melanie Orthodontics can help you get amazing results without brackets and wires. We also make the process streamlined and fun (really!).
01. Consultation with Dr. Melanie
You'll stop by Dr. Melanie Orthodontics in 4S Ranch or Rancho Santa Fe for a free consult to determine if clear aligners are right for you.
02. Create a Digital, 3D Image of Your Mouth
We offer same-day starts, so if you decide you're ready to jump right in on your new smile, we'll take digital impressions using our iTero scanner (no goopy molds at our practice!).
03. Pick Up Your Custom Clear Aligners
Once you get your aligners, you'll wear them for 20 to 22 hours per day, taking them out only to eat, drink, and brush and floss your teeth.
04. Wear New Aligners According to Plan
You'll switch to a new set of aligners every one to two weeks. As you go through the series, your smile will take shape bit by bit. Even though aligners don't require adjustments, you'll still visit every six to eight weeks to ensure your treatment is proceeding as planned.
05. Show Off Your New Smile
When you remove your last set of clear aligners, you'll have straight teeth and a healthy bite. We'll design and print a custom, clear, removable retainer just for you. Wearing a retainer will ensure your results last a lifetime; eventually, you'll only have to wear it at night.
Start Your Aligner Treatment Today
To find out if you're a candidate for clear aligner treatment, schedule your free consultation with Dr. Melanie Wang today online or by calling us at (858) 613-3688 (San Diego) or (858) 255-7800 (Rancho Santa Fe).