Invisalign at Hershon Orthodontics

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

A confident and beautiful smile apparently has been a prized possession for untold centuries. Evidence has been uncovered indicating that even in civilizations remembered only in history books, ancient orthodontists used devices that could be described as braces to do away with the stigma of and physical problems caused by crooked teeth.

The science of orthodontics has made great strides in the past few hundred years, but it wasn’t so long ago that wearing braces was akin to being sentenced to a year or two of a mouthful of unsightly and uncomfortable metal, difficulty brushing your teeth, frequent trips to your dentist or orthodontist for repairs and adjustments and eliminating some of your favorite foods from your diet. Part of the problem was solved with the advent of lingual braces, which are installed on the inside of the teeth, and, hence, are all but invisible to all but you and your orthodontist. They have problems of their own, however; for example, they can irritate your tongue.

A little more than a decade has passed since most of these issues were erased by the development of Invisalign – clear, invisible aligners made of tough and flexible biomedical plastic. For optimum success, you must wear them at least 20 hours a day. However, since they are easily removable, you can take them out when you eat, brush and floss. And you won’t have to give up the foods you like best while your teeth are being straightened.

Just as important, according to Dr. Lee Hershon, an orthodontist who has been practicing in the Charleston, South Carolina area for 35 years, is that in his office, Invisalign doesn’t cost any more than traditional braces.

“We price it so it is available to everyone,” said Dr. Hershon, who has provided the treatment to more than 300 patients during the past seven years.

Dr. Hershon explained that a computer application uses photographs, X-rays and impressions to create a series of clear plastic aligners designed specifically for each individual patient. The patient wears the aligners for two weeks, then moves to the next set in the series. Dr. Hershon gives his patients four sets at a time, so they return to his office every eight weeks. He carefully monitors the patient’s progress at each visit and adjusts the aligners, if necessary.

“With traditional braces, they have to come in every time something is loose or broken,” he pointed out, adding that he can use Invisalign with 80 percent of his patients.

He said patients usually require between 20 and 40 sets of aligners.

Dr. Hershon, who has offices in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre and North Charleston, said it’s important for a person who is interested in Invisalign to find an orthodontist who has a wealth of experience with the product.

“Many dentists are not familiar with the technique,” he commented. “You have to know what you are doing. Part of the problem is that people will do things that are beyond their expertise. A good consumer should know that they would be better off with a specialist.”

Regarding Invisalign, Dr. Hershon is a specialist. Based on the number of patients he has treated successfully, he was ranked by the company as a Preferred Premier Provider early in 2011. He is well on his way to Invisalign’s highest rating of Preferred Elite Provider, a designation reserved for orthodontists who have “achieved an extraordinary level of Invisalign case experience.”

Dr. Hershon’s educational and teaching background rival his experience. A graduate of Rutgers University, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Hershon has served on the faculty at Harvard and The Medical College of Virginia. He currently is an associate clinical professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. In addition to being certified in the Invisalign and Invisalign Teen techniques, he is a specialist in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.

According to Dr. Hershon, more patients should be choosing Invisalign over traditional braces. One reason they aren’t, he said, is that many people, including dentists and orthodontists, are still unaware of the product’s vast capabilities.

“It’s faster, more comfortable for the patients, more aesthetic, hygienic, there are no emergencies and we see phenomenal outcomes,” he said. “In America, high self-esteem requires a great smile.”

by Brian Sherman

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For more information about Invisalign, contact Dr. Lee Hershon at:

www.hershonorthodontics.com

Charleston Office
2679 Lake Park Drive
Lakeshore Office Park
North Charleston, SC 29406
Phone: (843) 553-2255
Fax: (843) 797-1231
map Mt. Pleasant Office
1108 Market Centre Blvd.
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Phone: (843) 881-9514
Fax: (843) 881-9219
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