Essential Facts About Invisalign

Have you heard about Invisalign or perhaps wondered if it is for you?

Maybe you are not quite sure what it is or how it works?

Well then, read on to discover everything you really want and need to know about this technology, before you book your initial consultation for treatment.

Why Even Consider Invisalign?

Firstly, let’s look at why you would even think about having this treatment. It’s likely you are considering Invisalign because you are concerned about the appearance of your teeth. Perhaps you have an unsightly gap in between one or more of your teeth or maybe they’re slightly rotated or out of alignment.

Other reasons include having a bad bite or poor occlusion and this simply means your teeth do not meet together correctly when you bite down.

People with underbites and overbites or crossbites or open bites may want to think about having Invisalign treatment.

Invisalign is a sophisticated procedure using advanced orthodontic technologies to carefully correct the position of teeth. These technologies are tried and tested and have already helped many people worldwide. You probably already know some people who have had this treatment. Although, it’s so discreet that you may not even have noticed.

What Is Invisalign?

The mere mention of orthodontic treatment is enough to conjure up an image of heavy metal braces used in conventional orthodontics. While wearing these types of braces is something of a rite of passage for children and teens, it can be nothing but an embarrassment for adults.

Especially for those who may not have had the opportunity for orthodontic treatment when they were younger. This is where Invisalign can be useful, providing an extremely discreet way for adults to comfortably straighten their teeth.

Instead of unsightly brackets and wires, Invisalign consists of mouth trays which are also called aligners and these are made from thin skins of clear plastic material. These mouth trays are custom-made to fit tightly over teeth. Once in the mouth, they are extremely difficult to see.

This is why often people will not realize that you are undergoing orthodontic treatment unless you choose to enlighten them.

How to Use Invisalign

Each mouth tray is individually designed and custom-made to be worn for approximately two weeks. It gradually moves teeth into pre-planned positions that will have been determined in your treatment plan.

At the end of each two-week period, the mouth trays are discarded and you will begin to wear a new set. This continues until treatment is complete. As the mouth trays are fully removable, you will find it simple to continue with a normal oral care routine.

With fixed braces, it’s generally necessary to spend additional time cleaning around the brackets and wires, often using specialized tools to do so. You will not need to do any of this with Invisalign, as you can simply brush and floss exactly as you would normally do.

It’s the same thing with eating. With fixed braces, you would need to adjust your diet. This means avoiding things that are very hard or very sticky. These could damage or break brackets and wires or at the very least will make your brace tricky to keep clean.

There are no such restrictions with Invisalign as you can eat whatever you want, simply take out the mouth trays during meal times. However, it is important to wear the mouth trays for at least 22 hours every day.

However, it is possible to leave them out for the very occasional special event. This shouldn’t be the norm as it will slow down treatment or in the worst case could mean it is less effective.

Who Can Have This Treatment?

Invisalign is suitable for all sorts of orthodontic problems and can correct many common issues. It is generally recommended for adults but may also be suitable for some older teenagers. Invisalign even produces a specialized system just for teens. Invisalign also has a system designed to correct cosmetic problems with the alignment of teeth. This works very quickly as it only repositions the front teeth.

Although excellent for many situations, Invisalign may not be suitable for particularly complex cases, therefore, sometimes fixed braces are a better solution. This is something your dentist can advise you about during your initial consultation.

Previewing Treatment before It Begins

One of the most appealing things about this system is the ability to preview the results even before you wear your very first mouth tray or aligner. This is possible due to the way treatment is planned.

Your dentist will scan your mouth, taking a series of digital images to produce a detailed 3-D image of your teeth. This allows your dentist to see exactly how each tooth needs to move during treatment and to plan the treatment process step-by-step.

Digital images are created showing how your teeth will move until they are straight. Being able to preview these images can be extremely useful for anyone not quite sure if treatment is worthwhile.

Potential Health Benefits of Invisalign

Teeth that are significantly misaligned or which do not bite together properly can cause potentially serious dental health problems. It can be awkward to thoroughly clean teeth that are very crooked, increasing the chances of tooth decay and gum disease.

Gum disease is a particularly serious issue that without prompt treatment can lead to tooth loss and which may affect general health. Straightening your teeth will certainly give you a more beautiful smile and it’s worth considering if it could be a healthier smile.

This could make treatment, particularly great investment.

Why You Must Wear Retainers

Once you have worn all your aligners, you will need to ensure your straightened teeth do not attempt to move back to their original positions. This is why retainers are an essential part of treatment.

This does mean your treatment doesn’t finish once you take out that final set of aligners for the very last time! Your retainers will look just like your aligners and will be easy to remove.

They will be worn nearly continuously immediately after treatment is finished while your teeth settle down. This time will gradually be reduced and your dentist will discuss this with you. If you prefer, an alternative would be to have a retainer wire permanently bonded onto the inner surfaces of your teeth. This ensures that your new smile will not change.