If braces are not an option and you still desire to have a beautiful smile, Invisalign is your choice.
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment achieved with clear aligners that are comfortable to wear, there is no poking on the cheeks or lips, it is form-fitted to the gums to prevent gingival inflammation, and the aligners are designed to control tooth movement in a timely predictable sequence.
They are also less painful than conventional braces. They are removable which makes it easy to keep good oral hygiene, and you do not have to worry about food getting impacted between the metal braces and your teeth.
In contrast with other clear aligner programs that are done on your own, having Invisalign done through a dentist assures you that the doctor is supervising your progress, and he/she has the knowledge to identify if unwanted movements are happening or other problems are arising.
Invisalign can treat many teeth malocclusions, including open bite, crowding, deep bite, and spacing.
- Open bite is when the top and bottom teeth do not make appropriate contact. It can lead to
Premature wear of those teeth that are making contact, it can cause occlusal trauma and chip
the enamel by the gumline, this is called abfraction. It can also lead to periodontal problems
such us gum pockets, recession, and bone loss. - Crowding teeth create a disbalance on the vertical forces of the jaw, causing stress on the
surrounding teeth structure such as the gum and bone. This stress can lead to gum pockets, gum
recession, food impactions, uneven wear, or chip teeth. The risk of cavities also increases since
crowding can make daily oral hygiene tasks more difficult. - Deep bite is when your top front teeth cover half or more of your front bottom teeth. It can lead
to occlusal trauma, abnormal wear, chipping of the teeth, jaw pain and damage the tissue on
the palate depending on how severe the deep bite is. - Spaces between teeth can lead to tongue thrust and flare the front teeth, and it also causes
premature wear of the back teeth and periodontal problems such as pockets and bone loss.
The period it will take for Invisalign treatment to be completed depends on the severity of your
condition and how advanced the teeth movements need to be to achieve optimal results. But for mild cases, straight teeth can be achieved in just 4-6 months, moderate cases around 1 year and for more advanced cases, it can take 1 to 2 years.
Duration of an Invisalign treatment
The period it will take for Invisalign treatment to be completed depends on the severity of your
condition and how advanced the teeth movements need to be to achieve optimal results. But for mild cases, straight teeth can be achieved in just 4-6 months, moderate cases around 1 year, and for more advanced cases, it can take 1 to 2 years.
Invisalign treatment starts with 3D or regular impressions of your teeth and a set of pictures. A few
weeks later, your dentist will receive your aligners and bring you to the office to try them on and make sure they fit comfortably on your teeth.
Every two weeks the aligners are changed to a new set, which will have a different pressure. The dentist might ask you to come once a month to check on the movement progress and give you the next set of new aligners. Invisalign aligners must be worn about 20 to 22 hours a day for best results and to prevent delays in treatment.
The aligners should only be taken out when eating and drinking any other liquid besides water. Before placing your Invisalign back on your teeth, always brush and floss your teeth thoroughly and clean the aligners with water and soap.
Once the treatment is completed, retainers must be worn. Retainers look just like the Invisalign aligners but are made of a sturdier material. Wearing retainers is especially important as the bone that surrounds your teeth must harden to prevent any further teeth movement.
Teeth are constantly placed under different forces from eating, talking, and even clenching and grinding, therefore they are susceptible to shift for a few months. Keeping the desired result is only accomplished by using the retainers.
As you can see, patients are mostly in control by having good compliance in every stage of the
treatment. When the aligners are not used for the recommended hours, the progress will be very slow, and in some cases, additional aligners will be required, which will extend the overall treatment time. If concerns or questions arise, the dentist is always there to supervise and modify treatment as needed.
If you would like to see if you are a candidate for Invisalign, schedule an appointment and start your
path to a confident beautiful smile.
Jennifer Pettit, CRDH.
HQ DONTICS Team.
If you have any questions or need more information, you can contact us!
