Everyone dreams to have a picture-perfect smile. Unfortunately, due to the emergence of a few crooked and crowded teeth, you will be unable to grasp the ideal smile you deserve. Moreover, the misalignment or gaping of the teeth can further reduce your confidence to smile and impair your self-esteem levels.
Added to this, are the risks of encountering critical dental problems like tooth decay, gum diseases, and even TMJ (jaw joint) disorders.
So how can we fix our teeth? Well using Invisalign.
Read more to find out what Invisalign is and how will it help you to get your Beautiful Smile!
What is Invisalign and how does it work?
Invisalign aligners are an orthodontic treatment system that helps to correct your smile without being bulky and visible. When you look at these aligners you might wonder how something that looks so similar to your bleaching tray could actually move your teeth.
This is what sets Invisalign apart from traditional braces like metal braces. In Invisalign treatments, the trays are made up of a special type of thermoplastic resin that exerts a transient force on your teeth to align them.
Invisalign Treatment Procedure:
- It’s a pretty simple procedure wherein your orthodontist will take some special impressions, X-rays, and photographs and send them to the Invisalign technicians along with the proposed treatment plan.
- Once these impressions are scanned and a 3D model of your teeth and occlusion are created. Then based on the treatment plan sent across by your dentist, the technician digitally moves around these teeth to bring them to their desired position.
- This gradual movement from start to finish is made into an animated film called a CliniCheck video. This is where you as a patient get involved in your treatment plan as your dentist will call you in to show you this video, and you can either choose to accept the plan or make changes to it.
- Once we approve this treatment plan Invisalign then starts manufacturing the aligners using CAD/ CAM technology. We receive your aligners in a couple of days and that’s when your treatment starts. You will need to wear each aligner for 2 weeks and then shift to the next one till the desired result has been achieved.
Now that we know how Invisalign aligners are manufactured, and how the entire treatment system of Invisalign works, let us now try to understand why these clear braces are a popular orthodontic treatment across the globe.
What are the benefits of Invisalign over other orthodontic dental treatments?
Invisalign does more than just align teeth. for instance, they add comfort and controllability to your life. This means that, since they are not fixed to your teeth, you can control when you want to wear your aligners.
Comfort
In terms of comfort, since these set of aligners are removable, you can happily enjoy and food and beverages you like without having to worry about staining your clear braces.
Helps to Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Also, apart from straightening your teeth, Invisalign helps you to maintain good oral health, since you can easily brush your teeth or clean your aligner without any restrictions.
Convenience
Invisalign is the most convenient treatment approach to align your teeth as there are no metal brackets or wires involved. They do not affect your speech and are very easy to put on and remove.
Invisalign vs. Other Braces
- One of the main drawbacks of metal braces is their visibility. Most adults have job constraints and social situations like weddings etc. which makes them reconsider undergoing fixed and prolonged orthodontic treatment. This is where Invisalign has a huge advantage because it promises to straighten your teeth and restore bite functions, without affecting your life.
- Moreover, the clear plastic trays embedded in Invisalign aligners are hardly visible when compared to the metal train tracks of metal braces. They do not affect your speech, oral hygiene and are very comfortable to wear.
Who is a Good Candidate for Invisalign?
Anyone from kids to teenagers and adults can wear Invisalign. Since its function is to help correct misaligned teeth. they are a better and more preferred alternative treatment option to traditionally invasive dental implants.
However, there are certain cases that require more precise tooth control, for example, closure of extraction space, impacted teeth, and teeth with poor bone levels. These situations demand more control over tooth movement which is difficult to achieve with a removable aligner.
Such cases are best treated with fixed orthodontic treatment like braces or a partially fixed treatment along with Invisalign.
Since Invisalign braces need to be worn 22 hours a day, patient compliance plays a major role in impacting the successful outcome of Invisalign Treatment.
Hence, if you think you are not going to be responsible with wearing removable aligners, we recommend you go in for fixed braces instead.
Can any dentist do Invisalign?
Like any conventional orthodontic treatment, the most important part of getting Invisalign is proper diagnosis and treatment planning. Even though the aligners are manufactured in a lab by a technician the instructions and treatment plan are given by the treating dentist.
Hence, the answer is No. Not every dentist is trained and experienced to provide quality Invisalign treatments. For this, specialist orthodontists with training and experience to cater specifically to Invisalign needs of the patient, are the designated people for the job.
In the case of an overly complicated dental problem, these specialists can also treat you with lingual braces, damon braces, or conventional braces; depending on what is best suited to treat you.
What can I expect on my first appointment for Invisalign?
Let’s do a quick step-by-step run-through on what to expect during your first appointment:
Step 1:
Your first appointment is a standard consultation appointment where the orthodontist will see your case and speak to you to understand what your concerns are.
Step 2:
Next, the dentist will take your diagnostic records – X-rays, study models and photographs. After studying these records, a treatment plan is made which is best suited for you.
Step 3:
If you are a suitable case for Invisalign the next appointment will be scheduled to take the Final impressions and bite registrations which are then sent to Invisalign.
Step 4:
Once the final impressions have been sent, it takes approximately 7-10 days to get your Clin Check video and once this has been approved, another 7-15 days to receive the aligners.
How often should you see the dentist? (Post Invisalign Treatment)
Unlike conventional orthodontic treatment where you will need to see your orthodontist every 4-6 weeks for adjustments, your appointments will be fixed according to your treatment plan. You will need to see your dentist if any IPR (Interproximal reductions) need to be done or if any attachments need to be placed.
This makes it super convenient for patients who travel around for work to get this treatment. We recommend our patients come in every 6-8 weeks, if possible, to make sure everything is going according to our plan and also to make sure they are motivated to keep wearing your aligners.
What’s Next?
Teeth have memory and they tend to go back to their original position, hence it is important to retain them in place after any form of orthodontic treatment.
Invisalign provides you with 3 sets of removable Vivera retainers which need to be worn at night. Along with this we also give you a set of fixed retainers for both arches.
You need to wear a retainer to maintain the position of your newly aligned teeth.
Top FAQs for Invisalign Treatments:
1. I have braces and I want to get Invisalign. Is this possible?
Yes, you can. We can always remove your existing braces and start off as a new case.
2. I have missing tooth/teeth. Can I still get Invisalign?
Yes, you can still get Invisalign treatment if you have missing tooth/ teeth. The treatment plan can involve closing this space up or we can maintain this space for a future implant or bridge placement. The good part is we put a tooth-colored coating on your aligner to cover up the missing tooth space so there are no visible gaps during your treatment.
3. Can teens wear Invisalign too?
Yes. Invisalign is one of the most popularly preferred orthodontic treatment procedures among teenagers. Teenage is a stage of life where children embark upon different endeavours forcing them to adhere to an active lifestyle. With the help of Invisalign braces, your children can embrace better oral hygiene and a confident smile.
4. How can I encourage my child to wear braces?
Start them off with Invisalign. With Invisalign First, children are encouraged to undergo orthodontic treatments, that not only help to straighten their teeth, but also improve their oral hygiene. Moreover, since they are removable, your child is free from the hassle of metal braces.
Bid Adieu to the bacteria that infect your teeth and damage your oral hygiene. With Invisalign braces, you can now lead a healthier life, while looking amazing in the process.
Hurry up! and make an appointment with us today.
