Are you dreaming of a picture-perfect smile? You may be smiling without trying to show your teeth for a long time because you aren’t confident with the way your teeth look like. With Invisalign, you can get a better, straighter smile without using metal braces.
What is Invisalign?
Serving as a game-changer in the field of orthodontics, Invisalign is a modern orthodontic treatment to help straighten teeth. It uses clear, plastic aligner systems instead of metal brackets or braces. Each Invisalign is custom-made for a patient because they are meant to be virtually invisible, and it has to fit snugly over the mouth. Invisalign is made of polyurethane plastic designed to attach to the teeth. You have to remove it when needed for purposes such as eating, brushing, flossing and the like.
Each aligner shifts the teeth slightly, moving them vertically or horizontally (and even rotating) when needed. It is engineered to apply the right amount of force at the teeth at the right time. Every week, a patient typically needs his/her aligners to be changed as the teeth move into position. The total length of Invisalign treatment can last from six months to 18 months, depending on the range of teeth movement you need.
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign clear aligners work the same ways that traditional braces do. The purpose of this treatment is to apply a controlled force to the teeth so it can move in the right position. The biggest difference is that Invisalign is unnoticeable, compared with braces made of metal that shows every time you smile. They create two sets of trays to be worn by the patient – one for the upper teeth and the other for the lower teeth. These trays must be worn for two to three weeks for approximately 22 to 24 hours a day.
Through specialized computer technology, Invisalign offers a design plan set forth for helping to move the teeth from current positions in the aligned form that is best. To reach this position, the teeth’s movements are broken down into small stages. Each movements are divided into dozen stages, one for each of the phases.
For every phase, your orthodontist will provide the next set of aligners to help in the gradual movement of the teeth into its desired positions. This process shall continue to create a beautiful, straight smile.
Invisalign offers technology that is appropriate for people of all ages. Teenagers and kids can get orthodontic treatment method that includes eruption tabs, which hold the proper amount of space between molars that have not yet fully grown in. This age-targeted Invisalign also comes with built-in compliance indicators that fade away as you wear it longer. This makes it easier for dentists, parents, and the teens themselves to make sure they are wearing their Invisalign aligners to the prescribed time duration to help ensure maximum results.
If you want to be discreet and comfortable when you correct the positions of your teeth, you can consider Invisalign. When you smile, people won’t notice that you are undergoing dental treatment. Braces, on the other hand, are very visible, and sometimes it can scratch the insides of your mouth. Food can also get easily stuck in metal braces. It also hurts sometimes, especially when the metal wires pressure your teeth to adjust. With Invisalign, you can be free from all those problems. It’s “invisible,” and it poses no risk that the insides of your mouth will get scratched as it is made of smooth plastic. You can easily remove it before you eat (just bear in mind that you need to brush and floss, then clean your Invisalign first before putting it again). Invisalign also applies pressure in a different way to push the teeth.
What Can Invisalign Treat?
Invisalign can treat different orthodontic issues, but not all. It will still depend on the severity or if there’s a combination of issues. Here are some of them:
1. Crooked teeth
If you are looking to have a beautiful and straight smile, Invisalign is a great option. For teens, if your teeth are growing unevenly, Invisalign can help reposition it so it will grow straight. When used early on, it can prevent future dental issues.
After finishing the treatment, you will notice slight changes in the mouth. If your lips are being pushed by protruding teeth, they will look different after the treatment.
2. Overbite
Overbite is the condition when the upper teeth close too far in front of the bottom teeth, sometimes making it hard to bite and chew some foods. Invisalign can fix overbite so that the top and bottom teeth would align properly when the mouth is closed. This way, your lower face will look a bit better, too.
3. Underbite
Meanwhile, an underbite is a condition when the bottom teeth are in front of the upper teeth when the mouth is closed. This can cause teeth to wear more quickly, and it also causes speech difficulties. Invisalign can move back the bottom teeth so it will sit behind the front teeth when closed. For some difficult cases, the braces may need to be combined with Invisalign. Sometimes, Invisalign can’t treat it.
4. Crossbite
Crossbite is a difficult condition that can cause teeth to chip and wear down, as it is the condition when some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when the mouth is closed. This difficult condition can even cause the gums to recede in the long run. Invisalign can treat this kind of dental problem, as it can move correctly positioned teeth to the right place.
5. Open bite
An open bite is when the upper and lower teeth don’t meet. Invisalign can fix this by moving the upper and lower teeth into the correct position so they will close properly.
6. Gaps in teeth
Spacing issues in teeth is common, and if you have large gaps between the teeth (considering that the gaps aren’t caused by tooth loss and tooth extraction), Invisalign can help remove that awkward gap. Gaps in teeth are not just unsightly; they also cause a problem with food getting caught between the teeth and gums, which can cause pain and gum disease. Invisalign can help create a healthier mouth for you.
7. Crowded teeth
When there’s not enough room in the jaw to accommodate all your teeth, this can cause overlapping and crowding. This reduced space can allow food to become stuck and for plaque and tartar to build up, causing tooth decay and gum disease. Invisalign can help in this condition for some cases with crowded teeth, depending on the severity and complexity of the problem.
Invisalign Care
When you use Invisalign, you have to take better care of your teeth. With Invisalign, you have clear trays that can be easily removed from your mouth to make the cleaning process a lot easier.
But with using Invisalign, you have to brush your teeth more. After each meal, make sure that you remove it right away and brush your teeth so that the food would not get trapped into the aligners after you put it back. A better solution would be removing it first before eating so that it will be easy to clean your Invisalign later. You need to brush and floss first before getting your teeth “trapped” under the Invisalign tray because if you don’t, it can cause tooth decay and can even lead to gum disease. Make sure also to wash, brush, and rinse the Invisalign first before putting it back to your mouth.
It will be a blessing in disguise for those wanting to lose weight. Since you need to remove it and brush teeth every after you eat something, you will be thinking twice if reaching for potato chips at midnight will be worth it.