What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a popular brand of teeth aligner manufactured by Align Technology. Invisalign is a transparent dental tray made of a special thermoplastic material used to straighten misaligned teeth, similar to how braces function. It provides a gentle but constant force to move your teeth to the desired position. Invisalign is custom-made for every individual. A 3-D model of your teeth is developed via a digital scan of your mouth. It can be used for teenagers as well as adults.
What are the Applications of Invisalign?
Invisalign is recommended for people who have:
- Misaligned teeth
- Problems with their bite such as
- Overbite: upper front teeth close in front of the lower teeth
- Underbite: lower teeth protrude past upper front teeth
- Open bite: top and bottom teeth don’t meet
- Gap between teeth
- Crooked smile
- Gummy smile, when more gums are visible than teeth
- Difficulty chewing
- Tooth pain due to stress on your jaw and remaining teeth
Preparation and Procedure for Invisalign
Your dentist will call you in the office for a dental check-up.
- You will be informed to keep your teeth clean by brushing and flossing properly.
- Dental X-rays or teeth impressions may be taken, depending on the requirement.
- If your doctor intends to take a dental impression, you will be asked to rinse your mouth before taking the impression.
- Avoid eating sugary, sticky, and starchy food items.
- The dental or impression tray is filled with the dental impression material and placed over your teeth.
- You asked to close your mouth and bite down.
- The shape and structure of your teeth is created on the dental tray which is then carefully removed from your mouth and set aside.
- The dental impression is used to create a digital model of your teeth which serves as a reference to develop the customized Invisalign aligners.
- At the next visit, your dentist places the Invisalign clear aligners over your teeth.
- Since Invisalign is not fixed like a brace, it can be easily removed when you want to eat or clean your teeth.
- You are required to change your Invisalign every two weeks in accordance with your dentist’s instructions. This is done to replace the old aligner with a new, tighter aligner to move your teeth, little by little into the desired position.
What are the Advantages and Benefits of Invisalign?
The numerous benefits of Invisalign include:
- Improves your facial aesthetics
- Restores your natural smile
- Painless
- Prevents the remaining teeth from becoming malaligned
- Can be removed easily while you eat or clean your teeth
- As it is nearly invisible, you can talk and smile freely
- Moves teeth more gradually than traditional braces, which may mean less discomfort
- It is faster than conventional metal braces
- Requires fewer visits to the dentist’s office
- Allows you to speak, chew, and eat freely
- Enhances your self-confidence
- Comfortable to use
- Doesn’t poke or cause any blisters as there are no metal wires
What are the Disadvantages of Invisalign?
Invisalign may be expensive compared to traditional metal braces. There are no other disadvantages, risks or complications associated.