Sample1

Invisalign



Invisalign is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that both orthodontists and dentists use as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces.

Advantages of Invisalign

The most obvious advantage of the treatment is cosmetic: the aligners are completely transparent, therefore far more difficult to detect than traditional wire and bracket braces. This makes the method particularly popular among adults who want to straighten their teeth without the look of traditional metal braces, which are commonly worn by children and adolescents.

In addition, the aligners are marketed as being more comfortable than braces. Due to the removable nature of the device, food can be consumed without the encumbrance of metallic braces.

Clinically, aligners avoid many of the side effects of traditional fixed appliances, for example the effects on the gums and supporting tissues. Fixed appliances are known to cause the roots of teeth to shorten for most patients, and demineralisation or tooth decay.

Patients move on to a new set of aligners in their treatment series approximately every two weeks. The aligners give less force per week and less pain than fixed metal braces. Fixed appliances are adjusted approximately every six weeks and thus need to apply greater forces.

Aligners should be removed to eat, drink, to clean the teeth, or to have them checked by your dentist. (It is acceptable to wear aligners while drinking water). Computerised treatment planning is a part of the Invisalign protocol.

As with other forms of orthodontic treatments that incorporate a computerised plan, this allows the prospective patient to review the projected smile design, learn how long the treatment is likely to take, compare different plans, and make a more educated decision about whether or not to use Invisalign.

Invisalign treatments have been claimed to be quicker than traditional orthodontics. In a series of studies Invisalign was shown to be faster and achieve straighter teeth than alternatives but relapsed to ultimately get similar results to the traditional appliances examined.

What does the invisalign procedure involve?

An orthodontist begins by taking dental impressions, x-rays and photographs of the patient's teeth and sending them to the Invisalign lab at Align Technology. The impressions are put through a CT scan from which a computer creates a three-dimensional model. Technicians then individualize the teeth in the computer model and move them to their final position as prescribed by the orthodontist. Custom software then simulates the movement of the teeth in stages. The orthodontist reviews the simulation online using Align Technology's ClinCheck and approves or modifies the treatment. Once approved, a plastic resin aligner is manufactured for each stage of the computer simulation and shipped to the dentist.

Attachments are sometimes bonded to teeth that need to be "rotated" or moved more than other teeth. Patients can expect as many as thirteen attachments. They are tooth-colored and made of a glass-like substance.

Reproximation or interproximal reduction is a process by which the contacts between teeth are sanded down to allow for a better fit. This may also be a part of treatment.

The average Invisalign treatment time is about one year, again depending on the complexity of the treatment. Simple treatments (minor crowding, minor spacing) may be as short as twenty weeks—this is known as the "Invisalign Express" program. Although the aligners are removable, they must be worn at least 20 to 22 hours per day to avoid delaying the treatment process. If they are not worn consistently, treatment time will increase.

After the regular aligner or braces treatment is complete, retainers composed of a similar plastic material are usually required to be worn, at least at night.

Like other orthodontic systems, the patient has some flexibility. The final position of the teeth is not completely determined by the last aligner. If the patient wants to change the end position because the actual position is not optimal, new aligners are ordered, which are usually included in the originally quoted cost, called a 'Refinement.'