What is Invisalign? – Complete Guide

Like the rest of the medical field, dentistry has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past 40 years. In orthodontics – the treatment of the irregular alignment of teeth – there have been several innovations.

A good smile is important. It builds rapport and helps you navigate through the day. For nearly a century, the traditional way to correct misaligned and crooked teeth, underbite, and overbite was to wear quite ugly-looking braces.

With brackets, ligatures, archwires, and coils, it looked as if there was a scrap metal yard in your mouth. Even dentists agreed that wearing one of these contraptions for over a year was annoying, especially during middle and high school, when our sense of self-esteem gets fine-tuned.

Recent developments have brought forth Invisalign, an aligner system made from clear and comfortable plastic and an effective alternative to traditional teeth straightening with braces.

What is Invisalign?

It is a clear plastic aligner that moves your teeth, much like a boxer’s mouthguard but far less bulky, and can be slipped on and off in an instant. Being transparent, it is nearly invisible from a few feet away.

Its great strength is its simplicity. In fact, most patients refuse to believe at first that something so unobtrusive could achieve the same results as braces and push back a bucktooth.

However, the plastic used for Invisalign is not the kind you would find in Tupperware, but thermoplastic made using Smart Track medical-grade polyurethane.

Advantages of Invisalign

A beautiful smile can win over anyone. Invisalign is the easiest, affordable, and least painful way to sport a perfect set of pearly whites.

Unless someone is standing quite close, they won’t notice you have aligners on your teeth. It boosts your self-confidence and expands your social circle.

Invisalign is easy to remove. Just like dentures, they come out with a gentle tug. This makes it easy to wash and maintain them.

Invisalign is a far gentler option than metal braces. They are easy on your teeth. Metal braces can cause pain after every visit; aligners are practically painless.

Metal braces need readjustment every month. With Invisalign, this frequency is halved, once every couple of months or less.

Braces make it hard to brush your teeth. Plaque can build up and lead to gum disease. You won't have to worry about that with Invisalign.

Do They Have No Disadvantages?

There is no perfect medical treatment. There is even a small disadvantage to having aspirin for headaches – your liver enzymes are elevated.

Invisalign has a few limitations that we must disclose.

Teeth have a root that is inside the gum and jaw. The root is far longer than the visible crown.

Invisalign does not shift teeth from the root. Only braces can move the root.

Invisalign does not work well in cases that have serious malformations. It works perfectly in mild to moderate cases.

Teeth fixed with braces do not move back to misalignment. Invisalign does not fix the root problem. After a decade, further treatment may be needed.

Invisalign can be removed easily. This is convenient for the patient but inconvenient for treatment. Steady pressure for several months is needed to move teeth. If the patient is careless, as most teenagers are, the treatment does not have the desired effect.

Braces have a lot of moving parts, literally. They can be custom-customised for a single tooth. Invisalign is more of a blunt effort. Though it is made to order, it cannot micromanage the oral occlusion.

Are You a Good Candidate for Invisalign?

You could probably answer it yourself after reading the following.

1. There is no major dental occlusion

Your case is relatively straightforward, and a few teeth are slightly out of line. If your smile shows that your lower jaw needs rework, or has large gaps noticeable from afar, you probably won’t benefit from Invisalign.

2. You are determined to fix your teeth

You have to be committed to wearing Invisalign for at least 20 hours a day. If you are careless or make excuses often, count out Invisalign and go for braces, since you cannot remove them even if you want to without severely hurting yourself.

3. You maintain good oral hygiene.

Invisalign can trap food particles in the minute pocket between the plastic and the teeth. If you do not brush daily and clean the aligner, this debris will cause a cavity. You have to make sure the dental problem isn't causing additional problems; you must have strong adult teeth and be able to care for your aligners: take them out and snap them back in.

How is it Prescribed?

First, you need a consultation. Natural Smiles offers the best Invisalign consultation at very affordable prices. The dentist will investigate your mouth and the level of occlusion.

Following the examination, a scan of your mouth is done. The 3D image generated helps to create a custom pair of aligners for you.

The dentist would also tell you approximately how many months the treatment would last. It is usually from six months to a year, and you may need up to d a dozen sets of Invisalign aligners. Every month,th you would be required to use a new set of aligners as your teeth gradually straighten. This would require a routine visit.

At first, you might feel a slight soreness. But after a few weeks, your jaws will get used to the constant pressure. Regardless of the inconvenience, you must not remove Invisalign every few hours. If you have severe pain, consult your dental professional as soon as possible. Invisalignerior to Braces?

Unless you have severely malformed teeth, Invisalign is the best solution. It has been around for two decades, and millions have benefited from its use.

To date, no one has complained of severe issues or side effects. There are no metal wires or sharp spurs, and Invisalign can give you a perfect smile in a short time with minimal inconvenience.