Can Transparent Aligners Straighten Teeth?
Crooked teeth are a touchy topic. Not everyone likes the attention they get from wearing traditional dental metal braces. But if you’re serious about straightening your teeth, there’s no doubt you heard about invisible teeth aligners.
Most patients believe they’re too good to be true. Could you really get the best of both worlds? A perfect smile and your privacy during the process?
Clear aligners are an excellent alternative to the sharp wires from dental braces. However, they don’t work for every case.
One thing is sure, though: Invisible aligners can fix crooked teeth. Millions of patients will swear by them. And the stats prove that more than 60% of our current population needs them.
Invisible aligners might be unnoticeable over your smile, but their effects will surely have heads turning in your direction.
We know orthodontic treatment can be confusing, especially with all the available options. Still, you deserve to know the details. Here’s a rundown of the main steps needed to get your pearly whites in line before next summer.
How Do Aligners Move Teeth?
Invisible aligners reposition your teeth without much interference in your day-to-day life.
Typical orthodontic treatment can feel painful and long-ending. Fortunately, dental technology allows us to create custom-made teeth aligners that do the job in a quarter of the time.
Your accelerated treatment will involve the following:
1. Photos and Impressions
Are you worried about having many visits at the dentist before knowing if you can go through an orthodontic treatment and how long this treatment will last? Those are now a thing of the past!
State-of-the-art orthodontics doesn’t require more than a few vivid selfies of your teeth. Telehealth is the new trend, and most patients love that they can have their e-consultation right from their home.
After discussing with your orthodontist, you’ll receive a small kit with some paste and a plastic trays. These are what you’ll use to take your teeth impressions and then return them to your orthodontist or orthodontist lab.
The experts will take it from there.
2. 3D Imaging
Unlike metal dental braces, your removable appliance (transparent aligners) comes tailored to fit your teeth and gums. We understand that your mouth is unique and requires personalized treatment.
Computers use your impressions to create a digital scan of your mouth. Your doctor will study those images to create your plan and measure the progress of your teeth as time progresses.
3. Moulds and Aligners
Have you ever wondered how invisible aligners are made?
The durable, non-toxic plastic aligners that you’ll receive come from a 3D printer based on your photos. It’s no wonder why they take the exact shape of your teeth.
You can expect to receive a series of aligners, each fitting slightly tighter than the previous pair.
4. Pressure
Both invisible aligners and dental braces move your teeth by applying pressure. The difference is, aligners aren’t as traumatizing to your jaw as dental braces.
Each of your teeth is surrounded by a fluid-filled tissue (a.k.a, the periodontal ligament) that connects them to the jaw. When you first place your aligners over your teeth, they’ll feel tight. That tightness compresses the fluid in the ligament and makes room to push your teeth into a new position.
But that fluid-filled ligament is relatively thin - so there isn’t much space for your teeth to move. On average, they’ll shift by a third of a millimeter every time you change aligners (or every time you apply a new level of pressure).
The movement causes your gums to get slightly inflamed, which may be a bit painful. The good news is that it only lasts for a few hours.
5. Treatment Plan
Although the pain will resolve after the first 24 hours, you should continue to wear your invisible aligners.
Why? The discomfort signals that your bone is healing and reforming along with your newly-positioned teeth. But it takes far longer than one day for your gums and jaw to fully recover.
Prematurely stopping your treatment will undo all the hard work you did to get this far.
Talk about a waste of time and money.
We recommend that you use your aligner every day for 20 hours. Then, after two weeks (15 days), you’ll need to switch to the next set of invisible aligners. And the process will repeat.
During each swap, your teeth will make small strides toward your final goal. Typically, it takes between 4 to 12 months to achieve that perfect smile. But if you neglect your aligner therapy or fail to maintain proper oral aftercare, it will take longer.
6. Interproximal Reduction
In some cases, your orthodontist will need to create small gaps between certain teeth to help them move with the aligners. We call the procedure an interproximal reduction.
Essentially, the dentist will trim the surface of your teeth to make extra space. It’s a common situation for patients with overcrowding.
And no, it’s not painful (we knew you’d ask).
7. Post-treatment Care
While it’s true that your clear aligners already moved your teeth into place, you’re going to need a pair of retainers afterward.
The retainers will help maintain your new alignment. Luckily, you won’t have to wear them 24/7.
At most, we’ll prescribe full-time use for the first 6 weeks after your treatment. From there, you’ll only need to use them at bedtime.
Advantages of Teeth Aligners
Are clear aligners worth it? Aside from the benefit of being invisible, clear aligners offer multiple advantages. They’re an increasingly popular choice among patients, mainly for their;
Comfort and absence of metal wires.
Ease of use and removable features.
Quick results.
Tips for Using Transparent / Invisible Aligners
Always follow your aligner therapy directions - 20 hours every day.
Be sure to report any badly-fitted aligners to your orthodontist.
Consistency is key. Stick to your schedule to switch aligners.
Maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine.
Be open-minded, even if your treatment takes longer than anticipated.
Speak to your insurance provider about coverage options for your treatment.
Ready to Get Started?
Every day, invisible aligner therapy helps transform smiles and boost confidence. Why should you wait any longer to flaunt your straight teeth?
Still unsure of your treatment plan? Try our e-consultation today with one of our specialists at Straight Teeth Invisible. We’ll walk you through the options and help you decide the best outcome for your grin.
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