An Invisalign is a medical treatment of teeth, which includes the alignment of teeth. It is comprised of a tray that is kept in teeth to take them into their appropriate place.

Invisalign overview (1)

The Invisalign technique is used to treat crooked and misaligned teeth. People with misaligned teeth are allowed to keep a tray in their mouth. The tray is made of clear and smooth material, that accommodates snugly around teeth. The treatment is checked regularly to ensure the proper working of aligners.

Trays used in the Invisalign technique are constructed in a series. Every new set of aligners differs from the last one to ensure the better alignment of teeth. A patient recovers his healthy smile after the accomplishment of the series.

Working of Invisalign (2)

Invisalign is a hands-on and straightforward process. It consists of several steps, which are as follows:

  • In the beginning, a takes a consultation appointment with an Invisalign-specialist doctor. The specialist will assess the patient’s teeth, take imaging scans of teeth, and evaluate jaw alignment, tooth inclination, cranial base, and root systems.
  • In the second step, the specialist takes impressions of teeth and generates a digital treatment plan. Impressions are taken to ensure the manufacturing of perfect aligners.
  • 3rd step begins with the approval of the patient for the treatment plan. The doctor sends teeth impressions to the orthodontic technician, who will create the first set of aligners. The patient will not get all aligner sets at once.
  • A patient may need tooth-colored buttons and special attachments. This allows the patient to move his or her teeth easily.
  • A patient has to wear aligners for more than 22 hours to get effective results.
  • This treatment takes time from 6 months to 2 years.

Orthodontic issues solved by Invisalign treatment

Invisalign treatment can treat moderate to severe oral issues. Such as:

  • Crooked teeth
  • Crowded teeth
  • Overbites
  • Gapped teeth
  • Open bites
  • Crossbites
  • Underbites
  • Misaligned teeth of babies

Difference between Invisalign and braces

  1. Invisalign
  • Aligners or trays used in Invisalign treatment are virtually invisible. People do not know if a patient is wearing them or not. A patient feels free and comfortable while talking because he knows that the second person is not staring at his mouth.
  • Invisalign is a more comfortable treatment as compared to braces. Invisalign trays are made of material that adequately fits in the mouth and does not cause any friction or abrasions.
  • No specific cleaning tools are required to clean Invisalign trays. These can be removed allowing convenient brushing and flossing.
  • It takes 6 months to 2 years for completion.
  • Invisalign trays are easily removable. When having a meal, the patient can remove them, eat his meal, and wear them back after proper cleaning.
  • It should be worn for 22 hours for maximum results.
  • This process requires a dentist visit every 3 months
  • The cost of this procedure ranges from $24000 to $9000.
  • In comparison to braces, Invisalign treatment is expensive.
  • In severe cases, it requires additional braces treatment
  • Since trays are removable, these are more prone to get broken, lost, or damaged
  • Discoloration and staining of aligners are common drawbacks.
  • This treatment is appropriate for responsible teenagers, adults, working professionals
  1. Braces
  • Braces are consist of brackets and wires that are visible to people
  • Wires and brackets can cause mouth sores and abrasions by rubbing against oral walls.
  • Special cleaning tools are required to clean metal braces. Removing food particles from brackets is a great challenge.
  • The time taken by this procedure depends upon the condition of the patient. Typically it takes one to three years.
  • Braces are non-removable
  • A patient with braces has to quit certain foods
  • This treatment requires every month checkup
  • It typically costs $1700-$6000.
  • In comparison to Invisalign aligners, braces are cheaper.
  • Braces can easily be trap bacteria and germs
  • This treatment is ideal for budget consumers, kids, and teenagers.

Benefits of Invisalign

  1. More comfortable

In comparison to traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are more comfortable to wear. Brackets in traditional braces have pointed edges that poke and cut lips and cheeks. These sores are difficult to heal. Wax can be applied outside the brackets to avoid friction. But the wax also sometimes falls off. Aligners are removable and are made customized according to teeth. These are made of a smooth and high-quality resin that does not cause any mouth sores.

  1. Allows better oral hygiene

Another benefit of Invisalign treatment is better oral hygiene. A clean mouth means a healthy mouth. Every patient wants to have a healthy oral condition after the treatment. Aligners can be removed and cleaned easily. Flossing and brushing become easy in this treatment.

  1. Fix dental issues

Crooked teeth can invite many other oral problems. They can cause gum diseases. Alignment of crooked teeth with the help of Invisalign treatment allows reduction of gum inflammation, bad breath, teeth sensitivity, and tooth loss. Aligners can also fix a dental under-bite or over-bite. An irregular bite can cause different oral problems such as tooth erosion and gum infection. Correcting the bite lowers the risk of tooth loss, gum disease, and cavities.

  1. Non-invasive scanning

In the case of traditional braces, extensive evaluation of teeth is required. Mostly, plastic spatulas are placed in the mouth to open it wide and take scans, pictures, and X-rays. In contrast, Invisalign treatment does not need invasive techniques for the detailed evaluation of teeth. 3D scanning techniques are used in Invisalign treatment for a complete examination.

  1. Boosts self-confidence

Every person straightens his teeth for aesthetic purposes. A person with misaligned teeth feels hesitant to talk and smile. Invisalign treatment can recover the healthy smile and boosts the self-confidence of the person.

  1. No food limitations

In this treatment, all types of food and drinks are allowed to take. With braces, certain food items are not allowed to take such as nuts, caramel, chewing gums, corn-on-the-cob, popcorn, ice, and apples. In Invisalign only cold water is not permitted to be drink.

References

  1. https://www.greatnorthwestdental.com/invisalign-overview
  2. https://www.newmouth.com/orthodontics/treatment/clear-aligners/invisalign-review/