Invisalign – Are You the Perfect Candidate for it
INTRODUCTION TO ORTHODONTICS
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the correction of malpositioned teeth and jaws, and the correction of correcting bites, occlusion, and straightening of teeth. A dentist who has specialized in the field of orthodontics is known as an orthodontist. The job of an orthodontist is to diagnose, prevent, and teeth and jaw irregularities and malocclusion.
The field of orthodontics has evolved over time. The surgeries and dental appliances have become less complicated, and deliver a better result in a short time. The most common and well-known dental appliance is braces that are used to straighten teeth and fix malocclusion. Braces consist of metal brackets that are cemented onto the tooth surface, with stainless steel wires of various thicknesses passing through them. Braces are mostly used in younger patients, but recently, it has been noticed that a lot of adult patients are also getting them. This is because of the role of social media that has caused people to be concerned about their crooked smiles.
Over time, braces have evolved to help patients carry out their daily activities without shying away. Metallic braces are very visible; therefore, ceramic braces were introduced that were closer to the tooth color, making it less visible. The ceramic braces were much more expensive and fragile as compared to metallic braces. Then, lingual braces were introduced, which are braces that were placed on the inner side (tongue side) of the teeth. This hampered the speech of the patient with the only advantage that it was not visible. Braces is a dental treatment that lasts for a few years.
If you are somebody that requires to interact with a lot of people daily, such as a politician or an actor, and are not happy with your crooked smile, there is good news for you- you can opt for the new modified ortho treatment: Invisalign.
WHAT IS INVISALIGN?
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that is very different from conventional braces. It requires the patient to wear removable custom-made clear plastic tray aligners to help align the teeth. You can get the perfect Hollywood smile you have always dreamt of without having to go through the pain experienced in conventional braces. And also, not to forget, nobody will know when you are wearing your aligners; it won’t make you conscious!
Although Invisalign has gained tremendous popularity due to celebrity endorsements, it cannot replace conventional braces completely. Experts say that Invisalign is not recommended for children, and neither can it fix more complex ortho issues. It is usually recommended for adults with mild to moderate crowding or spacing between 1-6 mm in the anterior teeth, provided that there are no discrepancies in the jaw bones. To sum it up, not every ortho case can be treated with Invisalign.
HOW DOES INVISALIGN WORK?
You are just a few steps away from getting your Invisalign braces. These include the following:
- Consultation
When you visit your dentist, who is offering Invisalign, he will conduct an oral examination first, to monitor your oral hygiene and to identify the issue that has to be fixed. Once the dentist is satisfied, he will conduct a 3D digital scan of your teeth to propose a treatment plan, with the expected results, just for you.
- Aligners
Once the impressions are taken and the custom aligners are ready, the dentist will discuss how you can wear them. Each aligner is supposed to be worn for 22 hours a day every 2 weeks. You can take off the aligner when you are eating and having tea, coffee, or any warm drink. By the end of the second week, your aligner would become a bit lose, indicating that the teeth are moving in the correct position.
- Results
If you are wearing your aligners religiously, you will start seeing results within weeks. It usually takes about 6 months to achieve noticeable results. Once the proposed results have been achieved, your dentist will provide you with another appliance, called the retainers. As the name suggests, this appliance is to be worn to help retain the results you have achieved with Invisalign.
PROS AND CONS OF INVISALIGN
Just like any other treatment, Invisalign, too, has some pros and cons. At the end of the day, you and your dentist should discuss all of these together to ensure that you two are on the same page. The pros and cons for Invisalign have been discussed below:
- Pros of Invisalign
—As they are transparent, nobody would know you are wearing them
—Easy to remove and clean and maintain a good oral hygiene
—Treatment time is lesser than conventional braces
—Get faster results
—Less and shorter visits required to the dentist
—More comfortable to wear as they do not irritate your gums and soft tissues
- Cons of Invisalign
—Expensive than conventional braces
—Cannot be used to treat more complex cases
—Being a removable appliance, the patient may not wear them as instructed
—Need to be removed when you have to eat or drink hot drinks
—Speaking with Invisalign takes practice
FINAL THOUGHTS
As discussed above, it is pretty evident that Invisalign is much better than the conventional braces, but there is a catch: not every candidate is the right candidate for Invisalign. Visit your dentist today to discuss if you are the right candidate for Invisalign.
