Everything You Wanted To Know About Invisalign

One of the most popular trends in dentistry today is that of ‘Invisalign’ or ‘Invisible Braces’. Invisalign is actually the brand name of a type of orthodontic aligners, however, they have become the de-facto substitute for the category itself owing to their popularity. They are by no means the only brand competing in this space.   

The appeal of these so-called invisible braces is easy to understand. They promise to correct the alignment of your teeth, giving you a perfect smile without putting any unsightly braces on your teeth. It’s an absolute win-win.

There are some things though that you should know about these products before you do decide to go in for this treatment.

Is Invisalign Right For You?

A lot of advertising often insinuates that Invisalign works for everyone and all conditions. This is absolutely not true and in fact, there are certain conditions like severe overcrowding of teeth where many experienced orthodontists prefer traditional braces.

Make sure you get an opinion from a trusted dentist and find out how likely your condition is to be treated by aligners alone.

READ When Orthodontic Is Treatment More Than Just Cosmetic: Braces For Medical Reasons

Invisalign and other aligner brands as well offer a computer generated model where the patients get an idea of how their teeth will look once treatment has been completed. This is a powerful tool that helps the patient visualize the end result of the treatment plan, however, it should be remembered that this image is just a representation of computer models and may not actually come to pass.

How Much Does Invisalign Cost?

The difference in cost between normal orthodontic treatment and Invisalign is usually not too much, however, the Invisalign is almost always more expensive. In some countries where the cost of dental treatment is lower, in general, the difference between regular braces and Invisalign is pretty significant.

The exact cost of treatment will vary according to the treatment that is required, however, in the US, these aligners can cost anywhere between $3500 to $8000.

What Is The Process Involved In Getting Invisalign Treatment?

Here is the exact process that you will need to follow to get Invisalign treatment. First of all, talk to your dentist about the treatment and find out if the practice offers Invisalign or another brand of invisible braces.

This treatment is provided by most dentists, including general dentists, however, it is better to be under the care of an orthodontist since they are trained to deal with poorly aligned teeth specifically.

READ Orthodontic Braces: Common (And Less Common) Questions Answered

Your dentist will then take impressions of your teeth and make models which will be sent to the company making aligners for analysis. The initial set of aligners should be delivered to the patient within a few weeks while the next set of aligners can sometimes take a little longer.

During the course of the treatment, patients will be required to keep switching aligners and moving onto the next set after a pre-determined time period. This is usually about two weeks, however, may differ from patient to patient and even in between aligners.

The Facts About Invisalign

How Does Invisalign Work?         

The concept behind Invisalign or any other kind of invisible braces/aligners is pretty simple. Like traditional braces, they also exert controlled forces onto the teeth, however, they differ in the fact that not all teeth receive forces at the same time.

By using a sequence of aligners, forces can be directed to certain teeth and the focus can be to get them in position without bothering about the other ones and thus a more efficient use of forces can be achieved.

Is Invisalign Successful?

The company was one of the pioneers in bringing this technology to the public and it has been a game changer for patients that do not want to stand out while getting their orthodontic treatment done. The success rate of the treatment is pretty high especially when proper treatment planning is done.

One of the drawbacks that need to be considered is that the treatment depends on patient compliance. If the patient does not wear the aligners like they are supposed to then there is nothing that the dentist can do, unlike traditional braces where they could not be removed by the patients.

Another potential drawback is an increasing amount of error that creeps into the treatment. A small error in one aligner will magnify by the time the next few sets are done and can lead to the last few set of aligners not fitting at all.

As a patient, you should make sure that you are visiting your dentist once every four weeks (or as directed) so that the treatment can go as planned and any small errors can be accounted for as soon as they arise.

READ How To Straighten Your Teeth Without Braces

The fact that Invisalign is a growing company is undisputable as over four million patients have been treated with the technology and more doctors continue to sign up with the company every single day.

Is The Treatment Time Longer for Invisalign?

While it is difficult to come up with a precise estimate for how long orthodontic treatments take, the average amount of time taken with Invisalign is almost the same as that with traditional braces. There does not seem to be much of an advantage or disadvantage either way.

Conclusion

Invisalign Treatment has clear benefits when it comes to patients being able to avoid sticking out or being ridiculed for wearing braces. This fear of ridicule is something very real and actually prevents a lot of people from getting the treatment that they need. For people that are in workplace situations or are planning to get treatment slightly later in life when it is not quite the norm, Invisalign is an absolute life saver.

READ Dental Braces For Adults: What Do You Need To Know?

For age groups where it is considered perfectly reasonable to be wearing braces, the main advantage of Invisalign or invisible braces is nullified. Here, parents should make a decision based on their budget and after taking into consideration their child’s individual personality.

The end result with both treatments will be absolutely the same, however, the path to reaching that is undeniably easier with Invisalign.