Invisible Braces |
| Posted by Dr. Alan Pressman (dr.p.dmd) on Oct 08 2010 |
| Blog >> 2010 |
Crowding of the lower teeth occurs in many people, and it can cause the redness and bleeding associated with gum disease. Overly wide spaces between the teeth are also unwanted, from an aesthetic and oral care point of view. For many decades, these challenges, along with crossbite (when upper and lower teeth don’t line up properly), overbite (when upper teeth bite over lowers), and underbite (when lowers protrude past uppers), have all been addressed with metal wire braces.
Orthodontists have long been searching for other means to straighten teeth and address these alignment problems. When plastics were introduced in the 1940s, they sought to utilize this material to make clear effective, clear retainers, but only slight teeth movement was possible with the available technology.
Invisalign was created in the late 1990s using advanced three-dimensional computer imaging and high-tech thermoplastics. Neither of the two inventors of Invisalign was an orthodontist nor did they have any training in the dental field--but they invented a great product.
Invisalign is a series of clear, removable trays (or “aligners”) that dentists use as an alternative to metal wire braces. The aligners are completely transparent and are nearly undetectable. Usually, the only ones who know that you are undergoing orthodontic treatment are you and your dental professional. The aligners are removable. A patient should take them out while eating or drinking, but there is no limitation on your diet while undergoing aligner treatment.
The fact that they are removable is also their major drawback: You can lose them or forget to put them in. Your teeth must also be brushed before placing them back in or else they might not seat optimally. Also getting food between the aligner and the teeth can lead to cavities and irritated gums.
Treatment usually begins with a thorough consultation, and x-rays, impressions, and photographs of your mouth. This information is sent to the manufacturer. All the information is scanned into a computer and then studied by an orthodontist. A final product is e-mailed back to our office for overview—yes, an e-mail. If the information I provided is correct, a “virtual patient” who mirrors the actual patient can be created by the manufacturer to test the accuracy of the fit. The Invisalign set comes back fully fabricated in a few weeks.
Invisalign allows you the option to have braces without changing your lifestyle. In most patients, treatment lasts between 6 and 12 months. The aligners should be worn 20-22 hours/day; just take them out to eat, drink, and brush your teeth.
Many insurance plans have an orthodontic provision and will cover some of the costs of the Invisalign treatment. Also, our office offers financing with monthly payments (and no interest) to help defer some of the costs.
With the results, advantages, and convenience of clear orthodontics, you can get great results and never have to show off a geeky smile with prominent metal braces. The choice is yours.
Last changed: Oct 08 2010 at 5:53 PM
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