What is Invisalign and how it works

Invisalign for your smile makeover

The Invisalign system is a virtually transparent removable orthodontic appliances or aligners that are used to align the teeth. Patients can take advantage of the Invisalign system with a trained orthodontist. “Align Technology” the creator of Invisalign provides the clinical education programs and tools needed by orthodontists to use the Invisalign system in their practice. Although the treatment time depends on the clinical case, on average one full year of treatment is required, which is equivalent to 24 sets of Invisalign transparent aligners.

Compared to braces, Invisalign is virtually invisible.

Invisalign mouthguards for teeth alignment may resemble whitening appliances, but they fit the patient’s teeth much better. Each set is created at the factory considering the individual features of the bite by getting 3D model of the future position of the teeth.

The quality of the material the aligners are made of should be noted. “Clear aligners” are flexible, transparent and from the cosmetic point of view can compete even with sapphire bracket systems.

Despite the progressiveness of the technique, Invisalign aligners are not suitable for everyone. They are effective if you need to align the teeth horizontally and a little vertically. But if you need to significantly move the teeth along the vertical axis or rotate any of them a few degrees, then the clear aligners are unlikely to cope with this task.

The age of the patient is also important. The teeth should be completely formed at the time you start wearing the aligners, and therefore this option is not suitable for children. Invisalign can be used only starting from the teen age from about 11-12 years old.

There are different types of malocclusion such as:

An Open Bite

• An open bite can impair chewing, speech, and cause more serious problems, such as temporomandibular joint syndrome.

Cross Bite

• Cross bite is dangerous for possible tooth wear, gum disease and bone loss.

Large Gaps Between Teeth

• Large gaps or spaces between teeth can lead to gum problems, periodontal pockets and an increased risk of disease due to insufficient gum protection on the part of the teeth.

Crowded Teeth

• Crowded tooth position can lead to significant curvature of the dentition, increasing the probability of plaque, caries and gum disease.

Deep Bite

• A deep bite can lead to gum problems and their irritation, wear of the lower teeth and can cause pain in the jaw and joints.

Mesial Bite

• A mesial bite can cause chewing problems, significant damage to the gums and teeth, and pain in the jaw and joints.

Invisalign is for those who can spend some time to get a desirable result. The wearing time of the aligners differs for every person. Many factors influence that such as the age, teeth and gum condition and complication of the issue.

Fortunately for many people, Invisalign can be removed for a while. This and the fact that they are invisible gives them a significant advantage over braces. But it should be borne in mind that they can be removed only for 2-4 hours a day. If to neglect the treatment process and the cap wearing duration in the daily manner you should understand that it will directly affect the result.

Invisalign is a great option for those who’d like to move their teeth without noticing. They are clear and easy to apply. Besides they can be removed for some time to eat or clean your teeth.

If you would like to learn more about Invisalign in Staten Island or check if this option is for you do not hesitate to contact us for the orthodontic consultation.