If you are looking to straighten your teeth or your child’s teeth, you may have heard of Invisalign as an alternative to traditional brace treatments.
This article gives you some advice on the orthodontic treatment to help you decide if Invisalign is a suitable tooth aligning treatment for you as an individual.
So, what is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a tooth aligning treatment which uses aligner trays made of smooth, comfortable, BPA-free clear plastic which is worn over your teeth to subtly and gently move them over a period of time. The aligners are custom made for each patient by taking a 3D scan of their mouth.
What are the advantages of Invisalign over braces?
- Invisalign is more aesthetic
The biggest benefit of Invisalign is that the retainers are virtually invisible. This is a great treatment for adult patients who are concerned that traditional braces will leave them feeling self-conscious.
- You don’t have to change what you eat
With Invisalign, you take the aligners out to eat which means you don’t have to change what you eat or how you eat it like you do with braces.
- Brushing and flossing your teeth is easier with Invisalign
You’ll have to remove your Invisalign retainers to brush your teeth but with nothing on your teeth to worry about, you can continue brushing and flossing as you did before your dental treatment.
- Less appointments are required
For Invisalign, most of the orthodontist’s work happens before you wear your aligners. You change the multiple sets of aligners but there is no need to visit the orthodontics for adjustments to the aligners, so visits are kept to a minimum to check on progress. This is great for adults who want to minimise the amount of time they miss off work for dental appointments.
What are the disadvantages of Invisalign?
- Patients need to be strict
If you are someone who will forget to put their aligners back in after they have brushed their teeth, you won’t be wearing them for the required 22 hours per day so your treatment may take longer and not produce the best results.
- Removing aligners to eat or drink can be inconvenient
Aligners need to be removed before eating and drinking anything other than water. When you are out in public, you need to remove your aligners discretely and not lose them and then before putting your aligners back on you must brush your teeth. In some situations, this isn’t ideal and can be a bit tricky! It’s important not to have any food particles in your teeth when putting the aligners back in as they can stop your teeth from moving and stain them.
- Generally speaking, Invisalign is not as effective as braces
Invisalign isn’t typically recommended for complex orthodontic cases. Make sure you ask your orthodontist if they expect the same result from braces and Invisalign.
If you would like to learn more about how Kennett Road Dental in Headington, Oxfordshire can improve your dental health and smile with Invisalign treatments – Get your consultation booked in today! ☺