Invisalign

How Does Invisalign Work?

Ready for some undercover work on your smile? Years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible, but modern technology has made it easy to correct tooth alignment, and straighten teeth that once took the spectacular out of your smile and replaced it with an unattractive spectacle. And the best thing of all, doing it can now be your secret. It operates under cover.

The greatest attribute of the Invisalign is in its aesthetics. The fact that it is removable and transparent, makes it an attractive option for those who don’t want the aligner to mar their smiles even more than their misalignment itself did before the treatment started. For those whose perception of braces and tooth alignment are still stuck in the past when braces were a cage-like ugly constructions, the development of these aligners has come as a real treat, and boosted the popularity of the realignment process.

New interest in alignment

More adults are entering what used to be a teenage preserve and going straight and balanced when it comes to teeth. Colourless is the new black, or at least the new wire, when it comes to this resurgence.

Invisalign is becoming increasingly popular as a means of straightening teeth and closing unsightly gaps. It will also correct problems with your bite, whether that involves overbites, where the top teeth close over the bottom ones, under bites, where the bottom ones protrude beyond the lower teeth, or open bites, when the two sets of teeth don’t meet. It can also deal with overcrowding, which pushes teeth out of alignment because of a lack of space.

How does Invisalign work?

Invisalign aligners

Invisalign aligners are custom-made, and individually created using 3D printing technology, to fit perfectly over your teeth. There are no wires, elastics or brackets. A collection of different sets or trays are created, and are implemented in sequence during the course of the treatment, which can last for around 12 months.

At regular intervals, aligners are exchanged for new ones designed to further the overall movement and realignment plan drawn up by your Vancouver dentist. Each new set will put a little more pressure on the teeth to gently and gradually move into alignment.

The tray-like aligners fit over the teeth, with little buttons in them giving extra adhesion.  For the process to work, you will have to adhere to a strict regimen of wearing these aligners for 20-22 hours a day.

Like other braces, it will be necessary to wear a retainer after the process is finished.

Advantages of this system include the ability to take them out when you are eating, and so that you can brush and floss your teeth comfortably. It is also possible to use tooth-whitening gel inside the trays for recommended periods so that at the end of the treatment, your teeth won’t just be in the right place, but will look whiter and younger as well.

Take your dentist’s advice

The introduction of clear Invisalign aligners has not quite replaced other forms of aligners and braces. Some dentists believe Invisalign is not designed for very heavy-duty alignment and that it is better used for aesthetic purposes, when the adjustment needed is not that big. Seek your dentist’s advice on whether or not Invisalign is suitable for you.