Is Invisalign a Permanent Solution for a Crooked Tooth?
Orthodontic treatments to straighten crooked teeth existed for over a century and were the sole option available with metal brackets, wires, and bands disliked by most adults needing these treatments. Fortunately, in the late 90s, an upstart called Invisalign revolutionized orthodontic therapy by providing a comfortable technique to straighten teeth with virtually invisible clear aligners.
Invisalign clear aligners were not burdened with metal brackets, wires, or bands. Instead, they fit snugly over your teeth and gradually straighten them faster than their predecessors. As a result, the treatment gained popularity, with adults preferring Invisalign treatment to have a mouthful of metal to correct orthodontic flaws.
Can Invisalign Offer a Permanent Solution to Orthodontic Issues?
Many people had questions about whether clear plastic aligners could straighten their teeth as traditional braces did in the initial stages. However, most were proven wrong by Invisalign, which efficiently, comfortably, and effectively moved their teeth into their correct positions to offer them a permanent solution to the problem they encountered.
Invisalign therapy is unique because you must wear a series of aligners over your teeth for the duration of your treatment. Each set of aligners is tighter than the earlier batch and requires replacements every fortnight. The aligners must remain on your teeth for 20 to 22 hours every day but are removable because they have the feature incorporated with the treatment. However, the removal is merely for eating your favourite foods, drinking anything but water, and maintaining appropriate dental hygiene. Soon after completing your everyday activities, you must return the aligners to your teeth.
How to Begin Invisalign Therapy?
Starting Invisalign therapy is easy and requires a visit to the Etobicoke dentist to have your teeth evaluated and determine the complexity of your situation. You become eligible for Invisalign therapy if you have mild to moderate orthodontic imperfections such as underbites, overbites, crossbites, open bites, gapped teeth, crowding, and crooked teeth. Unfortunately, if you have a complicated situation, you require treatment from traditional orthodontics with metal brackets and wires.
If you qualify for Invisalign therapy, the dentist captures images of your mouth and teeth with a 3D intraoral camera and even allows you to view how your smile looks after the treatment. The images are forwarded to the manufacturers of Invisalign aligners to custom create the braces explicitly for your mouth. You can collect your aligners from the dental clinic near you that recommends wearing them over your teeth right away and keeping them there throughout the day and night.
Having the aligners on your teeth throughout the day shouldn’t concern you because they are virtually invisible and will not be noticed by anyone unless you make a concerted effort to show them off. You can continue with your regular activities meeting friends and socializing without any concerns. However, you must remember that the aligners must remain on your teeth for the stipulated number of hours every day if you wish to have straighter teeth and a beautiful smile within 12 to 18 months instead of the customary three years or more with traditional braces. Compromising with the timeline for wearing the aligners will compromise your treatment, delay teeth straightening to require more aligners, and make you responsible for additional costs.
Do You Have To Wear a Retainer Forever after Invisalign?
Wearing a retainer after orthodontic treatment is essential to prevent your teeth from moving back to their original positions. Invisalign moves your teeth differently than traditional metal braces without compromising the results. However, retainers become necessary after you complete Invisalign therapy. The dentist in Etobicoke recommends you wear the retainer day and night for at least a year before wearing them only at night after a year. The retainers are made from the same dental grade plastic that helped make your invisible aligners and will remain unnoticeable in your mouth until your jawbone adjusts to the changes and you achieve the desired results.
Invisalign offers permanent results only when you adhere to your dentist’s guidelines on wearing the aligners and retainers according to the stipulated timeline.
Caring for Your Invisalign Braces
Caring for your Invisalign braces is not challenging but is comfortably accomplished by cleaning the aligners frequently without using abrasive materials, rinsing them every time you remove them for eating or brushing, soaking the Invisalign aligners every day and refraining from eating with them over your teeth. In addition, store the aligners in their case every time you remove them from your mouth for any reason.
West Humber Dentistry is a certified Invisalign provider helping you straighten crooked teeth and other dental imperfections due to orthodontic issues. If you desire straighter teeth and a beautiful smile, contact the practice today to begin your treatment and achieve your goal faster than imagined.