A brief introduction to Invisalign aligners

Do you want to get straighter teeth without the hassle of wearing fitted braces as an adult? If so, you may want to consider looking into invisible aligners.

At Clear Braces Direct, we are always happy to offer our suitable patients invisible aligners to straighten their teeth, including Invisalign London which is one of the most popular options among our adult patients.

If you want to learn more about what Invisalign London is, or how it works, please read on.

What are they?

Invisalign London is a system that uses 3D scans, 3D printing and computer technology to create a set of aligners which will move your teeth from their current position to a final desired position. They have been used in dental practices for more than 10 years, but are becoming more popular with dental patients who are adults.

How they work

Invisible aligners work based on their unique shape. The aligners themselves are made from clear plastic, which is 3D printed to match the position of your teeth at the start of the treatment.  Using computer technology, the other aligners are created, with each one representing a stage in the realignment treatment. So you will start with an aligner that fits over your teeth as they currently are, and the last one in the series will match the position that they need to be in, and all the others will be every stage in between.

They apply pressure to your teeth using vector points and this system gently pushes teeth into the new position, rather than pulling them, which is how traditional braces work.

How long do they take?

In general, invisible aligners take between 3 and 6 months to realign teeth, depending on the severity of the misalignment being treated. However, this may vary and will depend on other factors such as how long you wear them each day and if you need to order replacement aligners. Always wear the aligners in the order set down by our team and do not skip an aligner, unless you are advised to do so by us.

Potential issues

There are only a few potential issues with wearing invisible aligners, provided that you have sourced them from a reputable clinic or dental practice. One of the most common issues that we see at our practice is that patients do not wear them for the required 22 hours per day and so their teeth revert to their former positions.

You may find issues with placing the aligners correctly into your mouth, which can cause problems with tracking, making it harder for the aligners to work efficiently at moving your teeth. If you find that your teeth are not moving on schedule, please contact our team.

Longevity

Whether you have undertaken treatment with a fitted brace or an aligner, you will need to wear a retainer afterwards. This is to hold your teeth in place whilst they become accustomed to their new positions. If you fail to wear a retainer, there is a high chance that your teeth will move back to their original positions making the entire process a very expensive waste of time.