Top signs Invisalign may not be right for you

It is seen by many as something that was once only dreamed about by many adults who had misaligned teeth; an aligner that is completely clear that moves your teeth.

And while the majority of adult and teenage patients who have a dental misalignment are suitable for invisible aligners, there may be some instances in which it is not the right treatment option for you. But don’t worry! There are now even clear braces which have thinner wires and tooth-coloured or clear brackets, so even if you need to have a fixed brace, it doesn’t have to be as awkward as a traditional one.

When you come to Clear Braces Direct, we will initially assess you for your suitability for Invisalign London and in 95% of cases, our patients are indeed suitable for using this clear aligner. We will happily guide you through the process of wearing the aligners and the aftercare, to ensure that you get the straighter smile that you want and deserve.

But what are some of the signs that you may not be suitable for treatment with Invisalign London? Our team at Clear Braces Direct discusses some of them here.

You have a complex misalignment

It can be hard without orthodontic or dental training to know exactly what is meant by a mild, moderate or complex case of dental misalignment. In simple terms, you would be suitable for Invisalign London if your misalignment was located at the front of your mouth and did not typically involve teeth with excessive overlap, spacing or misalignment. Complex cases of dental misalignment usually involve teeth being behind each other, being overly crowded or teeth that are protruding, requiring rotating or if there are misalignments with the molar teeth.

You haven’t had a check-up in a while

Dental health is important for any orthodontic or even cosmetic dental treatment and if you haven’t had a dental check-up in a while, then you may not be suitable to begin invisible aligners. This is because you may have untreated tooth decay or gum disease. Both of these are detrimental to the orthodontic process and need to be under control before you begin any kind of brace or aligner treatment.

You have a lot of missing teeth

Misalignments can be due to teeth being extracted and while it is unfortunate, if you have lost a lot of your adult teeth due to extraction it is unlikely that you will be suitable for invisible aligners. This is because this is a complex issue to resolve and would usually require a fitted metal brace.

You grind your teeth

Grinding your teeth is usually a sign that your molar teeth do not line up correctly and as mentioned before, this is an indicator that you may need more extensive orthodontic work. However, if you have straight molar teeth and you grind them, then you may not be suitable for invisible aligners, because you need to wear the aligners at night and excessive grinding can cause damage to the plastic.

You smoke

Smoking is not good for your dental or general health and if you are looking to undertake treatment with invisible aligners, the majority of dental surgeries will not be overly eager to prescribe you any kind of orthodontic tool if you smoke. This is because smoking increases the risk of gum disease, tooth decay and other dental issues which can be exacerbated even more by orthodontic treatment.