Invisalign has gained notoriety within the last decade, and most people are now aware of this new teeth-straightening technology. Adults and teens who want a more discreet orthodontic treatment than traditional braces prefer Invisalign aligners.
The growing preference forInvisalign and different information online about this treatment has given room for several myths and misconception about Invisalign. For anyone considering Invisalign treatment, the available information could be overwhelming, making it difficult to decide whether or not you want to use Invisalign aligners to straighten your teeth.
Below is all you should know about Invisalign to clear your doubts about the treatment and help you decide if you want to get Invisalign.
You need to wear the aligners for them to work
Invisalign aligners are removable, which is a feature that makes them more attractive for most people. Unlike traditional braces, you won’t have to deal with brackets fixedpermanently to your teeth throughout the treatment.
You can take out your Invisalign aligner trays to eat, drink anything besides water, floss and brush your teeth. During your Invisalign treatment, you may eat whatever you want, provided that you take out the aligners. You can also clean your teeth without fear of damaging the orthodontic device.
However, you need to wear the aligners for up to 22 hours every day to get your desired result. It would be best to be mindful about leaving your aligners out for extended periods during meal hours.
You need to clean your teeth after each meal
During your Invisalign treatment, your travel toothbrush will become your companion. Maintaining optimum oral hygiene during your Invisalign treatment is important to minimise the risk of decay and infections.
After eating, you have to brush and floss to remove food particles on your teeth and areas where the aligners touch the teeth. It means you would brush your teeth several times everyday.
Set realistic expectations
Although Invisalign is a modern teeth-straightening treatment that uses new and advanced technology, it won’t work magic.Invisalign may be a better alternative to traditional braces in terms of comfort and aesthetics, but the teeth straightening process will still take a while.
Even with the shorter average treatment time Invisalign has, you need to have realistic expectations about how long the treatment will take. Some Invisalign patients need finishing aligners after their last set of aligners. These finishing aligners are usually post-treatment retainers needed while sleeping to keep the teeth in their straightened positions.
The treatment is not painful for most people
Nearly 54 percent Invisalign wearers have found some discomfort when undergoing the procedure while the other 35 percent hadn’t experienced any pain for wearing the braces. People who have said about discomfort found it when they changed their old aligners and the level of discomfort began to subside in the next 2 to 3 days. After changing to new set of aligners, there will be slight pain as the braces put pressure to shift teeth to their desired position. So, oncs the teeth starts realignment, you will become used to wearing the clear braces.
Invisalignis not suitable for everyone
Invisalign can correct most common orthodontic issues like crowded and gapped teeth, underbite and overbites. However, Invisalign has certain limitations and is not the best option for remedying complex orthodontic problems, such as severely rotated teeth and deep overbites.
Your orthodontist may only recommend Invisalign if you have mild to moderate misalignment or malocclusion. However, Invisalign can treat some severe cases. You can take a smile assessment test or talk to anInvisalign dentist to know if you are suitable for Invisalign treatment or not.
Avoid stain-causing beverages
Coffee, tea and other beverages with strong colour can stain your aligners and taking out your aligners to drink these beverages can reduce the number of hours wearing the aligners. If you must take these beverages, brush your teeth before re-inserting your aligners and try notto leave the aligners out for long.
Do not use toothpaste to clean theInvisaligntrays
Toothpaste contains abrasive ingredients that can damage your aligners, creating spaces for bacteria to accumulate. It can leave your aligners with a bad smell. You can use Invisalign cleaning crystals or a mild detergent.
If you do not clean your aligner trays properly, they will have a murky or yellowish appearance, making them more noticeable.
You may lose weight
Using Invisalign may be a bonus if you are on a slimming program. Your aligner-wearing routine will limit your eating time and help you avoid in-between meals. The stress of removing the aligners whenever you want to snack and cleaning your teeth before re-inserting the aligners discourages most people from eating several times a day.
Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible
Invisalign may not be Invisible, but people would hardly notice you are wearing an Invisalign aligner. Invisalign allows you to undergo different orthodontic treatment without everyone noticing you have aligners, unlike traditional braces, which are apparent.
Results from Invisalign dentists differ
Contrary to what most people think, Invisalign treatment requires careful diagnosis and planning for the aligners to work perfectly. It means that one dentist’s result would be different from another dentist.
The dentist’s expertise and experience in providing Invisalign treatment will affect the outcome of their treatment. The more experienced your dentist is with Invisalign, the better your chances of having a successful treatment.
Ensure you search for an experienced Invisalign dentist and ask around for recommendations before settling for an Invisalign provider.
If you want to get Invisalign treatment in London from an experienced and skilled Invisalign provider, visit Smile Works Dental today or call 020 7183 4091to schedule an appointment.