Invisalign – Made to Move

Invisalign is a state of the art, discreet and popular alternative to traditional braces. Instead of using wires and brackets attached to your teeth, Invisalign uses removable, custom plastic aligners, which are worn in sequence to gradually, conveniently and comfortably straighten your teeth, step by step.

How does it work?

Unlike traditional braces, which take a form of a series of brackets that are bonded to your teeth with a wire that runs through them and works to straighten your teeth, Invisalign consists of a series of clear, plastic aligners that are comfortably worn onto your teeth, similar to a whitening tray or a mouthguard.

These aligners are custom designed for your teeth and are designed to gradually move your teeth to their ideal position, step by step. Every two weeks the aligners are changed to allow for the next movement to be made. This continues until your treatment is complete and you have the smile of your dreams.

Your treatment uses the latest technology to not only plan your treatment but also to create your aligners, using Align’s pioneering iTero technology.

There are a number of Invisalign treatments, which allow it to be used for a number of orthodontic cases. These include Invisalign Full, for orthodontic treatments that will take a year or more, and Invisalign Go, a version of the procedure intended for the teeth most prominent when you smile.

iTero

Invisalign takes full advantage of Align’s iTero scanning technology, which allows for a computer-generated 3D model of your teeth to be created without the need for dental moulds.

The iTero Intra-Oral Scanner is designed specifically for Invisalign treatment and takes the form of a pen-shaped scanner. It captures an accurate 3D model of your teeth much quicker than traditional impressions and is also more comfortable. You can breathe and swallow normally whilst having an iTero scan, and we can take a break from the scanning process at any time you wish and return to the treatment.

The iTero scanner works in conjunction with Invisalign’s digital Outcome Simulator, which will show step-by-step how each aligner will work to create your ideal smile, from start to finish.

Advantages

There are a number of advantages to using Invisalign, which make it an ideal choice for a range of cosmetic orthodontic treatments.

The first is how discreet they are. When worn they are barely visible when you smile, and will straighten your teeth without anyone knowing your secret. All they will see is the difference to your smile.

Invisalign aligners are very comfortable and convenient. Unlike conventional braces wearing them is as simple as putting on a mouthguard, and they are also easily removable when you wish to eat, drink or clean your teeth. As there is nothing attached to your teeth, there is no extra steps to cleaning your teeth besides removing the aligner. Whilst an Invisalign aligner can occasionally feel a little tight at the start of an alignment step, they are very comfortable to wear.

They are also very simple to apply. Just wear your aligner until it is time to change to the next one, open the sealed package and apply the new one.

Invisalign aligners also take advantage of the latest in scanning technology, allowing you to see at a glance your progress and discuss with your dentist.

Depending on your treatment, Invisalign treatments are also faster to complete, with a typical case taking between six months and a year.

Who Is Suitable for Invisalign?

Invisalign is suitable for most minor to moderate teeth straightening treatments, with cosmetic treatments just taking a few months. It is not suitable for every case however, with certain major teeth straightening treatments requiring other teeth straightening treatments. For more information on these treatments, visit our Orthodontics page.

Certain severe teeth conditions including severely rotated teeth, teeth that are tipped over, particularly large gaps between teeth and severe overcrowding will require additional treatment in order to complete.

Teeth that require repair or are uneven will need to be fixed using other dental treatments before Invisalign treatment can start.

If you have any concerns, the best person to speak to will be our dental experts at Dental Excellence. Please contact us for a free consultation if you have any questions.

Retainers

After your Invisalign treatment, the most vital part of the treatment is retention, which prevents your teeth from relapsing back to their original position. Your teeth are like elastic and want to move back to their original position. This is prevented by retention, which can either be fixed or removable.

A fixed retainer takes the form of a wire bonded to the back of your teeth which keeps them in place whilst being invisible when you smile, but removable retainers are also available, including Essix retainers and Rivera.