Invisalign is a virtually invisible braces system that utilises the very latest orthodontic technology. It firmly yet comfortably repositions your teeth into preplanned positions. Treatment is safe, provides predictable results and offers a convenient and extremely discreet way for adults and teenagers to straighten their teeth.
The system uses clear plastic aligners that fit tightly over your teeth. The plastic is so thin that the aligners are practically invisible. All you need do is wear the aligners every day. You can wear them while eating so long as the food is cool. Each set is used for two weeks before changing to the next set in the series to continue moving your teeth.
With Invisalign, the main benefits are comfort, convenient, and discrete aesthetics. To date over 3 million people worldwide have undergone Invisalign treatment. It is a sleek system that with a brand that the dentists and patients around the globe have grown to trust.
Compared to traditional braces there are no metal wires to stick into the gums and scratch your lips and cheeks as instead the smooth plastic aligners are much more comfortable to wear. Adults especially appreciate wearing nearly invisible braces that have very little impact on their everyday lives. Fixed metal braces by contrast require more extensive oral hygiene to keep them clean and your teeth cavity free, and sticky or very hard foods need to be avoided during treatment to avoid damaging the metal brackets and wires.
Invisalign aligners have no such restrictions. Instead, the aligners are taken out while eating and are removed for regular brushing and flossing. You will find the removable aligners are super-easy to keep clean, making it a breeze to maintain great oral health right throughout treatment.
Invisalign is very versatile and is able to treat a wide range of orthodontic problems. These include gaps in between teeth, issues with overcrowding and bite problems (malocclusion). There are several different systems that can be used, including aligners to treat cosmetically oriented issues affecting only the front teeth, to systems designed for more severe cases of malocclusion. Treatment can take anywhere from a few months to two years to complete, depending on the nature of the problems requiring correction. Most people will finish treatment within twelve months.
Each treatment with Invisalign is very carefully planned. During your consultation, we will take photos, x-rays and detailed dental impressions to create a digital 3-D copy of your teeth. This information is used create your customised treatment plan and allows us to map out precisely how each tooth will move and to calculate the time required to complete the procedure. Using these digital images, we can show you a virtual representation of how your teeth will move as treatment progresses and you can see the planned results, even before you wear your first aligner.
You will be supplied with three sets of aligners and we will only need to see you every 6 weeks to check treatment progress and deliver your next set of aligners. We will write the date on the packages of aligners so you remember when you should change them.
It is normal to experience some mild discomfort when you begin to wear a new set of aligners but this should quickly settle down within a day or two. Once you have completed treatment we can supply comfortable retainers made from the same clear plastic. These will be monitored by the dentist for 2 years but we recommend retention for life. After 1-2 years your teeth will remain at risk of relapse unless you take special care to wear your retainers at least once per week. You invested time and effort to make your smile perfect so why wouldn’t you want to keep it that way?
