There are options to complete orthodontic care free from braces. More and more adults are looking into how they can correct their misalignment. But what is it about Invisalign Leicester that seems so appealing?
The treatment process with clear aligners
Screening-
Aligner screening is important to make sure patients who will benefit from care receive that care. This is where pre-assessment is so important. But for the majority of cases, clear aligners are an appropriate course of action. Unless jaw alteration or molar movement is required.
Designs and scanning-
The first stage in producing aligners is to carry out a detailed 3D scan of the patient’s mouth. This gives extremely accurate measurements of the position and nuances of the patient’s misalignment. A trained orthodontist changes the position of the teeth manually in the software, creating an idealised final position. Using the starting position collected in the scan and the idealised final locations created by the professional, a set of intermediary stages are generated by the computer. Like a flipbook of your teeth altering step-by-step.
From the sequence of movements, the amount of force required to move the teeth is calculated. And then the aligners shapes are produced to coax teeth into their new positions and are then 3D printed.
Using the aligners-
Clear aligners are quite different to fixed orthodontic tools. You can remove them, which is recommended for eating. This stops them from limiting your food choices and makes them significantly easier to clean. You are recommended to rinse them and brush your teeth before replacing them after meals. So, carrying travel sized toothpaste and a collapsible brush can still be very useful.
What does put the onus on you any more than braces is the time limitations. If you spend more than 2 hours a day not wearing an aligner, it can significantly increase the overall treatment time and cause unnecessary complications.
Finishing treatment-
Clear aligner treatment finishes with a closing assessment. This is an opportunity for your dentist to assess your progress and to make sure the initial treatment goals have been met. If they have not, additional refinement aligners might be added for the last few fractions of a mm or points of a degree.
Shattering the adult orthodontic myth
There is a long-standing myth among dental patients that orthodontics has this window of opportunity. Although teeth may slightly be harder to move in adulthood than in early adolescence, study after study has shown that orthodontic treatment in adults is effective and reproducible. Also, adult patients usually have higher expectations (and the expendable income), which has pushed manufacturers to develop and innovate more convenient and effective treatments than the standard metal braces offered on the NHS.
Why are clear aligners so popular
Clear aligners are far less disruptive to professional and social lives, easier to clean and maintain and usually completely unnoticed. They’ve turned the very nature of orthodontic care on its head. By completing a digital simulation of the treatment before the procedure has even begun, they can give an insight to the patient of exactly what to expect, then they deliver on that promise.