Invisalign – Game Changing Orthodontics

Helping our Wickford patients have even and attractive smiles without the inconvenience of traditional dental braces

One of the main reasons that patients sometimes try to avoid dental treatments is because they are worried about the discomfort that might be involved.

This isn’t always the main reason though and in the case of teeth braces, the more significant factors are the length of time that they often have to be worn for and also their high visibility.

Old style metallic braces are very visible and may even deter some people from having their teeth straightened at all.

This is unfortunate, not only because straighter teeth are more attractive than crooked teeth, but also because they are easier to take care of too. Food becomes trapped more easily between uneven teeth and as food and bacteria are allowed to build up in these areas due to the difficulty in keeping them clean, problems like decay and gum disease may well occur.

What then should patients do who would prefer that their teeth were not crooked but who also want to avoid the potential social stigma of wearing very visible dental braces? The answer is to have orthodontic treatment at the Cygnet Dental Practice using the revolutionary Invisalign system.

Chalk and cheese

The difference between traditional braces and Invisalign is the same as chalk and cheese. Traditional braces use a system of brackets and wiring, often made from metal. These are fitted onto the teeth and progressively tightened to move the teeth into the desired position. In addition to the potential discomfort caused by this, metal braces especially, are also very visible.

Invisalign, on the other hand, doesn’t use metal at all but instead uses a series of custom trays that are designed to fit over your teeth and are specifically made for you from impressions and scans that we take of your teeth. Whilst this often makes them more comfortable than old style braces, it is the fact that they are made of a translucent material that makes them such a popular treatment at your Wickford dentists. The reality is that when you wear them, they are barely visible and most people won’t even notice that you are wearing them.

The trays are also removable (more on that later) and can, for short periods of time, be removed. Whilst this is primarily for eating and cleaning the teeth, they could be removed for example, if you had an interview or for close up photographs. This should be done very sparingly though so as to prevent delays in the effectiveness of the treatment.

Your Invisalign treatment process

Having decided to have your teeth straightened using this method, there are a number of steps that take place:

1 – Consultation – This is an important step as we need to examine your teeth and discuss the treatment with you and your expectations of the results. A general dental examination will also determine if you need any prior treatment. For example, if gum disease is present, this will need to be treated beforehand. Any inflammation or soreness of the gums would certainly make this treatment less comfortable for one thing.

2 – Impressions – Once we have determined that your oral health is in good shape, we will take bite impressions of your teeth along with 3D scans. These will be sent away for your personalised trays to be made. The number of trays required will depend on the degree of teeth straightening needed. The more significant the correction needed, the larger the number of trays that are likely to be needed.

3 – Initial fitting – Although Invisalign orthodontics are straightforward to fit over the teeth, we will do this for you for the first time when your trays arrive at our practice. This is also a good opportunity to discuss areas such as how best to keep them clean and also how to look after your own teeth and gums for the duration of the treatment.

4 – The straightening process – Once you have had your trays fitted and have received instructions on how often to change them, you will be able to do this yourself at home. We will, of course, monitor you throughout the treatment and are always available should you need to reach out to us about any concern or question you might have. The length of treatment time will vary according to the degree of straightening needed, but you will probably be looking at around a year or so. Your dentist will be able to offer a more accurate treatment time during your consultation.

There may be a little initial discomfort as you will feel some pressure on your teeth as they are gently ‘pushed’ towards their end position. This is inevitable and you should quickly adjust to this. As the trays are made to be removed when eating and for cleaning your teeth, most patients find them to be very convenient and, once they have become used to them, more comfortable than they expected.

If you would like to find out more about Invisalign or any other orthodontic system that we provide at The Cygnet Dental Practice, please call us to arrange an initial consultation with us on 01268 733078.