Invisalign aligners

Invisalign aligners are a type of removable brace that help to straighten your teeth. Unlike traditional metal braces, they’re made of a flexible plastic that you can hardly see. You wear them for most of the day, and can take them out to eat, clean your teeth or for special occasions.

About Invisalign aligners

An aligner is a clear, plastic device that fits perfectly over your teeth and helps to line them up correctly. It’s almost invisible and looks like a mouth guard  or retainer. Invisalign is a popular brand of clear aligners that dentists and orthodontists often work with. Think Invisalign — invisible aligners..

Invisalign aligners come in a series of custom-made trays, each one slightly different from the last. You wear each aligner for around two weeks while it puts pressure on your teeth to move them into place, before moving onto the next..

On average, Invisalign treatment takes 12-18 months to complete, but this varies depending on your specific needs..

The average cost of Invisalign depends on how much your teeth need to be moved and how long your treatment will take, so it varies from person-to-person. Your dentist will explain the full Invisalign cost before you go ahead with any treatment and you might be able to spread your payments out .

Things to consider

There’s a lot to think about before deciding if Invisalign is right for you. A dentist or orthodontist can answer any questions you might have. For example, you might find Invisalign:

• Discreet. Clear aligners are barely noticeable, unlike traditional braces with visible wires and brackets.
• Removable. You can take aligners out to eat, drink and clean your teeth, unlike traditional braces which can be tricky to clean around and limit your food choices.
• Comfortable or uncomfortable. Aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth and generally more comfortable than metal braces. But they can also make your teeth feel sore as they move, particularly in the beginning.
• Need maintenance. You’ll need to clean your teeth every time you eat or drink something, before you can put your aligners back in.
• Can get lost or broken. You don’t have to worry about brackets falling off or wires breaking like with traditional braces. But you could lose or damage your aligner when you take it out to clean or change it, leading to additional costs and treatment time.
• Must be adhered to. It’s vital to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day for them to work. If you leave them out for too long, it will affect your results.
• Let’s you preview your results. Some dentists can use 3D imaging to show you how your smile will look after treatment, before it even begins.
• Convenient. Treatment doesn’t usually require as many visits to the dentist for adjustments as traditional braces, and takes the same amount of time or less to complete overall.

Preparing for Invisalign aligners

If you’re thinking about straightening your teeth, the first thing to do is book a consultation with a dentist or orthodontist. An orthodontist is a dentist who specialises in correcting the position of the teeth. During your consultation, they’ll examine your smile and the health of your teeth, to see if you’re a suitable candidate for Invisalign aligners.

If you decide to go ahead with treatment, your dentist or orthodontist will use a machine called an intraoral scanner  to create a detailed 3D image of your mouth. They might take impressions (moulds) and x-rays of your mouth too. They’ll use these images to help them design a personalised treatment plan that gently moves your teeth into place.

When your treatment plan is ready, your dentist or orthodontist will send it off to the team at Invisalign. This team custom-make your aligners before shipping them back to your dental practice.

The procedure for Invisalign aligners

When your aligners are ready, your dentist or orthodontist will invite you back to fit them. They’ll make sure your aligners are comfortable, let you know how to clean Invisalign aligners  and when to change them. This is usually every two weeks. They’ll also ask to see you every few weeks so they can check your teeth are moving as planned.

Sometimes, you might need to have little tooth-coloured attachments called engagers bonded to certain teeth. These help make sure your aligners put pressure on the right place and move your tooth into the desired position.

You’ll need to wear each set of aligners for 20-22 hours a day for them to work, but you can remove them to eat, drink, brush and floss. Your treatment will finish when you’ve worn each set of aligners. The number of aligners you’ll need and how long your treatment will take will depend on how much your teeth need moving.

Aftercare of Invisalign aligners

Once your Invisalign treatment is finished, you’ll need to wear a retainer. A retainer  is a plastic device you wear over your teeth that holds them in place and stops your teeth moving back into their old positions. Consistently wearing your retainer is key to keeping your smile straight after Invisalign treatment.

Your dentist or orthodontist will create a custom-made retainer that fits your mouth perfectly. They’ll let you know how often you need to wear it. This might be all the time for a few months at first, and then reducing to wearing them every night.