Invisalign 101
By now you’ve likely heard about the teeth straightening treatment known as Invisalign, the increasingly popular alternative to traditional metal braces. What you may still be wondering is, how does Invisalign work?
Invisalign actually closes gaps in the smile and straightens teeth much like conventional braces, except it offers more comfort, convenience, and — because it’s practically invisible — aesthetic appeal.
Unlike metal braces that use fixed wires and brackets along with rubber bands to coax teeth into the proper position, Invisalign uses a series of clear, plastic aligner trays, also called retainers.
After a professional dental consultation determines that you are a good candidate for Invisalign, your dentist will take a digital scan of your teeth for use in the creation of your graduated aligner trays.
Using 3D printing technology, your custom-formed set of trays are prefabricated to the shape of your mouth and subtly modified in a graduated manner according to your dental professional’s prescription.
Each new aligner tray is slightly more fitted towards your “end smile” in an effort to gently move teeth closer to their proper places with each change of the tray, typically every two weeks.
Instead of having your braces tightened, you graduate to the next aligner tray all in the comfort of your own home!
That means dental appointments are limited to progress checks and fittings before you begin a new set of trays.
Since there is no metal in your mouth, there are no associated sores or cuts on the lips, inners cheeks and tongue, and because you remove the trays for eating and cleaning your teeth, Invisalign requires far fewer dietary restrictions and oral hygiene challenges.
If you want to learn more about how Invisalign works and what it can do to improve your smile, call Oak Hill Dental today.