How Do Dental Aligners Work?

by | Aug 29, 2016 | Dentist

There are many dental treatments and procedures that are very different than those that were available in the past. One such improvement is the introduction of Invisalign aligners. For those people that are unhappy with the position of their teeth but prefer not to use traditional braces to straighten them, a discussion with an Invisalign dentist in Downers Grove should be had. The dentist will provide you with a complete explanation of how Invisalign works and provide an estimate of how long it will take to give you the results you desire.

A custom treatment plan:

There are basically two ways to straighten and realign crooked teeth; pull them into position or push them. Conventional braces use an arch wire, as the distorted wire returns to its original position over time, it “pulls” the teeth into their new position. Invisalign is a resilient plastic form that is placed over the teeth; it “pushes” the teeth into their desired position as the form flexes.

Once the Invisalign dentist in Downers Grove has determined the treatment plan a first aligner is produced. The entire process uses a series of custom made trays; each tray moves the teeth in a pre-determined way. The number of trays that are required, hence the time to complete the treatment varies depending on the amount of repositioning required. About every two weeks throughout the process you will receive a new aligner, each aligner is slightly different that the one used prior, every one slowly moves the teeth toward the final goal.

Advantages of Invisalign:

The primary advantage of Invisalign over traditional braces is appearance. Obviously traditional braces are quite visible; as Invisalign aligners are made from a transparent plastic they are hardly noticeable. As well as the issue of aesthetics, Invisalign are far more comfortable. They can be easily removed for cleaning and eating and, the treatment is usually much faster. When a patient uses Invisalign to reposition his or her teeth it often takes a year or so compared to three or more years using traditional braces.

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