You may be surprised to know the number of things a dentist can do to your teeth so you can have that amazing smile you have always loved to put on. Invisalign treatment is one of the many things an orthodontic specialist will put you through. Those crooked teeth can be straightened the way it is meant to be through Invisalign treatment.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign is an aspect of orthodontic treatment that is carried out on a patient to help straighten their teeth and correct different biting deformities (crossbite, underbite, and overbite). The instrument used is a plastic aligner tray, which is used to move the teeth in the direction they should naturally grow. This aligner tray is worn on the teeth to align them gradually. You can always remove them when it is time to do your daily brushing and flossing routine. The fact that the tray is removable and plastic makes it comfortable to use and unnoticeable, unlike the traditional metal braces that are noticeable and are glued to the teeth while they are connected to wires.
Invisalign treatment is best for those who would love to be discreet about their meeting with the dentist to help correct their misaligned teeth. In addition, the time it would take to undergo a traditional braces treatment, it will take half of that time to get your teeth aligned using Invisalign. This treatment also helps to close up the spaces in your teeth. It is best for adults, seeing that it helps keep their treatment discreet, and it is good for teenagers because it does not hurt, unlike the metal braces.
When Is Invisalign Needed?
There are several abnormalities that Invisalign can be used to correct. These abnormalities are:
- Crossbite: This is an abnormality of the teeth. It is either a single tooth or the entire teeth are affected. Here, the upper teeth fit into the lower teeth.
- Underbite: Here, the lower teeth outgrow the upper teeth and sometimes farther than the upper teeth. This is another dental abnormality.
- Overbite: another term for this is Buckteeth. This is identified when the front upper teeth outgrow or protrude over the teeth beneath.
- Open bite: just as the name implies, is a situation where the teeth are open. The space between the upper teeth and the lower are very visible. They are misaligned; they do not fit upon each other.
- Crowded teeth: this is an abnormality when there is not enough space in the mouth. There will be an overlapping of teeth here.
All these are teeth abnormalities that Invisalign can help correct in a patient. Whether it is a crossbite, an underbite, overbite, open bite, or crowded teeth, they all can be corrected with the help of Invisalign. Some persons with gap tooth also go for Invisalign treatment.
How Long It Takes To Straighten The Teeth And The Procedures
Procedures:
i. Before you decide you want to go for an Invisalign treatment, you have to first book an appointment with a dentist, have him carry out an x-ray on your teeth to ascertain the nature of the abnormality, if it is a crossbite, underbite, overbite, crowded teeth, etc.
ii. The dentist will recommend that you meet a specialist, and that would be an orthodontist. The orthodontic specialist would have your teeth checked as he goes through the result of your x-ray. Then he would recommend that you go through the Invisalign treatment to have those abnormalities fixed.
iii. For you to receive the Invisalign that you will wear on your teeth, complex 3D images of your teeth will be taken. Those images are what the laboratory people will use to make your Invisalign tray braces, which are custom-made to suit your teeth.
iv. You will receive a schedule, when to return so you can have the Invisalign tested on your teeth. Adjustments would be noted, if there happens to be any, if not, you can go home with it and ensure to wear them all day except for times when you would need to brush, floss, and eat.
v. Sets of Invisalign aligners would be given to you to wear. You are to wear each for a period recommended for them. How you know they fit in properly is how tight it will be. This is how your teeth are made to move gradually.
How Long It Takes:
The duration of the Invisalign treatment does not apply to all individuals. This is to say that, if it took patient A five (5) months to have her teeth aligned, it can take patient B ten (10) months to have his teeth aligned. Some specialists say six (6) months, others say one (1) year. The period it will take to correct crowded teeth may be different from the period it will take to correct a gap tooth.
Just as it is said, different strokes for different folks. Having met the orthodontic specialist, and he informs you that the Invisalign treatment is the best orthodontic approach for you, then 3D images of your teeth would be taken so that a treatment plan can be prepared for you. This treatment plan is what will determine the stages of the treatment and it will tell how long the treatment will take. Those 3D images will go to the Invisalign laboratory, where your Invisalign will be crafted. That is when you will know the duration of your treatment.
Many factors will determine how fast or how slow it will take to have a successful Invisalign treatment.
- Age is one factor that will determine the duration of your treatment.
- The specific need of individuals would also determine how long it would take to have the treatment done.
- Another factor to consider is your availability to keep up with your treatment. If you are not stable with your appointments and checkups with the specialist, this may slow down the process.
Conclusion
Correcting teeth misalignment is what specialists do. As long as you meet with one and the dental problem is known, all it takes is for you to adhere to the procedures needed for the problem to be resolved. Mild to moderate or acute misalignments of the teeth can be aligned if only you can take bold steps towards getting it aligned. You can begin by placing a call and have that dental appointment fixed.