Malocclusion has been one of the leading oral issues for as long as one can remember. It is nothing but the misalignment of the teeth, which ruins the appearance of the smile and leads to a few other oral issues as well. Orthodontics is a dedicated branch of dentistry that mainly deals with the diagnosis and treatment of malocclusion.

Invisalign is the modern-day orthodontic solution to treat a malocclusion. It is made from dental-grade transparent plastic material which allows it to stay hidden when you put it on. This way, you wouldn’t have to hide your smile while getting orthodontic treatment, as in the case of braces.

Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Essential?

  • Misaligned teeth can make it very difficult to brush and floss the teeth. Even after a thorough brushing, a lot of microbes will be left behind on the teeth as the bristles of the toothbrush wouldn’t be able to reach the remote corners. This can promote the formation of cavities.
  • As the teeth wouldn’t be of the exact same length, a few teeth may endure excessive stresses than the remaining ones. This can lead to their displacement and also unequal wear of the teeth.
  • Severe malocclusion can apply unwanted stresses on the TMJs, leading to pain in the jaws, neck, and shoulders as well.
  • Malocclusion leaves a nasty appearance on the smile. People with misaligned teeth may find it embarrassing to speak or smile in front of people, which reduces their self-confidence.

How Is Invisalign Better Than Other Orthodontic Aligners?

The biggest advantage of choosing Invisalign is the fact that it is aesthetically pleasing. Unlike metal braces or other orthodontic aligners, Invisalign wouldn’t be easily visible as it is made from clear plastic.

The technology that backs Invisalign is highly advanced. Scanning the teeth, aligning them, determining the type of malocclusion, fabricating the aligners, etc. can be done easily without hassle. In fact, the dentist would give you a clear idea of how your teeth would look once the treatment period is completed.

The aligners are completely metal-free. This drastically reduces the chances of facing oral injury due to the aligners as there are no sharp corners or brackets that could harm you. Also, when you take a hit to the mouth or have a bad fall, the soft tissues of the mouth wouldn’t face injury even when the aligners press against them.

Treatment Procedure

The dentist would carefully screen your teeth to check for issues such as cavities, restorations, the severity of malocclusion, jaw defects, etc. Depending on these factors, your candidacy for Invisalign will be determined. The dentist uses a hand-held scanner to scan the teeth and make a digital 3D model of it on the computer screen. The data will be sent to a dental laboratory where your aligners will be fabricated with high precision.

Once you get your first set of aligners, you may feel a little uncomfortable when you put them on. But this feeling would wear off in a couple of days and the aligners would quietly carry on with their job of moving the teeth. They will have to be worn for a minimum of 22 hours every day and can be removed only when you have to eat, drink, and brush your teeth. Also, each set of aligners will be replaced by a new set once every 2 weeks. Depending on the severity of malocclusion, the entire treatment period may last anywhere between 6 months to a couple of years.

Get in touch with Dentist in Aurora IL to know more about Invisalign. Call us at (630) 897-1300 or schedule an online appointment to speak to our dentist.