Invisalign is an alternative treatment for straightening teeth with clear plastic transparent aligners as opposed to metal brackets and wires, the standard treatment provided for over a century by orthodontists. Invisalign offers you a comfortable technique to straighten mild to moderate orthodontic dental imperfections discreetly without making the therapy evident to everyone.
Crooked, gapped, and misaligned teeth disallow you from maintaining appropriate dental hygiene, making you susceptible to infections like tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, traditional orthodontic treatments with metal braces can discolor your teeth and make you susceptible to infections because of the challenges you confront when brushing and flossing. Fortunately, Invisalign aligners are removable for eating, drinking, and maintaining excellent dental hygiene.
How Does Invisalign Treatment Move Teeth?
When you visit the dentist near you requesting treatment for straightening your teeth, the practitioner evaluates your dental situation to determine whether you qualify for this therapy. Fortunately, if you do, the dentist takes pictures of your teeth with an intraoral 3D camera to reveal how your smile will appear after completing this therapy. They also explain the modalities for the treatment to ensure you straighten your teeth as soon as possible. The dentist captures the images for the manufacturers of Invisalign aligners to customize your translucent braces.
A couple of weeks after your first consultation, you can pick up your aligners to start Invisalign treatment for teeth straightening. The dentist advises wearing the aligners over your teeth for 20 to 22 hours daily, removing them only when eating or drinking, and maintaining excellent dental hygiene. You also receive information that you must change the aligners for a new batch every two to three weeks.
Invisalign therapy moves your teeth incrementally with each set of the aligner. Therefore, every aligner is tighter than the earlier one, and your teeth start repositioning themselves to their desired locations as you move through your treatment. However, the aligners must remain over your teeth for the stipulated time every day.
How Much Time Does Invisalign Need to Function?
The time needed by Invisalign to function depends on the complexity of your situation. If you have mild orthodontic imperfections, you might notice results within six months, although you start witnessing results in as little as a couple of weeks as your teeth move to their new positions. Unfortunately, if you have moderate orthodontic imperfections, you require longer, and the treatment may continue until 18 months.
Invisalign therapy requires you to remove the aligners from your teeth whenever you eat or drink anything but water. Therefore, you must return the braces for your teeth soon after completing your everyday activities. The removable feature shouldn’t encourage you to leave the aligners aside for longer than two to four hours because it can compromise your treatment and cause your teeth to revert to their original positions. Therefore you must comply with the requirements of this treatment if you intend to achieve results within the period the dentist mentions.
How Can I Make My Teeth Shift Faster with Invisalign?
Your teeth move at their own pace, whether using traditional orthodontic treatment or alternatives like Invisalign clear aligners. If you intend to move teeth faster with Invisalign, you can try to keep the braces for your teeth longer than 22 hours. It indicates you must have faster meals and indulge in more primary teeth cleaning. You require four minutes daily to clean your teeth, and eating might require an hour if you rush through meal time. It ensures that you can retain the aligners over your teeth for at least 23 hours to speed up your treatment.
After completing your treatment, do not assume you are free from the aligners because the dentist recommends you wear retainers made from the same dental-grade BPA-free plastic over your teeth for about 12 to 18 hours per day, including the nights. The retainers help prevent your teeth from moving back to their original positions by compelling them to remain in their new place.
Compliance with the treatment modalities of Invisalign is essential if you want a beautiful smile with straighter teeth and freedom from dental infections. Invisalign helps you achieve your goal effectively when you comply with the requirements or make efforts to have the aligners over your teeth for longer than 20 to 22 hours.
Family Care Dental – Calumet is a certified provider of Invisalign therapy in this region. If you want to straighten your teeth without a mouthful of metal with virtually invisible clear aligners, please schedule an appointment today with the practice to start your treatment and achieve your goal within six to 18 months.
