What You Might Not Have Known About Invisalign

When you have misaligned teeth or a mild bite issue, you might consider orthodontic treatment. Aside from traditional metal braces and ceramic braces is the option for plastic aligners, such as what is offered by Invisalign. Here are some things you might not have known about having Invisalign.

The Aligners Are Comfortable

Something you might not completely realise about Invisalign is that the plastic aligners you wear are comfortable. You need to wear them for the majority of the day, but they do tend to be more comfortable against your teeth and gums than traditional braces. You aren't wearing any metal or ceramic in your mouth and don't have the uncomfortable wires in between brackets bonded to your teeth. This can make for a much more pleasurable teeth-straightening experience.

You Need to Brush After Every Meal

While brushing and flossing after every meal is often recommended for other types of orthodontic procedures as well, it is essential when you have Invisalign. The aligners are removed while you are eating, so you have a good chance of getting food debris stuck between your teeth. The main problem, aside from growth of plaque, is that the debris will then stick to the insides of your aligners. You don't want the bacteria being trapped in your aligners, so it is best that you brush and floss after each meal and before you put the aligners back on.

Some Patients Need Attachments

For the most part, Invisalign treatment means you get a new set of plastic aligners every few weeks for the course of your treatment. It should last about as long as traditional orthodontic treatments. However, some patients have more complicated misalignment or jaw alignment issues and therefore need attachments. These are similar to brackets over the surface of your teeth to encourage your teeth to move more than what the aligners have the ability to do. This is on a per-case basis, but you should be aware of it.

Not Everyone Can Get Invisalign

This is not an orthodontic treatment that works for everyone. If you have severe problems with the alignment of your teeth, even attachments might not be enough. They are also not usually meant for severe overbites or underbites, since this requires metal braces to really move your teeth and jaw to the right position. Talk to your orthodontist to discuss whether or not Invisalign will work for you.

For more information, contact Pine Lake Dental Group or a similar organization.

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