Invisible Braces

Is one tooth ruining your smile?  Have several shifted as you've gotten older?  Did you have braces, but your teeth aren't straight anymore?  People of all ages want to improve their smile, but don't want braces.  Today there is an excellent alternative called aligners, or invisible braces.  Some people call the "invisalign", which is actually an aligner made by Align Technologies.  It' like asking for a Kleenex when you really just want a facial tissue.  There are a lot of fine companies making aligners.  No matter who makes them, using aligners to straighten teeth is one reason many people are deciding to get the smile they've always wanted.

Surprisingly enough, this in not a new concept.  It was originally introduced around 1940.  Space age plastics and computers have brought aligner treatment into the 21st century, making it a viable alternative to braces in many cases.  The aligners we use today are made of thin clear plastic, which is both durable and flexible.  They are difficult for others to see when clean and properly positioned.  They are also much less irritating than braces.

Aligner treatment is fairly simple for the patient.  Models, X-rays, and photographs are taken as they would be for any orthodontic procedure.  These records, along with the doctors treatment prescription form, are submitted to the company making the aligners.  They use computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to fabricate a series of aligners that provide consistent and reliable results.  Once the first set of aligners arrives at the doctors office, the patient is on their way to  a beautiful smile.

Aligners work by moving teeth incrementally, with certain teeth used as anchors to apply force to the teeth that need to be moved.  Each aligner is designed to make .25 to .33 millimeter changes over a period of one to three weeks.  The pressure can cause some discomfort, but it goes away fairly quickly in most cases.  Total treatment time can be a couple of months to a year or more, depending on the amount of correction that the patient wants to make.  The aligners are worn at least 20 hours each day, removing them only to eat and clean the teeth.

Aligners are a great option for many people who don't want braces.  They can make wonderful improvements, giving people a more beautiful smile and healthier bite.