Invisalign: What to expect and Is it worth it?
Do you know that around one-third of the American population is unhappy with the appearance of their smile? Yes! You read that right. But why is that so?
A recent survey revealed that it is majorly due to malaligned, crooked, or uneven appearance of the teeth and hence the smile line. Therefore, a significant percentage of the population has sought some sort of orthodontic treatment to get a better aligned and confident smile.
One of the major drawbacks of the traditional metal braces was thought to be their appearance which may seem unsightly to some. However, the advent of clear aligners or Invisalign has revolutionized orthodontic treatment and has addressed this concern. It is becoming increasingly popular and a preferred treatment option by patients.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign or clear aligners have clear plastic trays that are removable and need to be worn for 20 to 22 hours per day for optimum results. The tray is changed after 2 weeks.
Newer fast track aligners are now also available that include replacement of trays after 10 days.
Pros of Invisalign:⦁ Superior esthetics and practically invisible
⦁ Comfort
⦁ No food restrictions
⦁ Shorter appointments
⦁ Less frequent dental visits
⦁ Comparative effectiveness in most cases.
Cons:
⦁ For severely crooked teeth, metal braces are preferable over clear aligners as they can apply more force to bring the teeth into their desired positions.
⦁ Since the Invisalign are removable, compliance always remains an issue in most cases.
⦁ Severe openbite and crossbites cannot be predictably treated by Invisalign.
⦁ Minor tooth rotations can successfully be performed with aligners. However, rotation of more than 20 degrees is difficult to carry out with aligners alone.
⦁ Extrusive movements are more difficult to achieve and normally require additional retention by Attachments. But severe extrusive movements are not possible with Invisalign.
What to expect:
⦁ It is natural to be apprehensive before getting any dental treatment done. Knowing the procedure beforehand helps with the associated anxiety.
⦁ Your orthodontist will do a complete dental evaluation by clinical examination and radiographs.
⦁ The treatment plan will be formulated as per your preference using specialized software.
⦁ The orthodontist will then discuss the treatment goals and limitations to finalize the plan after your approval.
⦁ Aligners trays will be manufactured to check the fitting before beginning the treatment.
⦁ The treatment will commence if the tray fits well.
Metal Braces Vs Invisalign – Which one is faster?
To be honest, longer treatment durations can be tiresome and result in ‘burnout’ and non-compliance. Quicker results are preferred. So are Invisalign really faster than Metal braces?
The answer is ‘yes’
The treatment duration varies from case to case and depends on many factors like compliance, age, and severity of the malocclusion. On average, the typical duration for metal braces is 18 to 24 months. Contrary to this, the average duration of treatment with Invisalign is 12 months.
Faster results can also be contributed to the fact that less complex cases are treated by clear aligners.
What is the cost of Invisalign?
Orthodontic treatment is expensive in general. No fixed price can be quoted and varies with patient conditions, insurance, and the facility.
But on average, the braces cost between 2500$ to 7000$. Whereas, Invisalign costs between 3500$ to 8500$.
Therefore, it is important to discuss and weigh out options with your dentist.
Is treatment with Invisalign painful?
Every orthodontic treatment modality comes with a slight discomfort which gets better over time. However, according to the majority of patients, the discomfort is less with Invisalign as compared to metal braces.
Invisalign is smoother and does not have wires. Hence, Invisalign clearly wins in this category.
Who cannot get Invisalign?
There are no absolute contraindications for Invisalign treatment but it should be carried out cautiously in patients with gum recession. All the teeth should be stable enough to be moved by orthodontic forces. Another relative contraindication includes poor oral hygiene habits.
What is relapse and why does it occur?
An orthodontic treatment relapse refers to undesired tooth movements after completion of the treatment. This usually happens due to non-satisfactory patient compliance. The patients are provided with retainers after the primary orthodontic treatment to prevent unwanted movements until the teeth are stabilized. The inability to wear the retainers can lead to relapse. This issue can however be addressed by using a fixed retainer.
A relapse can also occur due to incomplete treatment, Lack of periodic monitoring, and miscalculated malocclusions.
Can Invisalign be used together with conventional braces?
Invisalign cannot be used at the same time as braces but a recent ‘HYBRID’ treatment approach is becoming popular for the treatment of complex orthodontic cases mostly in adults.
This means, using metal or ceramic braces initially to bring about the complex movements and then switching to the clear Aligners for finishing off the case. Or aligners can be used initially for alignment with periods of metal braces and other adjuvants like miniscrews, to correct a severe malocclusion.
Contact the Affordable Family Dental today for a consultation:
If you someone looking for an affordable orthodontic treatment option in Tumwater, Lacey, or Olympia then we have got some great news for you.
We have been satisfactorily providing a luxury treatment experience to our clients in Tumwater, WA. So don’t wait and book your consultations now to get the dream smile makeover.