Invisalign is a rapidly expanding teeth straightening treatment that offers an excellent alternative to braces. These invisible braces lead many prospective patients to wonder how teeth move with Invisalign? If you’re considering Invisalign vs braces for your upcoming smile journey, it helps to understand how this innovative orthodontic treatment works to straighten teeth.
If you’re curious about how teeth move with Invisalign, we’ve got answers! In this blog, we’ll cover:
- Why do teeth move with Invisalign
Why Do Teeth Move with Invisalign?
Though your teeth are very strong, they can be moved with the right amount of orthodontic force
An orthodontist can model how your teeth will move with Invisalign.
Before we begin discussing how teeth move with invisalign, we should first start by learning a little bit about the jaw. Your jaw — or more specifically your alveolar bone — holds your teeth in place so that you can properly chew food. Your alveolar bone is connected to the roots of your teeth through the periodontal ligament. In order to move teeth, the key is to alter the bone around the roots of the tooth so that your teeth change position without affecting the connection between them and alveolar bone.
Orthodontic care, especially Invisalign, should be taken very seriously as too much pressure could damage your teeth. Clear aligners apply consistent pressure to your teeth, and in the process they gradually break down and rebuild bone in the direction of the pressure. Through a series of alignment trays created from 3D models and orthodontic scans of your mouth, Invisalign is capable of moving teeth into their ideal position. Simple cases require less correction and are therefore completed in a shorter amount of time, anywhere from 3 to 6 months. More complex cases can take up to two years, especially if your smile journey requires Invisalign refinements.
How Do Braces Move Your Teeth?
Before we get into how teeth move with Invisalign, let’s briefly explore how metal braces work
Braces need to be adjusted every few weeks to properly straighten your teeth.
Before Invisalign, teeth were moved using only metal braces and other metal orthodontic devices. Braces are able to move your teeth because the brackets are fixed on your teeth and can be adjusted based on your treatment plan. People correcting their teeth with braces will have to visit their orthodontist every few weeks to have their braces adjusted to further push their teeth into the right position. As braces are adjusted, bone breaks down and rebuilds at the base until your treatment is complete.
How Do Invisalign Trays Move Your Teeth?
Invisalign moves your teeth in a slightly different manner than when you use braces
Your orthodontist will scan your teeth to create custom clear aligners.
When you choose to straighten your teeth with clear aligners, you may be wondering exactly how it works or how clear aligners differ from braces. Invisalign is different because unlike braces, your Invisalign trays are custom molded to fit your teeth. Your provider will use 3D scans to create a series of trays, each one different from the last, to apply the orthodontic force necessary to change their position over time. The difference between each new set of clear retainers comes down to millimeters and ensures your teeth move comfortably and consistently. Changing out an Invisalign clear aligner is a lot like getting your braces adjusted, except changing out an aligner is much more convenient because it doesn’t require a trip to your orthodontist.
Overall, though the processes are different, the pressure applied by both Invisalign and traditional braces can achieve similar results.
Which Orthodontic Issues Can Be Fixed Using Invisalign?
Before deciding to get Invisalign for straighter teeth, ask your orthodontist if clear aligners are the best option for you
Only your orthodontist can determine whether clear aligners are the best choice for you.
For a lot of people Invisalign is the best and easiest way to straighten teeth. For more minor dental problems including crookedness or crowding, clear aligners will be able to do the job just as well as braces. For most people, Invisalign can correct these problems:
- Crooked Teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Open Bite
- Spacing Issues
- Crowded Teeth
Despite advancements in alignment technology like Invisalign attachments, clear aligners still have some limitations. If you are trying to correct large teeth gaps or your teeth are too short to be moved with clear aligners, you will most likely need traditional braces to complete your smile journey. It is always a good idea to consult with your orthodontist to determine which corrective path is best for you.
What Are Some of The Key Benefits of Invisalign?
Find out why so many are choosing to straighten their teeth using clear aligners over braces
Since Invisalign is virtually unnoticeable, it gives many people the confidence to straighten their teeth.
Clear aligners have been gaining popularity in recent years for a few key reasons. Not only are they effective at moving teeth, they are generally less hassle than braces. Here are just a few of the reasons so many are using Invisalign to straighten their smile.
- Invisible
Many that are in need of orthodontic care past their teens are reluctant to get braces because they are highly visible. Invisalign is almost completely invisible and gives wearers a sense of confidence that can be hindered by metal braces.
- Removeable
When you get metal braces, you run the risk of getting food stuck between your braces and excess plaque buildup. There are also many dietary restrictions to obey while wearing braces. Invisalign provides the flexibility of removing your aligners to eat and drink, which improves dental hygiene and gives patients more freedom during treatment (but keep in mind, aligners must be worn 22 hours per day for maximum effectiveness).
- No Adjustment Visits
If you have a busy schedule, getting your braces adjusted every two weeks is a pain. With Invisalign, all you need to do is change your aligner every 2 weeks until your teeth are straight! No biweekly visit to the orthodontist needed.
What are Some of the Drawbacks of Invisalign?
Straightening your teeth is still a serious process, and while Invisalign is highly convenient there are some things to be aware of. Many patients wonder does Invisalign hurt, and people do experience discomfort while wearing their aligners. Fortunately, there are techniques like chewing exercises that can provide Invisalign pain relief. Your provider will give you some foam chewies that you can gently bite on, and these provide a dual benefit of generating soothing blood flow to your teeth and gums while ensuring that your trays fit correctly.
Failing to perform chewing exercises can lead to Invisalign not tracking, which will increase the length of treatment. However, many patients find that chewies make them gag, so we created an alternative to Invisalign chewies called Movemints, the only Xylitol Mint that fits clear aligners! Movemints have a patented groove that fits between your trays and are hard enough to withstand the gentle chewing exercises needed to seat your trays and soothe teeth and gums.
Our aligner-friendly mints offer another remedy for a common clear aligner drawback, Invisalign dry mouth. Each xylitol mint contains a therapeutic dose of xylitol, which dentists have recommended for years to treat the symptoms of dry mouth. Because they are sugar-free, you can enjoy them while wearing your aligners and enjoy fresh breath and tight trays throughout your smile journey!
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