Invisalign

Invisalign is a technique for aligning your teeth with nearly invisible, removeable, clear retainers.

Each aligner is engineered to provide the specific type and amount of gentle force to move your teeth according to the treatment plan.

There can be slight discomfort initially as you get used to the feeling of the trays, however this will disappear after at most a few weeks.

To move some teeth, it is necessary to place a small portion of white filling material to increase the retainer’s grip. These small pieces of filling are barely visible, create no discomfort, and are removed at the end of treatment.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Invisalign without attachments if they are required as the treatment will be severely compromised.

Patients normally wear each aligner for 1-2 weeks and are expected to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours per day.

Invisalign was the first company to develop clear aligners for aligning teeth. They therefore have had more time and money to develop their aligner system and techniques. Other aligner companies have entered the market more recently and have less experience. Invisalign tends to be a much more expensive option. It is difficult to produce any evidence that one aligner system is any better than others.

Invisalign is a relatively new way to align teeth. The main advantages are that it can be removed for short periods of time and are barely visible when worn. The main disadvantages are relative unpredictability compared to traditional orthodontics, and that teeth can only be tipped rather than moved sideways, which makes some tooth movements very difficult.

In comparison, traditional orthodontics is the most predictable way to have your teeth aligned. Thousands of teenagers across the country have their teeth aligned with traditional orthodontics every year. It is predictable and effective at moving teeth in all directions as evidenced by the huge number of cases that have been completed worldwide. It also the most cost-effective solution and can now be completed with tooth coloured porcelain brackets. The main disadvantage of traditional orthodontics compared to Invisalign is that they are slightly more visible and can be more uncomfortable initially.