In this post, we look to answer some common questions about teeth straightening with Invisalign.
Invisalign is a modern teeth straightening treatment in which clear, almost invisible, removable aligners are used to straighten teeth within as little as 12 weeks!
You will typically visit the Dentist every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned. Each set of clear aligners is worn for around 2 weeks prior to being replaced by the next set – these aligners gradually move teeth into their desired position.
Yes, that means no horrible metal braces or wires cutting into your mouth!
The simple, removable aligners by Invisalign are made specifically for your individual mouth, and can be similar to a mouth guard – just even better fitting due to them being made specifically for your teeth.
The length of treatment can vary between patients, and the complexity of individual circumstances, but for some, Invisalign treatment can be completed in as little as just 12 weeks!
That said, for many patients, Invisalign treatment can straighten teeth around 6 months, though typically, many start to see results within the first few weeks!
It mostly depends on how much straightening is needed and how compliant you are with wearing the aligners.
Patients have reported that the Invisalign treatment is much more comfortable than they first expected. As the teeth are moving you may feel a slight ache but nothing that is too painful. Most patients report a slight tightness when first putting a new aligner in. However, this eases after a couple of days, and wearing the Invisalign retainers are relatively comfortable after this point.
To ensure you have the best possible outcome with your Invisalign treatment, you must be committed to wearing your aligners for at least 22 hours a day. The aligners should only be removed for eating, drinking and cleaning your teeth. You must also ensure you have very good oral hygiene and are brushing and flossing your teeth after each meal or snack. Therefore, patient compliance is probably the biggest factor for success and ensuring a beautiful result.
In theory, you can use Invisalign to straighten just the upper teeth. However, in the majority of cases, using Invisalign on top teeth only is not advised as treating only one arch can disrupt your bite. The teeth function as a set of upper and lower so when you move one set, the other one also needs to move to make sure they fit together well. Therefore, we do encourage patients to treat both upper and lower teeth in order to achieve the best possible outcome.
If you are interested in teeth straightening, we thoroughly recommend Invisalign – the first thing to do is book in for an initial complimentary orthodontic consultation – this will help us determine your suitability for Invisalign, and carry out a detailed orthodontic assessment of your teeth. During this consultation, we would also take clinic photographs of your teeth to assess what movements are required to reach your desired outcome. Using these photographs and advanced computer-imaging technology, we can show you the expected outcome for your teeth, and what we expect your straightened teeth to look like – all before you begin treatment!
So, if you’ve ever thought about teeth straightening, why not get in touch today and book in your complimentary Invisalign consultation?
Call Us: 020 8 546 6 546
020 8546 6546
