In modern dentistry, there are more options than ever and it’s great to be able to offer our patients the freedom of variety and to have a wide range of treatments to suit the varied needs of our community. But with all these options comes a lot of questions and talk.

Here is just one of our FAQs sections about clear aligners form your Invisalign dentist in Welwyn which we hope you find informative!

There has always been a goal in orthodontics, to make braces as unnoticeable and convenient as possible, and if you have ever known someone with a metal brace, you will be aware that this aspect hasn’t always been a complete success. Clear aligners are an attempt to provide some of the functions of a brace with a transparent mouth guard, in a light-fitting, plastic form.

Is an Invisalign dentist in Welwyn right for me?

There are a lot of factors as to whether clear aligners or any medical procedure is the appropriate course of action for you. You really need to come in to have a check-up and conversation with our Invisalign dentist in Welwyn, who will be able to provide professional advice related to your case.

Are clear aligners uncomfortable?

The way all repositioning of teeth works is by continually applying pressure to the teeth, making them move over time. Teeth may be anchored to the jawbone, but are mounted in soft tissues and are relatively mobile, just not on time scales that we are used to. The feeling of pressure on the teeth can take some getting used to with an aligner, but due to the smaller increments and the softer material, they are a lot less disruptive than metal braces.

Am I going to have to use a lot of aligners?

The exact numbers of aligners needed varies from patient to patient; even the length of time you will use each aligner depends on how your teeth respond to them. Two weeks per aligners is the normal rule of thumb, but as you wear them, they will begin to feel loose; this is your teeth adapting to their new positions and an indication that it’s time to move on to the next aligners in the treatment.

The consistency with which you use your aligners will have a significant effect on the number you need to use and the length of time the treatment takes. You have to wear your aligners for 20+ hours a day for them to be effective.

There is also the challenge of reversion; this is a minor complication where the tension in the gum pulls the teeth back to the original position. This is aggravated by inconsistently wearing your aligners and will be one of the things our dentists will be looking out for during the regular check-ups, so make sure you have been following the treatment plan! There are surgical treatments to stop reversion, but the first course of action would be to ‘fix’ the progress made by the aligners. Before treatment ends, there is a final assessment; once you reach your last aligner, the progress will be assessed. If the expected clinical outcome hasn’t been achieved, there will be an extension of the treatment; these extra aligners are known as refinement aligners and are provided by our Invisalign dentist in Welwyn at no additional cost.