Here at Neel Dentistry, we are happiest when our orthodontic work gets taken for granted. When providing invisible aligners and orthodontic alternatives to the standard metal brace, going unnoticed is the goal! Our success with clear aligners makes us proud to be your choice when you think: ‘I need an Invisalign dentist near me!’

There is growing adoption of clear aligners in Welwyn, but the chances are you won’t have realised it unless you begin using them yourself.

Why do we provide clear aligners?

As a community based dental surgery, we are always trying to give our patients the range of treatment they need at the highest standard. We have partnered up with providers, so we can be your Invisalign dentist near me.

Aligners are an orthodontic tool allowing us to alter the position, orientation and straightness of teeth, which are important for a well-fitting bite and a glowing smile. They are very different from a standard brace in that they do not have brackets or an archwire. Instead, they rely on the stiffness of the clear plastic to push on the teeth and are used in a sequence of aligners. They progressively move your teeth to the final positions and require no adjustments or tightening which are performed with a metal brace.

How do we fit aligners?

The clear aligners in use in our clinic are removable, so the ‘fitting process’ is a bit of a misnomer; the fitting of a clear aligner in more like a dress fitting or a meeting with a tailor than a dental procedure. Then, all that needs to be done is to take accurate measurements of your teeth. The fastest and least invasive method is an intraoral scanner; this is a 3D digital scanner that operates inside your mouth and we use the iTero model for better accuracy.

How are they made?

The designing and fabrication of an aligner is performed in dental laboratories, and they are shipped to our clinic within four weeks of performing scans. With recent disruptions, there have been some delays. Designing is the time-limiting step, so if replacement aligners are ever needed they can be made and delivered much faster.

Using clear aligners

Many aligners are used sequentially; each one is normally effective for approximately 2 weeks before it is swapped out with the next. This allows them to be very light and thin, making them more subtle and comfortable to wear.

As you move on to the next aligner, it will be very tight-fitting and will apply consistent pressure across your teeth over the 2 weeks. This will lessen as your teeth’s positions are altered. When the pressure reduces, it’s time to switch and put in a fresh aligner.

If you have had any experiences with a traditional brace, this may sound similar to the adjustments made by an orthodontist, but they are usually performed every 5-8 weeks and are a much larger change than the 2-week increments we use with aligners at an Invisalign dentist near me. This less dramatic alteration in pressure makes aligners much more comfortable and tolerable than a metal brace. That said, they are not suitable for most complex cases involving molars or palate corrections, so in some situations, a standard base would be the only useful treatment.