If you are undergoing treatment with clear aligners you may wonder what it is that makes them work the way they do. Our dentists share some information about treatment using Invisalign clear aligners, how they are made and how they work to alter your smile.
Regardless of whether you are new to the world of Invisalign clear aligners or if you are nearing the end of your treatment, you may still be wondering how these little pieces of clear plastic fit your teeth and work to move them into a new position.
What are Invisalign clear aligners made of?
When it comes to treatment for orthodontic concerns like gaps or misaligned teeth, metal braces have always been the traditional option.
That being said, the popularity of clear aligners is on the rise. Invisalign aligners are made of clear, transparent plastic which is a stark difference from the metal brackets and writes that we are used to seeing. These clear aligners are made of BPA-free, USP Class VI medical-grade polyurethane resins with a high molecular weight.
How are clear aligners made to fit my teeth so well?
One similarity between traditional metal braces and clear aligners is that you will follow a customized treatment for each of them with the end goal of realigning your teeth and restoring your smile.
When it comes to why Invisalign clear aligners fit your teeth so well the answer is pretty simple. Clear aligners are made to custom-fit your teeth and no one else's!
During the consultation, you'll meet with your dentist in person so that X-rays, impressions, and photographs of your teeth can be taken. Your dentist can create a personalized treatment plan based on these images and X-rays and discuss it with you. Once you and your dentist discuss the results of these scans and discuss your goals, they will then move to prepare to create your new aligners.
Your dentists or orthodontist may also use an iTero Impression Scanner (3D computer imaging technology) to create a model of your teeth, capturing images of each tooth for extremely accurate scans. You'll also get a sneak peek at how your teeth will look once your treatment is completed.
Quadrant and full bite scans are completed so the dentist can assess your malocclusion in context with the rest of your mouth.
Once the images have been taken and your model is complete, your dentist will send these off to Align Technologies, where the aligners are created.
What happens during Invisalign treatment?
The main difference between traditional metal braces and clear aligners is that while metal braces stay on throughout treatment with the orthodontist making small adjustments along the way, you will need to change your clear aligners to a new set every 2 weeks.
Invisalign treatment lasts about a year on average, so you'll most likely use 50 or more sets of Invisalign clear aligners throughout your treatment.