Clear aligners are an alternative to traditional orthodontic appliances and are designed to help guide teeth to their correct position. Like braces, clear aligners use a gradual force to control the movement of the teeth, but without wires or metal supports. Clear aligners are plastic replicas of your teeth that exert gentle pressure on the teeth and slightly repositions them. It is recommended to wear aligners 22 hours a day or as prescribed by the orthodontist.
Each set of aligners is worn for a week or two before moving on to the next set. Over time, teeth reach their ideal places, depending on the orthodontist's plan. The total number of aligners will vary depending on the needs of each patient. As with traditional braces, patients will need to wear retainers after their teeth reach their new positions.
Clear aligners are more visible than lingual braces, but they can be removed, making it easier to clean your teeth and the dentist applies them faster. The physician and patient are provided with a computer graphic representation of the projected movements of the teeth, created in the ClinCheck software program, for approval or modification before the aligners are manufactured. Aligners are modeled with CAD-CAM software (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) and are manufactured using a rapid prototyping technique called stereolithography. The molds for aligners are constructed in layers with a liquid photosensitive resin that cures and becomes a hard plastic when exposed to a laser.
The aligners are made of an elastic thermoplastic material that applies pressure to the teeth to move them to the position of the aligner. Patients who need a tooth rotated or pulled down may have a small accessory made up of the color of the tooth attached to certain teeth. Because the tight plastic used in clear aligners is not as stiff as the metal used in traditional braces, it is sometimes necessary to compensate for the flexibility of materials in areas that require movement. Alternatively, accessories can be used to facilitate movement by changing the shape of the tooth.
More accessories can make the aligners less aesthetically pleasing. Reapproximation, also called interproximal reduction or IPR and colloquially, filing or perforating, is sometimes used in contacts between teeth to allow a better fit. Dental aligners are created from molds or digital scans of teeth. These molds are used to create a series of clear plastic nozzles that exert gentle pressure on the teeth and gradually move them toward proper dental alignment, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.
You'll use each set of nozzles for 1 to 2 weeks before switching to a new one that will move your teeth to slightly different positions. Clear aligners are orthodontic treatment devices designed to slowly move misaligned teeth into proper alignment. The treatment consists of a series of removable transparent trays made of thin plastic and adjusted to the size of the teeth. The trays are created with an image or a 3D model of the mouth and are changed every few weeks to gradually move the teeth with gentle and constant pressure.
Clear aligners are transparent teeth alignment devices used to correct misalignment. They have a similar function to braces, but are more practical, since they are removable and help to achieve straight teeth discreetly. Being less noticeable than traditional braces, it offers many advantages for those who don't want to deal with any disruption in their lives. The cost of clear aligners is usually lower than that of their all-metal counterparts due to the materials and technology used.
Clear aligners are an especially attractive option for older teens or adults who want a straighter smile but want a more discreet alternative to braces. You also don't have to be aware of the metallic smile and smile broadly while your clear aligners work to realign your teeth. NewSmile also offers a full refund if the orthodontists and dentists in your network determine that clear aligners aren't right for you. Both options require the patient to care for their orthodontic devices, but since clear aligners are removable, the patient has a greater responsibility to clean them and keep them on for the required time.
The company offers a direct transparent aligner service to the consumer that can be used from home, without having to go to the dentist. Clear aligners may not work for complex corrections of problems such as large gaps, dental bridges, or heavily rotated or crooked teeth. The biggest benefit of Invisalign is that it uses SmartForce accessories that allow for more precise corrections than other clear aligners. Once clear aligners have realigned teeth, patients should continue to wear a retainer to prevent teeth from returning to their original location.
Retainers are an important part of teeth straightening treatment and must be strictly followed to ensure that the results of the clear aligner treatment are maintained. Almost anyone is a good candidate for clear aligners, as long as you can use them for the necessary 20-22 hours per day, keep track of them and keep them clean. More cases of recurrent front teeth have been found with clear aligners compared to conventional orthodontic appliances.
