Three Things You Need To Understand Before Getting Invisalign Treatment

When looking for a viable treatment option for misaligned teeth, patients usually have to choose between braces and Invisalign. In most cases, not many people like the appearance of braces because they are quite visible to onlookers and, braces tend to have some level of discomfort that bothers patients during the treatment period.

Nonetheless, before you set your mind on Invisalign, there are several factors you need to understand to ensure you do not regret choosing Invisalign over braces. With that said, here are three things you need to understand before you settle for Invisalign treatment.

Not all Dental Misalignments can get fixed Using Invisalign 

Often, patients have the impression that Invisalign treatments are ideal for all dental misalignment. Unfortunately, Invisalign molds are usually designed to fix minor to moderate teeth misalignments, unlike braces that can fix all sorts of misalignments.

In most cases, Invisalign gets used to fix:

• Underbites
• Overbites
• Gapped teeth
• Open bites
• Crowded teeth

However, suppose you have a severe case of teeth misalignments such as crossbites, malocclusions, or any other dental condition not included in the above list. In that case, you may want to opt for braces instead.

Thus, before opting for Invisalign instead of braces, you should consult your dentist on whether Invisalign is an ideal solution for your misaligned teeth.

How Frequently You Wear the Invisalign determines the Results 

There is a common misconception that Invisalign treatments don't work as well as braces, and patients often have to wear the Invisalign for longer periods than braces. However, this is not true. In fact, Invisalign should provide a much shorter treatment period than braces, provided you follow the recommended wear time.

Unlike braces, Invisalign molds are removable, allowing patients to eat and brush their teeth comfortably. Unfortunately, removing the aligner mold results in some patients not wearing them for the recommended periods. In most cases, when patients remove the Invisalign mold to eat or brush their teeth, they forget to wear them immediately after.

As a result of frequently forgetting to wear the Invisalign, the results tend to be slow, and thus a patient may need to wear the Invisalign mold for a much longer period than intended. Therefore, if you opt for Invisalign treatments, make sure you wear the aligner(s) for no less than the recommended minimum period of 22 hours every day.  

Clean the Aligners Every Time You Remove Them 

Invisalign molds can become ideal breeding grounds for germs and bacteria when they are not cleaned properly. Remember, even if you brush your teeth regularly but forget to clean the aligners, germs and bacteria can spread to your gums, resulting in infections or gum disease.

Most patients forget that when removing the aligners, any germs or bacteria on your hands can attach themselves to the aligner. Additionally, when you remove the aligners to eat, the surfaces on which you place the aligners also have germs that can attach themselves to the aligner. Hence, when you re-wear the aligners without cleaning them, you introduce germs and bacteria into your mouth.

Therefore, to avoid contracting unexplained gum diseases or infections, make a point of cleaning the Invisalign molds every time you remove them

For more information, reach out to a company such as Comprehensive Dental Care.