An Invisalign Braces Guide Including Invisalign Pictures

Invisalign braces are a modern alternative to fixed metal or clear braces. Made of medical grade plastic they are clear, removable, flexible but strong aligners. Available only through approved orthodontists or general dentists they are able to be used in almost all situations where fixed braces would otherwise be used.

Custom made using a mould of the patients mouth, teeth are moved by using a series of aligners. Approximately every two weeks a new aligner is inserted, which over a period of time- on average a year- achieves a straighter smile.

Aligners are removed for eating and drinking and it is this ability to completely remove the aligner that makes them so popular with adult patients.

Invisalign can be used in almost all situations where traditional braces would otherwise be used. However, different Invisalign doctors have different amounts of experience so many providers limit themselves to only the less complex cases. It pays to look around for the most experienced provider possible. The Invisalign website has a list of providers and rates their experience level.

An Invisalign clincheck is one of the unique features of the Invisalign system.

Using a mould of the patients teeth taken by a dentist or orthodontist a computer simulation of the movement of the patients teeth during Invisalign treatment is created. This simulation shows not only the teeth at every point during treatment but also the finished position of the teeth allowing the patient to see how their mouth might look after treatment.

The clincheck also provides a guide for the patient and doctor during treatment as to how the patients treatment is progressing.

Invisalign are made of completely translucent plastic which makes them very hard to detect from a social distance. They make teeth look slightly shinier than normal but this is the only noticeable difference. There is no metal or coloured substances used in the aligners.

Invisalign attachments are small translucent pieces of material that are attached to certain teeth in order to improve the grip of the aligners on the teeth. They are required only on teeth which are making movements which would otherwise be difficult for Invisalign to achieve. Examples of this are rotations and extrusions. Many Invisalign wearers dislike attachments as they make the aligners more difficult to remove and slightly increase the visibility of the braces.

Invisalign patients are able to quickly and easily whiten their teeth during the treatment process. This is because the Invisalign trays can also be used as custom made whitening trays. A whitening gel such as nite white can be put into the tray as per the gel instructions and used so that teeth are straightened and whitened at the same time.

Of course, such gels can also be used without Invisalign, many such as Nitewhite offer packs such as that on the right that can be bought with DIY trays, but Invisalign patients do not need to pay extra for these trays as their Invisalign trays work just as well.