Invisilign, Invisiline, Invisaline - Invisalign Braces Guide

Invisalign braces (or invisilign, invisaline, invisiline or invisaline as they are widely misspelled) are a system of invisible braces. Made of a clear plastic material they are much harder to detect than traditional metal braces, and cannot really be seen unless the patient is up close. They are also removable for eating and important social occasions, unlike traditional braces.

Invisalign are offered by both general dentists or orthodontists that have had special additional training in the technique.

Invisalign works through the patient wearing a series of aligners. At the initial appointment photographs are taken and a mould is made of the patients teeth. a computer simulation is then created of how the patient and orthodontist would like the teeth to look and from this simulation a series of aligners is created. Each of these aligners moves the teeth in very small steps so that gradually over time the teeth move into the correct position. On average aligners are worn for 2 weeks per set, before the patient moves on to the next set.

As well as being much less noticeable than other braces Invisalign are also removable. This means that they are popular with adults as they can be removed for important meetings, dates or other occasions where they might be socially difficult.

However it should be noted that Invislalign do need to be worn for 20-22 hours a day. This means that they are only suitable for dedicated patients who believe that they will be able to meet this requirement.

Another feature of Invisalign braces is the Invisalign Clincheck. You can see one of these in the video below. Invisalign clinchecks are computer simultations of what a patients teeth will look like after treatment. Although they are not 100% accurate, they do give a very good idea of what a patients finished result will be.

As Invisalign uses a series of aligners there is no need for any wires or for tightening. The pressure on the teeth comes from the aligner itself, rather than the wire. A new aligner tray is needed every two weeks and each one is very slightly different from the last.

Invisalign costs about the same as normal braces. Also, health funds usually cover it to the same extent as metal braces, although you should obviously check your own cover before commencing treatment.

In the US the cost of Invisalign varies greatly by area, but the average cost countrywide is around $5000.

When choosing an Invisalign dentist or orthodontist you should consider other factors as well as cost. Please click on the following link to read my guide to choosing an Invisalign Dentist or Orthodontist.

Bleaching or tooth whitening with Invisalign is easy and quick. The Invisalign trays can be used as a custom tray to be filled with a gel such as Nite White. This gel can either be provided by your orthodontist or bought (much more cheaply!) through Amazon. Although there are kits available with DIY trays from Nitewhite, Invisalign users do not need to purchase these as their Invisalign trays are just as good if not better and need to be worn anyway. In this way a patient's teeth are being whitened as their Invisalign braces are moving their teeth.

Invisalign were first introduced just over 10 years ago. This means that in the first few years not many people knew someone who used Invisalign. However, in the last few years a much wider body of patient information has become available. Invisalign's own website is a great resource when searching for a dentist or orthodontist that offers Invisalign as it ranks providers according to experience. 

There are also some very good invisalign blogs that show real patients Invisalign before and after pictures.