You know that clear aligners are for orthodontic treatment and that they move your teeth. But what about how they are made? Our Delta dentists talk about the clear aligner treatment process and how your Invisalign aligners are made to fit your teeth so well.
If you are having orthodontic treatment with Invisalign clear aligners you may be wondering what exactly makes these work to adjust your teeth to their new positions and how these aligners are made to fit so snuggly on your teeth.
What makes clear aligners different from traditional braces?
Usually when you hear that someone needs orthodontic treatment the most common option is traditional metal braces. You know, the ones with the metal wires and brackets where you have that standard braces smile that we all picture when someone talks about orthodontics.
Even though there is a long history of metal braces, clear aligners are slowly becoming the popular choice for those looking to change their smile. 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 custom-fit your teeth?
Regardless of which option you choose both offer you the opportunity to make adjustments to the positions of your teeth creating your new smile.
Now if you are wondering why your clear aligners fit so well when everyone's teeth and mouth are different, it's simply because they were custom-made to fit your teeth specifically.
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 your goals, they will 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 can you expect during the clear aligners treatment process?
The main difference between traditional metal braces and clear aligners is that while metal braces stay on throughout treatment with the orthodontist making minor adjustments, 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.