When you hear the word “orthodontics”, what comes to mind? Probably a teenager with metal-covered teeth. There are actually many orthodontic patients who fit that description. However, today there is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional metal braces: Invisalign alternative for adult’s clear aligners.
As the name suggests, Invisalign alternative for adults clear aligners are made from a nearly invisible polyurethane plastic. Rather than being fixed or attached to the teeth like metal or clear braces, clear aligners are completely removable — for important social occasions, eating, and especially for brushing and flossing. This advantage can also be a disadvantage: it means that you must resist the urge to remove your aligners more than recommended. The following are other benefits of the Invisalign alternative for adults system:
- Better Oral Hygiene: With a removable orthodontic appliance, you will be able to clean your teeth much more easily than if you had metal braces.
- Discreet: If you consider your orthodontic treatment a private matter, or you just feel that metal braces don’t fit your personal image, a virtually invisible form of orthodontic treatment may be the best for you.
- More Food Options: to protect the cables and metal brackets it is necessary to make some modifications to the power supply. With the clear aligners, you can bite into an apple or a crunchy pizza with no fuss.
- Comfort: The thin, flexible material that Invisalign alternative for adults is made of does not irritate the soft tissues of the mouth, the way metal cables and braces can.
- Protection against Tooth Grinding: If you have a habit of clenching or grinding your teeth, clear aligners can work as night guards that protect them from excessive wear.
Clear aligner technology has improved over the years and can correct many malocclusions that would have long been too difficult for this type of treatment. Even so, there are situations for which traditional brakes are still the best option. This can be discussed in detail.
How Invisalign alternative for adults Works
Invisalign alternative for adults clear aligners work the same way as traditional braces: they apply carefully controlled forces on the teeth to move them into a better position. But they are not made of metal, rather they are made of a transparent and flexible plastic.
Here’s how it works: A specialized computer program is used to devise a plan to move your teeth from their current position into the best possible alignment. That move is made in perhaps several dozen stages. For each stage, the Invisalign alternative for adults Company will make two plastic mouth “trays” or “aligners,” one for the upper teeth and one for the lower teeth. You will use the first set of trays for two weeks, for a minimum of 20 hours per day. You will then move on to the next set of aligners in your series to achieve the next stage of gradual movement. You will continue with the procedure until your teeth are aligned correctly.
In recent years, two features have been added to make Invisalign alternative for adults a more appropriate orthodontic treatment method for adolescents. Special “eruption tabs” leave enough free space for molars that have not yet finished growing. Invisalign alternative for adults for Teens also comes with “compliance indicators” built into the aligner material, which fade with use. This allows parents, dentists, and teens themselves to ensure that the trays are used as directed. Invisalign alternative for adults treatment can only be successful if the recommendations are followed.
Tooth Care during Invisalign alternative for adults Treatment
As mentioned above, one of the main advantages of the Invisalign alternative for adults system is that the trays can be removed for easy cleaning. Please don’t stop! You will need to brush your teeth after every meal or snack to keep food and plaque from sticking to the aligners, which could lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease. You will also need to clean the aligners periodically; you can do it with a brush and then rinse them with warm water.
Also, remember that while wearing clear aligners is very different from wearing braces, the importance of maintaining results after treatment is exactly the same. You should wear retainers exactly as directed after treatment is complete to protect your investment in a beautiful new smile.