With the advancement in dental aesthetics and its associative industry, one sub-branch has taken the lead, that is Orthodontics. It is a speciality of dentistry that deals with the corrections and malocclusions developed in the teeth.
Conventionally braces were in use and are still in use, but a more unique and equally effective treatment known as Invisalign has become the new trend.
Let’s learn how Invisalign moves teeth and what you can expect after undergoing Invisalign treatment.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a dental device made up of completely transparent and colorless acrylic plates. This tray is worn by the patient day and night. It works on the principles of movement, and it corrects the malocclusion and displacement of the teeth collectively.
The idea of Invisalign is derived from the post-treatment retainers placed after a complete orthodontic treatment from metal braces to prevent relapse.
How does Invisalign move teeth?
Now coming to the important part, how does Invisalign move teeth?
Let’s understand the science behind it.
1-Newton’s reaction phenomena
According to Newton’s third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Dentists have taken this idea as a reference. The Invisalign tray exerts some forces, and your teeth start to move in response to those forces.
This movement does not in any way cause the teeth to become mobile; rather, they only displace from their initial position.
2-Tension and forces
The acrylic tray is designed to exert forces and create tension that helps in the gradual movement of the teeth.
It is the same principle for orthodontic metallic braces as well. Although the tension and force created by the acrylic Invisalign tray are less than the metallic braces, the results are equally effective.
3-Osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity
When Invisalign exerts enough pressure and force, it causes the bone supporting the teeth to resorb slowly and gradually.
This phenomenon of bone resorption is known as an osteoblastic or osteoclastic activity. It is one of the most crucial principles in explaining how Invisalign helps move teeth.
4-Constant pressure
Your teeth need a lot of pressure and force to reposition from their actual place. Invisalign is designed so that the pressure exerted by it is strong enough to displace the teeth.
However, this pressure must be constant and continuous for years to achieve the desired results. Wearing your Invisalign for one or two days is not sufficient enough.
The required pressure for the teeth to displace and reposition correctly needs constant pressure.
5-Designing and fabrication
It takes great knowledge and skills to fabricate an Invisalign plate. It is because its fabrication and construction is the major agent responsible for the teeth’ movement.
Dentists use their skills applicable to the creation of Invisalign so that it follows the anatomy of the teeth and applies the desired forces depending on the individual tooth.
How is the procedure of Invisalign carried out in orthodontic practices?
Let us now discover how orthodontists carry out the procedure of Invisalign placement in patients:
- Initially, the dentist will take your history and closely examine your oral cavity, the displacement in the teeth and the Malocclusions required to be treated.
- Your impression is recorded soon after your history is noted, and the target points are acknowledged.
- The dentist will now prepare you for impressions and dimension records. Based on the impression, the acrylic plate for Invisalign will be constructed.
- The impression is then sent to the lab to fabricate the Invisalign tray.
- On the next visit, your dentist will place the Invisalign tray in your mouth and ask you to perform regular mouth movements to see how well the acrylic plate is adjusted.
- Note that this is the most important part of the entire treatment procedure because the movement carried out by the acrylic plate depends on how well it adjusts to the patient’s set of teeth.
What are the ideal indications for Invisalign?
- Overly crowded teeth
- teeth that do not have enough spaces between them
- extremely protruded teeth
- tilted or crooked teeth
Factors that affect the movement of teeth during Invisalign treatment
Let us now discuss the factors that affect the movement of teeth during Invisalign treatment:
1-Time
The longer the time you wear your Invisalign, the faster your teeth will move and reposition in a better place.
The average time orthodontists normally recommend wearing Invisalign ranges from two to three years.
2-Frequency
Where time is an important aspect and factor for teeth movement through Invisalign, frequency is another one.
Wearing your Invisalign does not mean that you wear them for 2 hours a day the whole year. It means that you have to wear it frequently and remove it only while eating or sleeping during the night.
The more force is exerted, and the more durable the tension is created, the better the treatment will be via teeth movement.
3-Age of the patient
The patient’s age plays a very important role in the teeth movement. Candidates who are young or below 20 are more likely to achieve the desired results than older ones. The younger the candidate, the softer the bones and the osteoblastic activity occurs faster.
What to expect in the results after Invisalign?
Let us have a closer look at how your teeth look after an Invisalign treatment:
- the crookedness and tilted teeth will now appear straight
- the teeth that were over protruded will now be pushed inwards and backwards at a considerable level
- any generalized spacing will be reduced
- the overcrowding of the teeth will be released, and every tooth will receive adequate space to adjust itself
- you can smile with a lot more confidence
- a perfect facial profile that is desirable by all
- and adequate upper and lower facial height
The wrap-up
Now that you know how Invisalign moves teeth, you should book your appointment with your orthodontist and get your acrylic Invisalign plate.
It is much more aesthetic-friendly and equally effective than metallic braces. It is less noticeable and less painful, so go for it and smile widely with confidence.
Cabinet Grande Duchesse Charlotte Dudelange Luxembourg – Dr. Arnould Tanson medecin-dentist and associates,
621 257 940
+352 26 52 15 30
48-52 avenue Grande Duchesse Charlotte L-3440 Dudelange, Luxembourg
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