Self-image is what we perceive of ourselves. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we often want to look at the best version of ourselves. Our face sculpting plays a vital role in making us look good. One of the aesthetic parts of our face is our teeth and their alignment. For years people have visited dentists for the same. Most of us are aware of braces for the alignment of the teeth but due to their not-so-aesthetic look people are reluctant to wear those. With growing trends, dentists or we can say orthodontists have come up with a better option called Clear Aligners therapy.
We have been seeing various celebrities like Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor, Pareeniti Chopra and more endorsing the same.
So what is clear aligner treatment? Who should get it done? Should we blindly trust celebs? Who is qualified to render this treatment? What does it exactly do? What is the process?
Who would be a better person to answer some of our questions over the same than an expert? Dr Megha Parikh Mahade, an orthodontist in Surat helped us understand what exactly clear aligners are and every detail surrounding it.
Let's discuss these important aspects before choosing a clear aligner treatment.
What is clear aligner therapy?
Clear aligner treatment is a modern advanced procedure which helps correct crooked teeth, spaced teeth, jaw discrepancies, and unfavourable bites without the use of braces. It is a series of custom-made removable transparent (invisible) plastic trays that cover your teeth and gently pull them into position over time
How does a clear aligner actually work?
- Consultation: First, a consultation is done with your orthodontist who will discuss and suggest the most suitable treatment plan for you.
- 3D Scan & post treatment simulation: Following this, a digital 3D scan of your teeth is recorded. Immediately post the scan a tentative post-treatment smile simulation is rendered to help you visualise your look at the end of the treatment.
- Digital planning: After this, the orthodontist digitally plans the movement of your teeth to as little as 0.1mm. After the plan is obtained the patient is shown his final plan and following patient approval, the aligners are sent for manufacturing.
- Placement of attachments: After this, an important 8clinical step includes adding attachments or slenderizing teeth as per case needs.
- Wearing of aligners: And last but not the least, all that needs to be done is wearing the aligners.
What cases can be treated with Clear aligners?
- Crooked and malaligned teeth
- Spacing between teeth
- Forwardly placed teeth and jaws
- Backwardly placed teeth or jaws
- Improper bite between upper and lower teeth
Can clear aligners treat all cases traditionally done by braces?
About 90-95 per cent of cases can be treated by clear aligners like Invisalign. It is known to treat even the most complex cases. In certain cases like impacted teeth or highly placed canines, a combination approach might be used by the Orthodontist.
What are the benefits of straightening your teeth apart from getting a beautiful smile?
- Improves overall oral hygiene
- Makes chewing easier and more enjoyabl
- Improves speech
- Can help relieve pain in your jaws and head
Things to ask your Orthodontist before straightening teeth
- What are my options – aligners/ceramic braces/metal braces/?
- How long will the treatment take?
- Will I have to make changes to my lifestyle?
- How frequently will I have to visit?
- Can I see my treatment results beforehand ?
Can aligners be used for any age?
Aligners can be used for all age groups. We have Invisalign first which can be used in patients as little as 6-10 years, Invisalign teen for teenagers and Invisalign for adults. The aligners can also correct jaw discrepancy when used in kids and teens which may require a separate appliance with traditional braces.
It is a discreet way to change your smile and boost self-confidence in adults.
What is the treatment duration?
Simple cases can be done in as little as 6 months. However, complex cases can go up to 24 months.
Is it painful?
One may experience some soreness for a few days after starting. It is normal and indicates your teeth are moving and the treatment is working. The soreness goes away with continued wear.
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Will it affect my speech?
It may affect your speech temporarily. You may develop a lisp for a day or two but as the tongue gets used to it, it goes away. To make this transition faster try reading the newspaper aloud or in front of the mirror.
What are the food restrictions if any?
There are no food restrictions whatsoever. You have to remove the aligners when you eat or drink anything. So, unlike braces, you are free to eat your favourite chocolates, pizzas or anything your heart desires.
Can I drink coffee or soda with aligners?
You can drink room temperature water with your aligners on, however to drink anything else you should remove your aligners. No hot or cold beverages should be consumed to avoid stains and distorting of the aligners.
Why do some of my aligners have bumps or ridges on them?
Attachments are tiny tooth-coloured materials (composites) placed on the teeth. When you wear the aligners, the bump on the aligners grips the attachment, it presses against these attachments creating a force needed to move your teeth. Aligners may also have slim indentations like ridges. One or both of these features helps move the teeth with precision.
Can I chew gum while wearing aligners?
No, the gum sticks to the aligner. As mentioned earlier it is recommended to remove aligners while eating and chewing food.
How many hours do I need to wear my aligners?
A minimum of 22 hours a day. It is recommended you remove the aligners only while eating or drinking.
How do I clean my aligners?
You can use a toothbrush with lukewarm water or a toothbrush with normal soap or you can soak the aligners for 15 mins with Invisalign cleansing crystals
How long can you remove aligners at a time?
It is advisable not to remove your aligners for a long period. However, the biggest advantage of aligners is that you can remove them for big occasions like graduations, weddings, and parties.
There are many brands available in the market, how, what and why to choose one particular brand?
The choice of selecting a particular brand of aligners should be left to your treating orthodontist. Various factors like the complexity of the case, the time duration available, the financial consideration and many more factors are analysed before arriving at this decision. There are more than hundreds of Indian aligner brands available in the market along with the pioneer American brand Invisalign. Invisalign is a technologically advanced brand that uses 3 smarts - the smart track aligner material, smart force features, and smart stage technology. The smart track material is FDA approved, free of BPA and it’s a medical grade multilayer polyurethane plastic/resin designed specifically for aligners to move teeth faster (50 per cent) and with 75 per cent more predictability.
The smart stage technology and smart force features allow greater precision to move teeth along with faster movement by allowing weekly change of aligners compared to 15 days with other aligners.
How much do clear aligners cost?
The cost of the clear aligner depends on factors like
- The complexity of the case
- Time duration needed
- Which brand of aligners are used
Aligners can cost from as little as 30000 to 3 lakhs.
Tips To Maintain Your Aligners
- Remove your Clear Aligners when eating or drinking.
- Always store your Clear Aligners in the aligner case.
- Use a soft bristle toothbrush for a quick daily clean
- Brush and floss as normal.
- Rinse your Aligners when you take them out and just before wearing them.
- Avoid foods and drinks which could stain your clear Aligners like tea, coffee, cola, turmeric, etc.
- See your Orthodontist regularly.
Advantages Of clear aligners
- The modern invisible way to straighten teeth
- No food restrictions
- Faster treatment times
- Faster treatment times
- Less painful
- Fewer visits to the orthodontist
- Can treat complex cases
- Can be used in kids and teens
- More comfortable
- Can be removed
- No risk of white spot lesions
Clear aligners are your go to choice to correct your smile in the most aesthetic, quick and comfortable way.
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