Smiling is more than just expressing an emotion, a smile releases those feel-good endorphins, which is good for your overall wellness. In an age of straight white teeth the last thing you want is to be the one in a photograph not smiling. So if you have misaligned teeth which you find are causing an overbite, crossbite or underbite you can get your straight smile, there is a way to get into that photograph. Teams of experienced dental clinicians are eager to show patients how, at practices all over the country.
More than just a cosmetic drawback
Misaligned teeth can cause problems like inhibiting your ability to chew your food properly. Your speech can be affected, and you can also suffer from breathing difficulties because of your teeth. Gum disease is not uncommon in patients suffering from malocclusion and bacteria can develop in pockets and spaces caused by your misaligned teeth. This bacteria can lead to tooth decay resulting in fillings or tooth extraction. Invisalign in Ipswich provides a solution that can bring more than a slight grin to your face.
A twenty-first century solution
For decades misaligned teeth have been treated with a dental brace which used to be only made from metal. The appliance looked cumbersome and was uncomfortable. For this reason the treatment was mainly used to treat children rather than adults. Over the decades a variety of dental braces have been developed made from different materials including plastic, ceramic, metal and combinations of substances. The system works on the basis of blocks fixed to the front of your teeth with a wire passing through them and then bands fitted to apply pressure. They have been very efficient in straightening teeth. More recently variations have been created that fit onto the inside of your teeth making them almost invisible. Some are designed to automatically adjust the pressure on your teeth which reduces the number of visits required to your dentist. They all still use the blocks, wires and bands system. Around 1997 a pair of university students in the USA created a new system using aligners and Invisalign was born.
A revolutionary idea
Invisalign uses a system that is radically different from the traditional dental brace. Using a thermoplastic material an aligner which resembles a gum shield is fitted over your teeth. Invisalign refers to these aligners as trays. The software and hardware created around these trays is where the real magic lies. Scanners that can take thousands of pictures per second can produce an image of the inside of your mouth that is precise and clear. From these images dentists are able to view the inside of your mouth in 3D. The software allows them to produce a virtual image of how your teeth will look after treatment. You can remove the trays to eat, drink and clean your teeth. You receive a new, differently orientated tray about every two weeks which gradually moves your teeth. At the end of the treatment period you will need to wear a final aligner to hold your teeth in place while they settle.
Digital speed
Because everything is done digitally the process of creating your dental appliances is much quicker. You can even become involved in monitoring your treatment progress by taking smartphone pictures and sending them directly to Invisalign through an app. The whole experience is vastly different to the traditional way of correcting misaligned teeth. Because Invisalign trays are made from a clear material they are unobtrusive allowing you to receive your treatment without it being obvious.