Orthodontic corrections with Invisalign – an approximate treatment timeline

People want to achieve the perfect smile. When you have damaged, diseases or flaws in the teeth then your self esteem gets badly dented. Other than lowering your self reliance, those issues can bring long-term health issues affecting your normal speech and eating in the process. But still people dread wearing conventional metal braces to correct those problems with the dental health. Treatment with conventional braces usually takes months together if not years. Thankfully there are latest evolutions in the world of orthodontic dentistry. As a result conventional fixed braces are not the only option to orthodontic issues any more. This is where it is relevant introducing Invisalign! This revolutionary system to straighten the teeth benefits both teens and adults alike. The treatment makes use of a series of clear transparent aligner trays that are custom fitted for your teeth. the range of appliances is made from high grade thermoplastic.

A brief discussion on functional orthodontic appliances to help you take an informed decision

These tiny clear plastic aligner trays remain virtually invisible inside your mouth. In other words Invisalign is a discreet treatment which corrects misalignment of your teeth and the jaws inconspicuously without letting the world have any hint. These aligner trays are completely free from wires and brackets. The aligners are easily removable; you can eat and drink anything that your heart wishes during the entire phase of your treatment. Unlike conventional braces Invisalign has no dietary restriction for its patients. You switch to a new set of aligners every two weeks or so and this is how your treatment gradually progresses.

Then finally one day you run out of new aligner trays and that is when your treatment comes to an end and by that time your teeth have already shifted into their new position and transformation of your smile is complete, says a dentist in London who quotes reasonable cost for Invisalign Moderate treatment. It is important to note that the length of the treatment varies from case to case as does the number of aligners trays required by patients. Both these factors depend on the magnitude of teeth movement that is required for a patient. On average Invisalign takes about a year and a half to bring your teeth or the jaws into correct alignment. However simple cases require as less as 6 months whereas complex cases may take up to 3 years at a stretch.

Time required by Invisalign to close the gaps between your teeth

In dental terminology the gaps existing between the teeth are called diastema. There can be different reasons for different people to suffer from diastema. Some of the typical reasons include the following –

  • The teeth are excessively little compared to the jaw.
  • There is an overgrowth of the gum tissue
  • The remaining teeth could have shifted following the loss of a tooth

Invisalign is efficient in closing minor gaps between your teeth. The treatment gently exerts pressure on the teeth to make them move closer again the movement of the teeth is achieved gradually without any hurry. The larger the gap the less effective Invisalign is likely to be to correct the problem. Larger gaps also take longer time to get closed. To correct minor gaps between the teeth Invisalign takes about 6 months whereas for larger gaps it may take up to 24 months.

This is the reason why there is a maximum range of 6 mm for closing gaps between the teeth. If a gap is larger than 6 mm then Invisalign may not use to correct your problem. According to a dentist experienced in the Invisalign Moderate system even if there are multiple gaps between the teeth that sum up to more than 6 mm even in that case Invisalign is not a suitable treatment to address the condition of diastema. In such cases dental professionals usually recommend other orthodontic treatments like conventional braces or veneers to correct the problem.

If Invisalign closes your gap or gaps successfully then you must wear your post-treatment retainers as recommended by your dentist. Else those gaps can open up again, leading you back to square one.  

Time required by Invisalign to correct the problem of crowded teeth

Teeth crowding is a type of malocclusion or misalignment. The problem involves inadequate space for all the teeth in an individual’s mouth. As a result every tooth cannot space out evenly. The teeth push up against one another while fighting for space when an individual’s jaw is excessively small or the teeth are too big. This condition leads to twisted or overlapping teeth. If teeth overcrowding ranges from milder to moderate, then Invisalign can correct those problems within a span of 6 to 12 months.

More the crowded teeth the more movement is required to correct their spacing and thus the treatment requires longer time to complete. When the crowding is severe then there is hardly any space for all the teeth. In such cases dentists and orthodontists have to recommend extraction of a tooth or teeth to make space. Once the space is available then Invisalign can shift the remaining teeth into their correct position more conveniently.

If you have severe crowding issue with the teeth or if the issue of crowding affects too many teeth in those cases Invisalign may not be the ideal option to correct the problem, says a dentist who offers Invisalign Moderate package at affordable cost in London. In such cases braces are more appropriate at least during the initial stages of the treatment. Once the teeth shift into better position with braces then you can sign up for your custom fitted Invisalign aligners to perform the rest of the corrections.

Time required by Invisalign to correct bite problems

More intensive misalignment issues may take anywhere between 1 and 3 years. This type of cases includes correcting misalignment of the upper and the lower jaws. After the end of the treatment Invisalign will enable the teeth in the two jaws to bite together properly.  More complicated malocclusion cases that Invisalign can correct include the following –

  • Over bite or over jet – the teeth in the upper arch stick out past the teeth in the lower one
  • Under bite – existence of a gap at the centre of the mouth as the teeth do not meet when you close the mouth
  • Cross bite – when the mouth is closed the teeth overlap each other or do not line up properly

Dentists working at the Piccadilly Dental Clinic in London explain Invisalign clear aligners do not exert as much force as conventional metal braces and therefore the aligner treatment is more suitable to treat mild to moderate range of bite issues.

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