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A guide to Invisalign Hertfordshire from Elegance Dental
Eager to get a straighter smile?
At Elegance Dental, we have helped hundreds of patients get the straighter smile that they deserve using Invisalign Hertfordshire, and, should you be suitable, we can help you using this aligner too!
Below is a rough guide introducing you to Invisalign Hertfordshire, so read on to learn more!
What are invisible aligners?
Invisalign Hertfordshire is an aligner that is used to correct mild to moderate issues of misalignment.
During the treatment, you will typically have to wear around 14 different aligners and change between them every 2 weeks as standard. You will also need to see our team every 6-8 weeks for checkups.
Consultation
When you come for your assessment with our team at Elegance Dental, we will first begin with an assessment of your mouth; only patients who have good oral health can undertake orthodontic treatment, and any decay or gum disease will need to be treated.
If we think you are a suitable candidate for invisible aligners, we will take a 3D scan of your teeth. The scan results will later be sent to a dental laboratory, where these images will be used to print the aligners that will straighten your teeth. Great!
Daily wear
When you begin using invisible aligners, you will need to keep them in your mouth for 22 hours each day as recommended.
In addition, you should remove your aligners before you eat or drink any beverage that is not water as such drinks can cause the aligners to stain. Before you replace the aligners post-drinking or eating, you will need to brush your teeth to remove any debris; this will ensure that you do not develop tooth decay or gum disease.
And yes, you will need to wear your aligners overnight. But don’t worry! As the outside of the aligners is smooth, there will be no pressure against your gums or inner cheeks to worry about, and they should be comfortable.
Complications
Few complications accompany the use of invisible aligners, but for the sake of clarity, we will mention the most common ones that we see.
As invisible aligners are removable, many patients forget to keep them in for the required treatment time each day, which is usually about 22 hours. And so, their treatment slows and can, in some cases, reverse, meaning that the entire process will take longer than initially predicted.
So, to keep your realignment ticking over correctly, keep the aligners in!
Also, if you notice that your aligners do not seem to fit or ‘track’ correctly, then you should see our team. Much like the lack of an aligner, this too can slow the treatment and even damage your teeth in the long term.
Results
You may have read online that the results obtained by using invisible aligners are less than adequate for many patients.
However, in our experience at Elegance Dental, this is simply not true! Orthodontic studies have found that in comparison to other methods of dental realignment, invisible aligners produce results that last equally as long as those obtained using regular braces.
But just like regular braces, for the results of the realignment to last, you will need to wear a retainer for a set period once your aligners are off. That way, your teeth will stay in place and your smile will remain as straight and striking as you deserve it to be!