Category: Invisalign

The pandemic of 2020, which is still partially ongoing, has led many people to seek out treatments that they would usually obtain on the high street from the comfort of their own homes.

And, with the rise in the use of apps, smartphones and at home aligners, nowhere is this more evident than in the field of orthodontic care. Particularly with the use of at-home aligners.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have been offering our patients at home aligners since our doors first opened, and have now extended this service to include the world-famous Invisalign London. But that does not mean that all at home aligners are created equal!

So, what are some of the differences between the at-home aligners that we can offer, such as Invisalign London and off-brand counterparts? Read on to find out!

Age

When you look into Invisalign London, you may notice that there is a brand for teenagers. Therefore, this treatment has a wider age demographic than you may think. But other providers of at-home aligners often have a minimum age of 18 years old, which means many young people who could benefit from this treatment are excluded.

Safety

In much the same way that someone who wears glasses should not buy their glasses offline, if you have misaligned teeth, you should not seek orthodontic treatment without the care of a trained professional.

Using an aligner at home can be hazardous; you may be unsuitable for the treatment you have chosen, which can lead to worsening your underlying orthodontic problems. When you come to Clear Braces Direct, we care about getting you the straighter smile you want and are not as driven to turn a profit as some online providers, so we will only recommend invisible aligners if you are suitable for them.

Cost

Many people have concerns that when they undertake orthodontic treatment with a branded aligner, the name itself will add a price tag. And if you can get the same treatment online for less, why wouldn’t you?

However, with the price tag that we offer our patients comes our team’s dedication to straightening your teeth, the ability to contact us at any time if you have issues and, of course, the knowledge that our team has experience and training with this aligner to ensure that it works.

Time scale

It is not a secret that when you use invisible aligners to straighten your teeth, many have an average turnaround of between 3-6 months. But this faster treatment can only really be guaranteed if you have a team helping you with each stage of your treatment, which may not be possible if you are using an off-branded online option.

Many issues can occur when using an off-brand aligner that can slow the treatment down; poor tracking, bad engagement from either the patient or the dental team and, of course, delays with shipping out replacement aligners as and when needed. When you come to Clear Braces Direct, we will always ensure that the aligner we provide will fit your teeth well and aim to keep you engaged with the treatment to get desirable results.

So, you’ve been given the green light to start treatment with invisible aligners and are excited to get going. Great stuff!

Unlike regular braces that require you to attend your dentist every 6-8 weeks to have them tightened, aligners do not require such intervention, and each stage of moving the teeth can be done at home simply by changing between aligners after 14 days.

But, there is another feature of using invisible aligners that some patients may struggle with, especially if they are not tech-savvy; the accompanying app.

At Clear Braces Direct, we are proud to be able to offer our patients Invisalign London and want to make sure that you will get the most out of this aligner as possible. And in doing so, we are also happy to talk to our patients about the app that helps us to track their progress with this aligner.

Here, we provide a guide to using the app that accompanies Invisalign London, highlighting some of its key features. Enjoy!

Download and set up

As is the way with most things app related, you will need to download this app for your smartphone from the app store.

To set it up, you will need to create a patient account; the app will send a link to the email address you enter to invite you to complete setting up your account.

Your account will feature information, such as how many aligners are in your set, which aligner you are taking, days of wear, and the next change date that is scheduled, and you can even set up alarms and notifications to remind you to change the aligner.

Reminders

When using Invisalign London, you will need to send our team weekly selfies of your smile, so we can assess if the treatment is working as predicted or not.

To do this, when you receive the aligners, you will also receive a cheek retractor, which you will need to place in your mouth when you take your selfie; not very flattering, but it is diagnostic!

The app features a guide on how best to take these photos and even a video showing you how to place the cheek retractor correctly, so no time is wasted with awkward photos!

Feedback

When we receive your photo, you will receive information known as ‘feedback.’ There are 2 types of feedback; on track or instructions. As the name suggests, being on track means everything looks good and to keep up with the routine, whereas instructions mean you will need additional guidance.

Instructions

If you receive instructions via the app, it means we have seen a potential issue in your photographs and need you to take some additional steps.

These can be switching aligners, wearing them for longer each day, or we may invite you for a virtual appointment. If we have concerns about secondary issues such as gum irritation, gum disease or tooth decay, you will require an appointment to correct these issues.

Appointments

Yes, invisible aligners are primarily an at-home treatment, but if our team calls you into the surgery for an appointment, please attend it!

We may need to change the stage of the aligner treatment, or if the misalignment is worsening, we may need to change the tool altogether. So, please keep your appointment with us!

When it comes to undertaking any kind of new treatment, whether it is to straighten your teeth or your hair, you will likely want to know how to maximise the chances of the treatment working.

And when it comes to straightening your teeth with an invisible aligner, there are a few things you can do to ensure that the treatment straightens your teeth effectively.

With that said, as this is dental care, there are a few conditions and lifestyle choices that can negatively impact the success of these aligners, and in this article, we are going to explore what some of these are.

Because at Clear Braces Direct, we want you to get the straighter smile that you deserve using Invisalign London. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that this treatment works effectively and that we catch any potential issues that you may have early to avoid disruption. Great!

So, what are some of the dental issues and other complications that can negatively impact Invisalign London? Read on to find out!

Gum disease

One of the most insidious diseases known to the mouth is gum disease or gingivitis; it causes your gums to become red, inflamed and bleed when they are touched.

However, when you are using Invisalign London, you will need to be aware of the signs of gum disease; if left untreated, it can cause your gums to recede and your teeth to fall out. Not great when you are looking to straighten your teeth!

Smoking

In a similar vein as gum disease, smoking can create a wealth of issues when you are using invisible aligners. Firstly, if you leave the aligners in when you smoke, they can become stained, so they will not remain invisible for very long!

Smoking also increases the risk of oral cancer and has a hand in gum disease development too. So, if you want to keep using invisible aligners and get a straighter smile, you may want to undertake smoking cessation.

Lack of engagement

Invisible aligners are removable and as such, our team often has to talk to patients about their lack of engagement with the aligner. In other words, many patients take the aligner out of their mouths, which, when you need to wear the aligner for 22 hours per day to gain any benefits, can slow the orthodontic realignment or may even cause your teeth to revert to their former positions.

So, be sure to keep any invisible aligners in your mouth for as long as specified by our team.

Skipping aligners

When you use Invisalign, you will usually receive between 12 and 14 aligners in each set.

And for the treatment to work effectively, each aligner needs to be worn for around 2 weeks and the aligners need to be worn in a set order.

Even if you feel that one aligner is not worth wearing because it physically resembles the other aligners, you should under no circumstances skip it. Doing so can cause your treatment to fall out of sync and can halt the movement of your teeth.

So, unless you get the green light from a member of our team to skip an aligner, don’t!

When most people think of orthodontic treatment, they immediately think of a standard or stereotypical metal brace which is composed of metal brackets affixed to the teeth using an archwire as the connector.

In recent times, however, there has been a shift in the use of metal braces towards treating more extreme cases of dental misalignment. And for most people who have mild to moderate dental alignment issues, the use of clear or invisible aligners has become the standard practice.

But what are the differences between clear aligners and fitted orthodontic tools?

At Clear Braces Direct, our team (as our name suggests) specialises in clear or invisible treatment options to correct dental misalignments. One of our most prevailing methods which are proving exceedingly popular is Invisalign London. So if you want to have your teeth straightened without drawing attention to your smile, contact our team for more information about this treatment option.

So, back to the initial question that this article is aiming to answer: what are the differences between braces and Invisalign London? Read on to find out!

Fitting

Fitting a traditional brace will require your dentist to place dental cement onto your teeth, fix the brackets and then the archwire. With Invisalign London, all we need to do to properly fit the aligner is to take a 3D scan of your teeth using an intraoral scanner. This will then be used to create the aligners, and when they are sent either to your home or to the surgery, you can pop them right into your mouth.

And the fitting is done!

Treatment time

There is a wide range of differences between the treatment time for both aligners and traditional braces.

With adults using traditional braces, it can take up to 36 months to straighten your teeth. However, with an aligner, the average treatment time is between 3 to 6 months depending on the severity of the dental misalignment and the patients’ adherence to the treatment schedule.

Speciality

There is no way around it; traditional braces are certainly more versatile and can fix a wider range of dental issues, from issues with molar alignment and severe protrusions. Invisible aligners are better suited to issues occurring with the six teeth at the front of the mouth on the upper and lower jaw and providing they are mild to moderate issues, they can easily correct them.

Cleaning

The cleaning of a standard brace typically requires a hygienist, interdental brushes at home and a high-intensity electric toothbrush to remove the debris from under the wires and around brackets.

Aligners, however, are removable and simply require you to rinse them under a cold water tap and use a soft bristle toothbrush to remove debris.

Discretion

Many people now do not have an issue with wearing a standard fitted brace, as it has almost become a hipster icon among adult patients, but there is no way to avoid the fact that they are visually obvious.

Invisible aligners, however, are visually discreet and made from a clear plastic that can be slotted over your teeth without the use of an archwire or brackets, making them easier to conceal in daily life.

You may have heard that when it comes to dental realignment, using either an aligner or brace, each case is unique, and a dentist is the only person who will be able to choose the correct treatment option for you.

However, in recent years as technologies have advanced, more and more people have been given the green light to use a less invasive treatment known as an invisible aligner.

When you come to Clear Braces Direct, our team will be able to advise you on your suitability for clear aligners, especially Invisalign London as this is our speciality, alongside home-based treatment options, which has been more beneficial than ever to many people in recent times.

In this short guide, you will be walked through what Invisalign London is, what it can treat and when you may not be suitable for treatment with it.

What invisible aligners do

By now, you should have an idea of what an invisible aligner looks like visually; think of a sports guard made from clear plastic.

Invisalign London is made to fit over your teeth snuggly and, using a set of between 12 and 14 aligners, your teeth will gently be pushed into alignment to correct any issues that you may have in this area. Typically, treatment with an aligner lasts between 3 to 6 months.

What they can treat

As the technology surrounding invisible aligners has advanced, it has been possible for our team to treat more issues using this method.

Bite issues- if you have an overbite, an underbite or a crossbite, then you may be suitable to use an invisible aligner assuming that it is not deemed to be a severe bite issue.

Protrusions- protruding teeth are common and if you have one tooth that is poking out at an unusual angle, our team may be able to correct this using invisible aligners.

Crowding- are your teeth overcrowded and pushing against each other? If they are located at the front, then our team may be able to use invisible aligners to alleviate this issue and get your teeth straightened.

Spacing- large gaps in between your teeth can cause issues with confidence and can be resolved using an aligner if they are not too excessive.

What they cannot treat

Unfortunately, as you may have gathered by now, the word mild and moderate keeps appearing and when it comes to using invisible aligners, there are a few conditions that they can treat.

Jaw alignment issues: if your upper and lower jaws do not sit together correctly, creating an issue with an extreme over or underbite, then this cannot be corrected using an invisible aligner and will require something akin to a fitted brace.

Molar misalignment: if your molars on the upper and lower jaw do not fit together when you close your mouth, this cannot be corrected with an invisible aligner and will likely need a fitted brace.

Extreme misalignments: if you have a more complex set of misalignments, which may include a pick and mix of an overbite issue, crowding or spacing, then it is unlikely that you will be suitable for invisible aligners.

When it comes to using any kind of new dental device, it is important to get as much help as possible if required.

And nowhere is this truer than in the field of adult orthodontics, especially when it comes to using invisible aligners. As these are somewhat new to this area, many people have concerns about using them effectively in their own homes and want as much guidance and help as they can get to ensure that their teeth are straightened and that they get the smile that they want.

Our team at Clear Braces Direct will always aim to offer our patients as much help as possible, especially relating to the use of Invisalign London. If during your time with us you have any queries or concerns about using this aligner, simply give our team a bell, and we will ensure that we get back to you promptly.

With the idea of using additional tools to enhance the effectiveness of using Invisalign London, in this article, we will be looking at and exploring the use of chewies; what are they, how are they used and how can they benefit the use of invisible aligners? Read on to find out!

What is tracking?

The use of chewies when it comes to Invisalign London revolves around tracking. Tracking is simply how well the aligners fit your teeth, and if they are tracking correctly, your teeth should move on schedule without issue.

But many people, especially those new to using invisible aligners, have concerns about placing their aligners correctly over their teeth, and this is where chewies come into play and can be a useful tool.

What are chewies?

Have you ever seen somebody wearing a dental retainer chewing on a pencil to get the retainer to fit better? In essence, chewies are the professional version of the pencil. They are made from a soft foam material, very similar to the materials used to make earbuds and are reusable.

They are designed to ensure that your aligners fit correctly and that there are no air bubbles between the aligner and your teeth, which can otherwise cause issues with tracking and may slow down the treatment.

Using chewies

Using chewies is a relatively straightforward procedure. You simply place the chewies between your jaws and bite down hard on them when you are putting an aligner in your mouth. Aim to use one chewy per day when fitting your aligners. Chewies are the most reliable when you have finished using one aligner and are moving on to the next one to ensure that it fits over your teeth correctly.

Aim to chew the chewie for several minutes until you feel confident that the aligner is fitted correctly.

When to contact our team

Unfortunately, there are some instances in which even using chewies cannot help with tracking, and this can be caused by poorly made aligners or issues with the wearing of aligners for the required time each day.

If you have issues with fitting your aligners correctly and you have tried this method to resolve it but it has not worked, please contact our team for an assessment.

When you have invested a lot of time and money into a new treatment, whether it is designed to remove wrinkles or straighten your teeth, it can be nothing short of a nightmare scenario when you realise that it is not working as predicted.

And unfortunately, there are many reasons why this can occur and in dental care, this is no exception; some people simply have issues when it comes to realigning their teeth.

It is also not a new phenomenon, as many people who have worn fitted braces have reported slowness relating to the teeth moving and with the use of invisible aligners becoming more common, this trend seems to be continuing.

At Clear Braces Direct, we will always aim to ensure that the treatments we provide to our patients get the results that they want; however, if when using Invisalign London, you notice that there is a problem with the aligner, please contact our team urgently, and we will seek to resolve the underlying issue.

But what are some of the signs that your invisible aligner treatment simply isn’t working? Here, our team discusses signs to look out for when using Invisalign London.

How invisible aligners work

Before we get into the science of why Invisalign London may not be working, it is important to have a brief rundown of how these aligners work.

They are designed to fit your mouth and this is done using an intraoral scan during the assessment with our team. Then a set of 3D printed aligners are created from this scan and are sent to either your home or our practice for you to begin wearing, for two weeks at a time. Each aligner has a slightly different shape and is designed to push your teeth into a different direction each time you place a newer aligner in your mouth, to get the straighter smile that you want.

 So, what are some of the key signs that this simply isn’t working in practice?

The aligner is loose

When you place a new aligner in your mouth, a sign that there may be an issue is that it does not fit or is not tracking correctly is that it feels loose.

A newly fitted aligner should feel slightly tight over your teeth, as it is required to move them and a loose-fitting aligner is unlikely to be able to move anything. If your aligner feels loose when you place it in your mouth, please contact our team.

The aligner is unusually uncomfortable

In a similar vein, if you place an aligner in your mouth and it causes excessive levels of discomfort you should also seek guidance from our team. An aligner that is unusually tight is unlikely to move your teeth in any meaningful way and a remeasurement may need to be done.

Your teeth aren’t moving

It can be hard to determine if your teeth are moving when you are wearing a clear aligner. However, if you think after a few weeks of using your aligners that your teeth are not moving at all, then please contact our team for an assessment.

Misalignment is worsening

It is not unheard of in orthodontics for a misalignment to become worse before it gets better, but if you have concerns that a gap is growing or your teeth are becoming more misaligned, then we advise you to call our team for a check-up.

When you are looking for a way to straighten your teeth as an adult, you will undoubtedly go online to research all of your treatment options.

And while the internet is a great source of information, it can also be slightly unreliable, especially when it comes to information surrounding dental care and particularly orthodontic treatments!

If you have ever researched clear or invisible aligners online, you have likely come across articles seemingly scaremongering people into not using this treatment option and this can be slightly off-putting.

When it comes to debunking myths that surround Invisalign London, our team at Clear Braces Direct has heard them all before and more! We know the truth about this aligner and can help you understand the real-world benefits of using it to get the straighter smile you want. Great!

So, what are some of the most prevalent myths that we have heard about Invisalign London in our clinic? Read on to find out and to have a bit of a laugh, as some of them are exceedingly comical!

They don’t work

Of course, clear aligners work!

But this is a myth that we hear daily at our surgery relating to Invisalign London. Granted, invisible aligners do not work in the same way as traditional braces but they operate using custom-fitted trays, which gently move your teeth into the desired position via pushing. If you have a complicated case of dental misalignment, then it is unlikely that this option will work for you, but our team will be able to assess your suitability for these aligners before beginning them.

They are completely comfortable

As they are not fitted directly to your teeth, you may have heard people stating that invisible aligners are completely comfortable to wear and will not cause any soreness or pressure in your daily life. As much as we wish this myth were true, it isn’t, and it is worth remembering that any orthodontic tool has the task of moving your teeth, which can be complicated and a bit sore.

Luckily, this aligner has been deemed exceedingly comfortable to wear, and any discomfort you may feel should be mitigated using over-the-counter pain relievers.

They are too expensive

As they are clear and as they are new, you may have concerns that you will not be able to afford treatment using invisible aligners.

But our team at Clear Braces Direct can offer you financing options to help you spread the cost of this treatment, so you can get the straighter smile you want without concerns for your income or monthly budget.

DIY aligners are just as good

There has been a storm relating to the use of DIY aligners available via the internet and dental moulds being sent to your home. However, in our experience, these are not as good as using invisible aligners under the care of a member of our team and can worsen dental misalignment due to inaccuracies during the measurement and moulding stage.

The aligners take longer than standard braces

On average, invisible aligners take between 3 to 6 months to straighten your teeth and when compared to the 36 months of a standard brace, it is easy to see that they are fast working appliances!

When you begin using an invisible aligner to straighten your teeth, it can feel like a bit of an adjustment at first.

Luckily, as many dental teams have been using invisible aligners for a while now, they can offer advice on how best to use them. But few dental surgeries specialise in the use of invisible aligners and that is where our team is different and can help clear up any worries you may have.

At Clear Braces Direct, we know all there is to know about clear aligners, especially Invisalign London and we can offer you advice on how to manage this aligner in your daily life to ensure you get the most out of wearing it. Great stuff!

In the following guide, we break down some of our top care tips on how to use and care for Invisalign London, so you can go about your day knowing exactly what is needed for you to get the straighter smile you want using this aligner.

Carry the case!

When you begin using Invisalign London, you will be sent a plastic carry case that takes the shape of the letter ‘c’. We advise you to use this when you are not wearing your aligner as it is designed to keep the aligner at the right temperature and safe from any external damage. We do not advise simply tossing your aligner into your pocket or your bag, as this can cause it to warp out of shape and then require you to invest in a replacement aligner.

Cold water only!

The aligners themselves are made from clear plastic, which is both malleable and hardy. But it is worth noting that these aligners are not Indestructible and when you are cleaning them, it is advised that you use cold water only to remove debris. Do not use hot water or even slightly warm water, as this can cause the aligners to warp out of shape.

If you have any stubborn debris on your aligners, we will advise you to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove it. Do not under any circumstances apply a heavy-handed approach to cleaning your aligners as this can cause irreparable damage.

Cleaning crystals

Alternatively, you can use cleaning crystals to keep your aligners fresh and clear. Just be sure that the cleaning crystals you choose are suitable for use with aligners. You can even use denture cleaning products, as these are designed to not be harsh on the gums and will keep your aligners minty fresh. Just use them twice a day!

Time yourself

To get the most out of your invisible aligners, you will need to keep them in your mouth for a minimum of 22 hours per day. And while this may sound easy, our team advises you to time yourself to get an idea of how long it takes you to eat, clean your teeth or engage in other activities that require you to remove the aligner.

Replacing aligners

If you lose or damage an aligner, you will need a replacement and our team at Clear Braces Direct will be happy to send you one. But we advise that you do not move on to the next aligner in the series if you lose an aligner, as this can cause the misalignment to worsen, or for your teeth to move out of sync.

It is fair to say that almost everybody has known one person in their life who has worn the traditional orthodontic metal brace.

And as such, most people are aware of what goes into the fitting of an orthodontic brace and how this tool is used to move teeth. Regular trips to the dentist, the occasional hygienist appointment and, of course, the initial fitting, which if you are waiting for your friend or family member to finish, can seem to take a very long time.

With the invention of invisible aligners, many people have questions as to how these tools are fitted and if the same steps are required for them to move your teeth. In this article, we aim to shed some light on these queries.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have been using Invisalign London with our patients for over 5 years and can speak to you through each step of the process, so you can assess if this is the treatment option that you want to undertake to straighten your teeth.

So what exactly is involved in the fitting of Invisalign London? Read on to find out.

Assessment

First thing’s first, at Clear Braces Direct, before you undertake any kind of orthodontic treatment, we will need to call you in for an assessment. This is so we can ascertain if your misalignment can be corrected using Invisalign London and if your teeth and gums are healthy enough to undertake this treatment. If you have any tooth decay or gum disease, then this will need to be remedied before this treatment option can begin.

If we determine that you are suitable for this aligner, we will use an intraoral scanner to take a picture of your teeth. This takes only a few seconds and is a more accurate way of recording the position of your teeth.

Printing

Using the images from the intraoral scan, a dental team will then use computer technology to move your teeth digitally into the desired location. This will determine how many aligners are needed for your teeth to become straightened and which areas of your teeth will need to have pressure applied by the aligners to straighten them.

Once this has all been hammered out, the aligners will be printed using a 3D printer; usually between 12 and 14 aligners are created at the stage.

Fitting

The fitting is quite simple. You simply place the first aligner in the series over your teeth and this is done. It is worth noting that each aligner will feel tight when you first place it over your teeth and when it starts to feel loose, it may be time to switch to the next aligner in the treatment process. But there is no awkward fitting required!

Daily wear

The daily wear of your invisible aligner will require you to clean it using cold water and a toothbrush, to ensure that no debris is pressed against your teeth and gums. You will also need to wear the aligner for 22 hours a day and when the aligner is not in your mouth, we advise you to place it in the carry case provided to prevent it from becoming damaged.

Retainers!

Once your teeth are straightened, you will need to wear a retainer to prevent them from moving back to their previous positions. Keep these in as not wearing them can undo months of work!