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In the last 10 years, there has been a switch to many people using online shopping and even applications/apps on smartphones. This has extended to people being able to transfer money between bank accounts, and order food and now, it is even being used to help patients who are undertaking orthodontic treatments.

In 2022, if you are looking to engage in orthodontic care, you may be able to use not only an invisible aligner, but an invisible aligner app to help you get the straighter smile that you want.

When you come to Clear Braces Direct, our team will be able to assess your suitability for using Invisalign London and should we deem you suitable, we will advise you to download the associated app. This will help us to not only stay in touch with you, but to monitor your realignment journey from a distance, meaning fewer trips into our surgery.

However, it is always good to know a little bit about such things and in this article, we will look into the app that is associated with using Invisalign London.

What is the app?

The app is a way for you to stay virtually connected with our team when you are using Invisalign London. It is downloadable for iPhones and Androids and is free of charge. It will allow you to share photos with our team, receive feedback and of course, ensure that you are on track with the timeline set down when you began treatment. This will help you to keep your realignment process on track without needing to come into the office every few weeks, unless of course there is an issue. You simply need to set up an account when you download the app and you are ready to go!

Aligner changes

As you may remember, you will need to change your aligner on average every 2 weeks or when it starts to feel loose. With the aligner change, you will need to send our team 1 video and 3 photos via the app. The video may require you to wear cheek retractors and you will need to have 1 smiling photo with your aligners and cheek retractors being worn. You will then need to send another photo with the aligner with the cheek retractors on and another with the aligners and cheek retractors off. This will allow us to ascertain whether or not the treatment is working, but don’t worry. The app will send reminders about when it’s time to send progress videos and photos.

Keeping track

If we do not spot any issues in the 3 photos or the video, then you will be sent back an on-track message via the app, which will indicate that the smile is coming along nicely and that the realignment process is working. So, simply continue to wear the aligners as directed by our team.

Instructions from our team

Sometimes, there can be problems and if you are sent instructions, this will mean that we are providing additional guidance, which may be wearing the current aligner for slightly longer or using accessories like chewies.

FAQs

If you have any questions about using the invisible aligners, the app has a dedicated FAQ section which will hopefully be able to answer them. If it doesn’t, then feel free to contact us as soon as possible.

So, you have met with our team at Clear Braces Direct and have been given the go-ahead to use invisible aligners to straighten your teeth.

However, you may be somewhat mystified about the daily use of the aligners, as the internet is full of contradictory instructions which can be confusing at the best of times. But when it comes to realigning your teeth, you don’t want to take any chances and get it wrong.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have helped people to get the straighter smiles that they want using Invisalign London for over 10 years and know all there is to know about this aligner. We can also ensure that the aligner itself works correctly and will always be on hand to answer any questions that you have.

So, back to the daily wear and the questions that we receive about this from our current and past patients who have used Invisalign London.

How do I clean them?

Invisalign London is a removable aligner, meaning that you can take it out to clean it and clean your teeth. Luckily the cleaning process for the aligners themselves is straightforward and you can simply rinse them under a cold water tap. If you want to be a bit more thorough, you can invest in some cleaning crystals, which will allow you to soak the aligner for 30 minutes twice a day and will give them a minty fresh aftertaste too.

Do not under any circumstances run them under a hot water tap, as this can cause them to warp.

Will I need to wear them all the time?

As a general rule, we advise against wearing aligners for 24 hours a day, as this will not give you the time to eat food, but the instructions will vary depending on the severity of the misalignment being treated. For most of our patients, we recommend that they wear the aligners for 22 hours per day to get the best results.

Can I kiss while wearing them?

Yes, you can and luckily the majority of our teenage patients and adult patients who are dating have stated that the people they are meeting have not noticed that they’re wearing the aligners. When it comes to being a bit more intimate, your partner may be able to feel the aligners pressed against your teeth. But it will not be as noticeable or as uncomfortable as kissing whilst wearing metal braces.

I’ve read I can only drink water while wearing them; is that true?

When you are wearing the invisible aligners, you will only be able to drink water; for any other drinks such as fruit juices, teas or coffees, you will need to take them out. This is to not only prevent staining on the aligner, but also to prevent potential warping which may occur if you are consuming hot beverages. After you have eaten or drunk anything, before you put the aligners back in, you will need to clean your teeth to prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

How do I manage sores on my tongue?

It is somewhat common for people who begin using invisible aligners to develop sores on their tongues because the aligner edges can be quite sharp. For this, we recommend that you use dental wax, which will help create a barrier between the sharp edge of the plastic and the soft tissues in your mouth.

When you begin the realignment process with invisible aligners, it is a fair assumption that you expect them to work. After all, they have been custom-fitted to match your teeth and you have had every stage of the treatment process explained to you, so you will know what to expect. You will even have access to an app linked to the invisible aligners which can answer the majority of your questions. This is a highly successful teeth straightening system.

For a select few individuals who are undertaking invisible aligner treatment, however, it may not go to plan. This may be due to poor sourcing of the aligners themselves if not from a reputable establishment, or maybe due to issues with adherence to the 22 hours per day recommended use.

At Clear Braces Direct, we know invisible aligners inside out and will always aim to provide our patients with tips to ensure that Invisalign London works for them. However, if you think that your aligners are not working as planned feel free to contact us for advice.

With that in mind, what are some of the key signs that your Invisalign London aligners are not working?

Poor fit

When an Invisalign London treatment is created, our team will use an intraoral scan of your teeth to get the exact position to structure the first aligner. Then, using a series of digital movements to this scan, we will be able to create the other aligners needed to get your teeth to the desired position. But if when you put the aligner into your mouth it does not fit correctly, this is a sign that the aligner is not going to work as planned and you should always aim to contact us to have them refitted.

Teeth not moving

This can be slightly harder to judge, especially if you have a minor misalignment with your front teeth. If after a few weeks of wear, you don’t notice any movement, then you may need to contact our team for an assessment. Aligners not moving teeth correctly could be due to a poor fit or non-adherence to the 22 hours per day of wear.

Excessive discomfort

It should be noted that even when you are using removable aligners there will be some discomfort, as they need to move your teeth. However, if you experience excessive levels of discomfort during wear, this will need to be examined by our team, as it can indicate that they are not fitted correctly. Or that there is an underlying health issue, such as gum disease, which is causing the aligners to feel tight and uncomfortable.

Wobbling

If your aligners are wobbling throughout the entire period of wear, this is also a sign that they have not been fitted correctly and thus they cannot do their job. The aligners are designed to slot over your teeth and look like a clear sports guard. If they are wobbling as soon as you put them in, this is a sign that you will not get any real movement and the aligner will need to be refitted.

Teeth moving incorrectly

Some patients become concerned when they notice that their teeth are not moving as planned. This can signify that there is an unforeseen issue in the mouth, such as a tooth which was loose or issues with daily wear. If your teeth are not moving as planned, you should contact our team.

It is true that when most people envision undertaking orthodontic treatment later in life, they picture wearing a fitted orthodontic brace.

However, depending on the severity of your misalignment, you may be able to straighten your teeth using an invisible aligner instead. But you may have concerns that an invisible aligner will not be able to straighten your teeth in the same way, or as successfully as a brace would.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have been working with invisible aligners like Invisalign London for over 10 years and can state with utter confidence that these aligners are great at straightening mild to moderate cases of dental misalignment.

Still unsure if they are as good as traditional metal braces? In this article, our team will do a brief comparison between Invisalign London and fitted metal braces to help you decide which one may be best for you.

Time span

Concerning time, invisible aligners like Invisalign London take between 3 to 6 months on average to straighten teeth. However, for this to be successful, the patient has to wear the aligners for 22 hours per day. When it comes to wearing a fitted metal brace, the treatment can range more widely depending on the severity of the issue, but for the majority of adult patients who need to wear a fitted brace, you may need to wear it for up to 36 months.

Discomfort

Many people associate fitted metal braces with discomfort, due in part to the fact that they need to be tightened or adjusted for them to move your teeth. Invisible aligners, however, have these adjustments built into their shape and while they do need to apply pressure to your teeth to move them, they are generally considered more comfortable to wear in daily life.

Versatility

When comparing invisible aligners and braces, there is no real competition in this area. Braces have been used in dental practice for well over 100 years and in that time, they have treated a myriad of dental conditions. Invisible aligners are mainly only suitable for people who have mild to moderate cases of dental misalignment. So when comparing them, traditional braces win for their versatility in treating misalignments.

Discretion

Invisible aligners are, as the name suggests, practically invisible and so when comparing them to metal braces, they are certainly the more discreet. However, there are fitted metal braces available today which have brackets that are clear or tooth coloured and may use thinner wires, which can be more discreet than the traditional option. Invisible aligners are custom-fitted to slot over your teeth like a clear sports guard, so they certainly win in the discretion department.

Cost

Many patients are surprised to learn that invisible aligners are sometimes more affordable in adult orthodontic care than a standard fitted brace. This is because invisible aligners do not require adjusting in the same way as fitted braces do. Also, they do not require as many appointments as orthodontic braces and are faster overall, making them more cost-effective. If you have concerns about the cost of clear aligners, talk to our team about financing options.

Do you want to get straighter teeth without the hassle of wearing fitted braces as an adult? If so, you may want to consider looking into invisible aligners.

At Clear Braces Direct, we are always happy to offer our suitable patients invisible aligners to straighten their teeth, including Invisalign London which is one of the most popular options among our adult patients.

If you want to learn more about what Invisalign London is, or how it works, please read on.

What are they?

Invisalign London is a system that uses 3D scans, 3D printing and computer technology to create a set of aligners which will move your teeth from their current position to a final desired position. They have been used in dental practices for more than 10 years, but are becoming more popular with dental patients who are adults.

How they work

Invisible aligners work based on their unique shape. The aligners themselves are made from clear plastic, which is 3D printed to match the position of your teeth at the start of the treatment.  Using computer technology, the other aligners are created, with each one representing a stage in the realignment treatment. So you will start with an aligner that fits over your teeth as they currently are, and the last one in the series will match the position that they need to be in, and all the others will be every stage in between.

They apply pressure to your teeth using vector points and this system gently pushes teeth into the new position, rather than pulling them, which is how traditional braces work.

How long do they take?

In general, invisible aligners take between 3 and 6 months to realign teeth, depending on the severity of the misalignment being treated. However, this may vary and will depend on other factors such as how long you wear them each day and if you need to order replacement aligners. Always wear the aligners in the order set down by our team and do not skip an aligner, unless you are advised to do so by us.

Potential issues

There are only a few potential issues with wearing invisible aligners, provided that you have sourced them from a reputable clinic or dental practice. One of the most common issues that we see at our practice is that patients do not wear them for the required 22 hours per day and so their teeth revert to their former positions.

You may find issues with placing the aligners correctly into your mouth, which can cause problems with tracking, making it harder for the aligners to work efficiently at moving your teeth. If you find that your teeth are not moving on schedule, please contact our team.

Longevity

Whether you have undertaken treatment with a fitted brace or an aligner, you will need to wear a retainer afterwards. This is to hold your teeth in place whilst they become accustomed to their new positions. If you fail to wear a retainer, there is a high chance that your teeth will move back to their original positions making the entire process a very expensive waste of time.

When you begin using an invisible aligner, there are some rules that you need to adhere to get the best result possible.

While these rules are nowhere near as strict or as difficult to stick to as the rules associated with fixed braces, by sticking to the basic guidelines set down by our team, your treatment is not only going to be smoother, but it is also more likely to go quicker and will get you the smile you want in less time.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have helped thousands of patients to get the straighter smiles that they want using Invisalign London. So, we know all of the tricks of the trade to ensure that this aligner works for you and gets you to have the straighter smile that you want and deserve in as little time as possible.

So, with that being said, what are some of our tricks of the trade to ensure that your treatment with Invisalign London is a success?

Keep them in!

Invisalign London is removable, meaning that many patients find it ever so tempting to take the aligners out and leave them out, especially if they have a day where they are having meetings or giving a lot of talks. However, for this aligner to work correctly, you will need to keep it in for a minimum of 22 hours per day or as otherwise directed by our orthodontic team. If you don’t, your teeth may succumb to reversion which is, in essence, them moving back to their original positions before you started treatment.

Keep them clean!

The aligners need to remain clean to stay invisible. But you will also need to keep them clean to prevent yourself from developing tooth decay or gum disease. Consider that on the inside of an unclean aligner there will be bacteria which will be pressed against your teeth or gums, heightening the chance of decay or gum disease. To keep the aligners clean, simply rinse them under a cold water tap and remove any food debris with a brush. Aim to do this at least twice a day.

Keep them straight!

Even though aligners are custom fitted to your teeth, they can still be placed in your mouth and not be correct in their location. This means there is a tracking issue and to resolve this, you can use chewies or other devices to ensure that there are no air bubbles between the aligner and the teeth themselves. This will help to keep the treatment on schedule.

Keep them safe!

It’s easy to assume that because they move teeth, the aligners are hardy. However, many people forget that they are plastic and can become warped or misshapen due to being placed in pockets or coats when they are not in your mouth. To keep them in good condition, be sure to carry them in the case provided.

Keep them in order!

The aligners will come in a set order, starting with the position that your teeth are currently in, to the desired position at the end. For the treatment to work, you need to wear them in order and you need to wear every single aligner for the required time, which is around 2 weeks.