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When you begin treatment with invisible aligners, it can be a bit of an adjustment. Especially if you have never undertaken orthodontic treatment before. So, for you to stick to the treatment you need to know what you can expect when you begin wearing the aligners in your day-to-day life.

Being better prepared will allow you to make the required adjustments, and of course, will ensure that the treatment works and gives you the smile that you want and deserve.

At Clear Braces Direct, our team knows all there is to know about using invisible aligners, particularly Invisalign London. We can advise you on what you can expect with your unique clinical case when you begin wearing this aligner, so there will be no surprises.

But generally speaking, there are some other things you can expect too. And in the following short guide, our team breaks down what using Invisalign London typically entails.

Timing

To benefit from using Invisalign London, you need to wear the aligners for a minimum of 22 hours per day. This means in the first few days or even weeks of wear, you will not be too far from your watch or a timer on your phone. While it can be tempting to try and skip this step and wear the aligners as and when you please, be aware that doing so can result in the treatment stalling and may cause your teeth to move back to their former positions. This will make the entire process a waste of time.

Movement

One of the benefits of wearing invisible aligners is that you can see your teeth moving with each aligner. However, it is also important to be aware of how the aligners themselves will fit and move. When you first begin wearing your aligner, it will be tight fitting to your teeth and may require a bit of fiddling to adjust. As the teeth move, it will become looser and when the aligner begins to move in your mouth, it is time to switch to the next one in the sequence. This usually occurs every two weeks.

Loose aligners

As mentioned before, when it comes to the end of wearing one aligner, it may feel loose in your mouth. And while uncommon, aligners may not fit correctly to begin with, so when you put them in, they may feel loose. This needs to be addressed by our team, as a loosely fitting aligner cannot move your teeth.

Lots of cleaning!

To ensure that your aligner remains invisible and that your oral health remains in good condition for the duration of treatment, you will need to engage in lots of cleaning. As the aligners are removable, they can be cleaned by simply rinsing them under a cold water tap twice a day or as needed. When you take the aligners out to eat food, before putting them back in, you will need to brush your teeth to remove food and other pieces of debris. This will ensure that you are at a lower risk of developing cavities or gum disease.

Weekly reports

To ensure that the treatment is going as planned, our team will need to see weekly photographs of your teeth. This can be done using the associated app with the aligner and all you need to do is take a selfie and send it across. From this, we will be able to determine what steps are necessary.

Whether you are new to the world of adult orthodontics, or if you have been looking for a viable treatment for your dental misalignment for some time, you will likely have come across invisible aligners.

But as invisible aligners are relatively new to the world of adult orthodontic care, many patients have a few questions about this treatment option and of course whether or not it can help them with their misalignment woes.

At Clear Braces Direct, we have been offering our patients Invisalign London for over 5 years and can help to answer any questions that you may have about this treatment option. We always take the time to explain each treatment to our patients and will help you to decide and choose the most suitable option to correct your misalignment issues.

So what are some of the most common questions we receive about Invisalign London? Read on to find out!

How does the aligner work?

Before we talk about how Invisalign London works, let us first think about the traditional fitted brace.

It is attached to the teeth using dental cement and is adjusted periodically every 4-6 weeks using the archwire to move the teeth via the brackets. Invisible aligners are not fitted and require an intraoral scan before you begin treatment. This is used to calibrate the necessary movements required for the aligner to work, after which a set of aligners are printed using a 3D printer, each one slightly different from the last and designed to be worn in a precise order to move your teeth. In short, invisible aligners move the teeth in smaller increments and each aligner is worn for around 2 weeks.

Who is suitable for it?

More people than you think may be suited for invisible aligners. Provided you have a mild to moderate case of dental misalignment and can commit to wearing the appliance for the required 22 hours per day, it is highly likely that you will be suited for it.

How long does it take?

This brand of invisible aligners has an average treatment time of between 3 to 6 months. But as mentioned before, that is assuming that you have a mild to moderate case of dental misalignment and that you commit to wearing the aligners for as long as our team specifies. If you do not wear the aligner for this time, your teeth may revert to their previous positions before you started the treatment, the movement may halt or the misalignment may worsen.

Is it uncomfortable?

Any orthodontic treatment has the underlying job to move your teeth and even with invisible aligners, you can expect there to be some mild discomfort, especially when you are placing a new aligner in your mouth.

Any discomfort that you experience should be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen. If you find that this option does not work, then you need to see our team.

Is it easy to care for?

One of the main things that many patients love about invisible aligners is that they are easy to fit into a daily routine and yes, they are easy to care for. To wash them, you simply rinse them under a cold tap to remove debris or food and pop them back into your mouth.

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.