Invisalign Retainers
If you are new to this blog or the cosmetic dentistry industry then you may or may not have heard of the technological breakthrough that is Invisalign Retainers. For those of you new to the treatment, Invisalign is a series of clear, removable teeth straighteners that can be used as an alternative to traditional metal ‘train track’ braces by practicing orthodontists and dentists.
To date more than a million people have been treated by Invisalign with many hundreds of thousands more currently undergoing the treatment.
Who Created Invisalign?
Invisalign is a product that it marketed and manufactured by a US medical technology innovation powerhouse known as Align Technology Incorporated. The company is based out of Santa Clara and has over 100 unique patents in the dentistry and medical fields.
According to the company there are over 35,000 doctors trained to provide Invisalign treatment throughout the United States, with over 50,000 dentists equipped worldwide. The treatment is provided in many countries and regions including Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Europe and Asia.
How Does the Invisalign Retainer Treatment Work?
The first step in getting an Invisalign retainer is to contact your local Invisalign equipped dental professional and talk through your specific requirements. At this initial consult your dentist will ask you how you would like your teeth to look, and work on identifying your specific needs and whether or not Invisalign will work for you.
If your dentist identifies that you are a candidate for Invisalign, you will be offered one of three different product types.
1. Regular Invisalign: The most common Invisalign treatment that is accessible to the widest number of the general population. This treatment will generally take anywhere from 12 – 36 months for completion and can treat the largest number of dental conditions.
2. Invisalign Express: The express treatment is a new product designed to aid in the speedy treatment of a number of more minor dental imperfections. Less people will qualify for this type of treatment as it is not as powerful as the regular Invisalign procedure.
3. Invisalign Teen: The option for younger patients, Invisalign teen is suitable to quickly developing and changing adolescent mouths.
Once the appropriate product has been identified from the above list your dentist will begin the formal process of developing your Invisalign retainer.
Invisalign uses a proprietary 3D modelling and X-Ray system to create a sophisticated three dimensional model of your particular jaw line and teeth arrangement. From this model your dentist will create custom made aligners and retainers that will be work to begin the process of manipulating your teeth into their more desirable positions.
At every stage of the process the dentist will continually update the 3D model to make sure that your teeth are progressing as desired and make modifications to the retainers to continue the teeth straightening process.
How Long Will I Be Wearing My Invisalign Retainer?
Depending upon the complexity of the condition that is being treated by the Invisalign braces, the average treatment time can range from 12 to 36 months. However if the treatment is relatively simple (minor spacing or crowding) then the treatment time can be as little as 20 weeks – this is the Invisalign Express program.
From a day to day perspective, even thought the aligners can be removed – it is recommended for optimal results that they be worn for 20 – 22 hours every day. If they are not worn consistently then the treatment time will be prolonged and even made ineffectual.
Once the original treatment is completed and the patient is happy with the condition of his or her teeth then a final Invisalign retainer will be custom fitted to ensure the teeth stay this way. This retainer should be worn for as long as possible following the original treatment to ensure the results are made permanent.
So Does Invisalign Work?
Statistics don’t lie, today over 1 million people have been treated by the Invisalign technology, with hundreds of thousands more currently experiencing the benefit of this treatment. Invisalign does work and is minimally invasive and less painful than traditional braces.
For answers to many of the most common frequently asked Invisalign questions, make sure you take a good look around our blog. You will not be disappointed. We hope your teeth straightening journey is a good one!