Tag: invisalign

Since its launch over two decades ago, Invisalign has revolutionised how we straighten teeth. This subtle and convenient transparent aligner system is now one of the leading orthodontic treatments. 

Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners that create a precision force on your teeth. Over your treatment, you’ll start to see the change, and you’ll love your new smile. 

Because your aligners are not fixed in place like metal braces, you’ll need to ensure you follow the best practice advice we give you to get the expected results. 

Here are some of the best ways to set yourself up for success when using Invisalign. 

1. Don’t Forget to Wear Your Aligners!

This might sound obvious, but you won’t straighten your teeth if you’re not wearing your aligners. 

Invisalign treatment plans are designed around near-constant aligner wear. Of course, one of the benefits of Invisalign is how easy it is to take your aligner out to eat or brush your teeth, but you need to remember to replace it immediately. 

We recommend wearing your aligner for at least 22 hours each day. If you skimp, it won’t be effective, and you won’t progress as planned. 

2. Swap Your Aligners As Instructed

Every two weeks, you’ll get a new aligner to wear. Although it might look exactly the same as your last aligner, it’s not. 

Because each aligner is custom-made for your smile and designed to be used at a specific stage in the treatment, it’s vital that you wear them in the order we provide them. Wearing each aligner too long could prolong your treatment or minimise its effectiveness. 

3. Don’t Throw Your Last Aligner Away

Although you need to move on to the next step as directed to achieve the expected results, keeping hold of your last aligner is always a good idea. 

In the rare event that you lose or damage your aligner, you should call us immediately. How we address the problem depends on how long you have worn your current aligner. 

If you’ve only recently changed your aligner, we may suggest wearing your last aligner until we can get a replacement for the current one. While this doesn’t progress your treatment, it will stop the teeth from moving backwards until we can get you back on track. 

4. Learn to Adjust to Wearing Your Aligner

Although Invisalign is comfortable, some people experience tenderness during the first day or two of wear. In addition, you may develop a slight lisp as you get used to wearing your aligner. 

It may be tempting to stop wearing your aligner or wear it less. Don’t. It can take a couple of days to get used to your aligner, but you will adjust quicker if you continue wearing it. 

Sucking ice can help reduce tenderness. While you get used to wearing your aligner, you may also want to avoid eating anything chewy or crunchy. 

Any slight lisps will quickly pass once your tongue gets used to the aligner being there. The best thing to do is keep wearing the aligner and speak normally. 

5. Keep Your Aligner Clean

Because you’ll need to wear your aligner all the time, it’s essential that you keep it clean. Bacteria and food particles inside your aligner will be pressed against your teeth for prolonged periods of time, increasing plaque and tartar build ups and raising the risk of decay and gum disease. 

Clean your aligners at least twice a day. Use lukewarm water and either a special aligner cleaner or toothpaste. You can also use a soft toothbrush to remove debris from the aligner.

6. Keep Your Teeth Clean

Maintaining good oral hygiene is always important, but never more so than when you’re wearing aligners for most of the day. Keep on top of your morning and evening routines by brushing and flossing. Where possible, brush your teeth immediately after eating too.

It’s also worth keeping a travel toothbrush and toothpaste with you when you’re out and about to brush your teeth when needed. 

7. Don’t Eat or Drink While Wearing Aligners

One of the reasons people love Invisalign is the convenience. You don’t need to worry about what you can or can’t eat, because you can remove your aligners at mealtimes. 

But because your aligners are barely noticeable after you’ve worn them a while, it’s important to remember to take them out before eating or drinking. Food and drink could stain your aligner, or worse still, damage or distort it. 

Cold unflavoured water is the only thing you should consume without removing your aligner. 

8. Keep Your Aligner Safe

When you do take your aligner out, keep it somewhere safe. Don’t put it loose in your bag or pocket, and leave it loose on the table or wrap it in tissue. Storing your aligner in this way could damage your aligner and increase bacteria. 

Keeping an aligner case with you at all times means you can safely store it whenever you take it out. 

9. Don’t Skip Your Checkups

Unlike fixed braces, there are no adjustments during your Invisalign treatment. That said, we will need to check on the treatment’s progress. It’s important to attend these checkups as they helps us determine whether you’re on the right track. 

Although Invisalign is predictable and as long as you’re wearing your aligner as directed, f there is an issue that needs addressing, it’s better to do this sooner, rather than later. 

These checkups will also look at your overall dental health. If you maintain exceptional oral hygiene throughout, it will reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease, but a checkup will check there are no hidden issues. 

10. Wear Your Retainer After the Treatment Ends

Invisalign is fantastic for straightening teeth, but after the treatment ends, you will want to keep the new smile you’ve worked hard for. 

Although your teeth may have moved to a new position, they could risk sliding back. A retainer is similar to an aligner, but instead of moving teeth, it’s designed to keep them in the same position. 

We’ll advise you on how long you should wear your retainer daily. Eventually, the frequency and duration of the times you need to wear your retainer will reduce. 

Invisalign in London

Invisalign is a highly effective and predictable treatment for giving you the smile you’ve always wanted. You’ll need to follow the guidelines carefully if you want to get the most out of your aligner, but we’re always on hand to support you during treatment. 

Get in touch today to book your Invisalign consultation.

In teeth straightening, we often focus on its impact on the appearance of our smiles. Teeth are often crooked, crowded or protruding, gappy or crowded. But bite alignment issues cause significant problems for many people —these malocclusions impact more than just appearance. 

One of the most common bite issues is crossbite. Crossbites occur when the upper and lower teeth don’t align correctly when the mouth is closed. Thankfully, orthodontic treatment can often fix this.  

Invisalign is the world’s most popular clear aligner treatment. It’s comfortable, convenient, and subtle and can straighten teeth with minimal impact on your lifestyle. But can Invisalign fix a crossbite?

This guide explains everything you need to know about crossbite and how and when Invisalign is used to treat this malocclusion. 

What Is a Crossbite?

When your mouth is closed, your upper front teeth should sit just in front of your lower teeth, while the teeth on both arches at the sides and back of your mouth should align. You may have a crossbite if your teeth are misaligned anywhere in your mouth and the upper teeth fit inside the lower ones. 

There are several different types of malocclusion, including overbites, underbites, open bites, and deep bites. A full orthodontic assessment will determine which type of malocclusion you have. 

What Causes Crossbite?

There are several possible causes of crossbite. Genetics can play a big role. The size and shape of your jaw are often passed down from your parents. If your jaw is too small, it can cause crowding, and your teeth may develop at an angle. 

Thumbsucking, sucking on a dummy, and tongue thrusting during childhood are all common causes of crossbite and other malocclusions. 

While sucking a thumb or dummy is normal in early childhood, continuing this habit as the jaw and teeth develop causes the upper teeth to narrow. This, coupled with the tightening of the facial muscles, impacts the development of the jaw. Over time, this becomes a crossbite.

Other factors include delays in the formation of baby teeth, illness, injury, the loss of teeth, and teeth erupting in the wrong position. 

The Benefits of Fixing a Crossbite

If you have a crossbite, it may affect you in several ways. Both your smile and facial features can appear asymmetrical. You may have difficulty biting or chewing your food. This can, in turn, impact your digestive system causing stomach or bowel problems. 

When teeth don’t align correctly, they can wear down quickly. You will also be at a greater risk of developing chips, cracks, and infections in your teeth. The position of your teeth may also impact your ability to clean them effectively. This increases the risk of cavities and gum disease. 

A crossbite can also affect your speech. Forming certain sounds can be challenging, and you may have a speech impediment like a lisp. 

Finally, when your bite doesn’t align correctly, it strains your jaw. This causes tension in the temporomandibular joint, which connects the jaw to the skull. You may also experience pain and discomfort in your face, head, neck, shoulders, and back. 

Fixing a crossbite can positively impact all of these areas, giving you a healthy-looking smile and improved oral health for life. 

How Does Invisalign Work?

Invisalign is the world’s leading clear aligner system. You will wear a clear tray on your teeth, like a mouthguard. Invisalign aligners are made from a specially designed thermoplastic that applies pressure to your teeth. This constant force is very slight, but over the course of your treatment, the very slight movements add up to a noticeable change. 

Every Invisalign treatment is completely bespoke. We use the latest digital technology to take scans of your smile. These are uploaded to the powerful Invisalign software, and we will create an accurate treatment plan. 

The laboratory will then create your custom aligners. You will need to change your aligner every two weeks throughout treatment. Each aligner step differs slightly from the last and builds on the slight tooth movements it created. 

Invisalign is translucent, meaning barely anyone will see your aligner while you’re wearing it. Because Invisalign is removable, you can take it out to eat, drink, and clean it easily. 

Can Invisalign Fix Crossbite?

In many cases, Invisalign is effective for treating crossbites. There are several factors that affect the effectiveness of the treatment. Many of these can be determined during your initial consultation. 

In cases where Invisalign isn’t suitable, we may recommend a full treatment with fixed braces or a two-step process using braces and aligners. 

What Factors Affect Whether Invisalign Can Fix Crossbite?

The first thing we need to consider is the extent of your crossbite. Like any other dental alignment issue, we look at how far we need to move your teeth to correct their position. 

To correct a crossbite, we need to extend the upper arch of your teeth until they align with the lower teeth. Invisalign can fix mild to moderate cases of 2mm or less.

Other factors include your age and your commitment to the treatment. To achieve the expected results, you will need to wear your aligner for at least 22 hours daily. Because they’re so comfortable, sleeping wearing an aligner isn’t an issue. 

How Long Does It Take for Invisalign to Fix a Crossbite?

Invisalign achieves excellent results quickly. Although some Invisalign treatments can take as little as six months, fixing a crossbite takes one to two years. 

What Other Treatment Options Are Available?

Invisalign is convenient and discreet, but fixed brace options have their benefits too. Fixed braces can help in more severe cases, and you don’t have to think about removing them or remembering to put them back in. 

We use tooth-coloured braces with subtle brackets and wires attached to the front of your teeth. During treatment, the wire is tightened. 

Incognito braces are like traditional braces, but instead of being attached to the front of our teeth, they’re discreetly hidden on the back where nobody can see them. 

Invisalign in London

Crossbites cause several health and lifestyle issues, but there is a solution. In many cases, Invisalign can fix it. Invisalign is comfortable and barely visible, meaning you get the perfect smile without people noticing. Call us today to schedule your consultation.