Yes! It is totally possible to have a complete orthodontic treatment schedule without a brace in sight. Although most people see wearing braces as an integral part of orthodontic treatment, for the last 15 years, this has not been so with Invisalign Leicester, allowing it to become more and more popular with our adult patients.
How clear aligners work
Braces and aligners work on the same underlying principles and processes; by consistently pushing teeth, you can encourage them to adopt a new position. The difference is that clear aligners store the energy that they use to push teeth in the elastic formation of the aligner itself, which is the thin plastic form worn over the teeth. Braces store that energy in tension across parts of the wire; therefore, they are far bulkier, with brackets extending out from the teeth.
This innovative design has its limitations. Elastic tension can only provide the appropriate types of force to your teeth over a very short distance, limiting how far each aligner can move a tooth. To compensate for this, aligners are used sequentially, each one nudging the patient’s teeth into a better position before passing on to the next aligner in the series.
Why do working adults prefer invisible aligners?
Many people don’t consider the time taken to wear standard braces during adolescence to be that pivotal, especially as this typically occurs during high school.
But this has changed since more working adults actively engage in orthodontic treatment; sometimes they’ve missed the opportunity for earlier intervention or have reached a point in life where they are capable of investing in themselves. Either way, their standard is so much higher; they have professional responsibilities, public speaking and business meetings to attend and cannot have disruptions either to appearance or speech patterns. This is what has made Invisalign Leicester and other clear aligners such an attractive proposition. Being thin and transparent, Invisalign aligners are highly unlikely to be noticed in public or negatively impact the way you talk.
Maintenance and living with an aligner
A striking difference between clear aligners and traditional orthodontic tools is that they are removable. You can remove your aligner at any time you like; however, this presents opportunities and challenges. For treatment to be effective, aligners must be worn for an average of 22 hours a day, and it is only recommended that you remove them before eating or drinking. This could easily lead to patients delaying their treatment through underuse, but it does mean you do not have the same restrictions to the diet that you would have with traditional metal braces.
Furthermore, aligners are far easier to keep clean. We recommended that you clean them with only warm running water since clear aligners are easier to damage and can be warped by high temperatures
If you’re curious about how Invisalign Leicester could help you achieve your orthodontic goals in a convenient and practical way, please feel free to contact us at Smile Care Dental Clinic for more information. If it is outside our operating hours, feel free to leave your queries and a return telephone number, and we will happily get back to you.