Clear aligners are one of the most popular choices for orthodontic treatment due to their many benefits. Clear aligners are essentially invisible on your teeth and are made of smooth plastic that reduces irritation. They are also removable, allowing you to eat what you want and easily clean your teeth during your treatment.
If you need orthodontic treatment or simply want to improve your smile, you may be considering clear aligners. Before you make a decision, it helps to understand how clear aligners work.
What Are Clear Aligners?
Clear aligners are plastic, retainer-like trays that fit over your teeth. With clear aligner treatment, the goal is to gradually shift the teeth into a more desirable position for your oral health and appearance. Treatment consists of a series of aligners, each slightly different in shape, that are designed to gently move the teeth into proper alignment. Each aligner only moves the teeth a fraction of a millimeter at a time using gentle pressure. Over time the teeth will reach the proper final position for optimal oral health.
How To Wear Your Aligners
Your orthodontist will instruct you on how to wear your aligners. You’ll need to wear them as much as possible, ideally at least 20 hours a day. If you only take them out to eat and clean them and your teeth, you should easily be able to achieve this goal. At the start of your treatment you will receive a series of aligners that need to be worn in the correct order. You’ll be instructed to wear each set of aligners for 1 week, then switch to the next aligner in order. Once you have worn the entire series of aligners your treatment will be complete. Sometimes additional aligners will need to be ordered to refine the position of your teeth as part of your treatment.
Am I a Candidate for Clear Aligners?
Clear aligners work best for mild to moderate cases. This means that if your teeth need minor adjustments, clear aligners would most likely be an effective treatment option for you. However, if you need significant adjustments to achieve proper alignment of your teeth and bite, clear aligners may not work for your case. In severe orthodontic cases, braces are often the best treatment option. Clear aligners are not capable of rotating teeth more than 25 degrees in any direction or moving teeth vertically in the socket. Correcting severe bite misalignment may not be possible with clear aligners.
Retention
Once you have completed your active treatment phase, the next phase is retention. You will need to wear retainers to keep your teeth in their new position while they settle into place. Most of the time retainers can be worn at night only, but there are times that it is required to wear the retainers all of the time for a few months. Retention is important to ensure that your progress is maintained for the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clear Aligners
How long does clear aligner treatment take?
The active phase of clear aligner treatment may take anywhere from 3 to 18 months. The length of treatment depends mostly on the extent of the adjustments that need to be made to your teeth.
Are clear aligners covered by insurance?
If your dental insurance includes coverage for orthodontic treatment, clear aligners will typically qualify. Insurance may only cover a portion of the total cost of treatment, usually a total lump sum toward orthodontic treatment over an individual’s lifetime.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’re interested in clear aligners, schedule a consultation with The Brace Place Orthodontics. We provide clear aligner treatment for patients who are ideal candidates, and other orthodontic treatment options for those who are not. Our goal is to provide our patients with healthy, beautiful smiles in the best way possible.
Why See a Board Certified Orthodontist?
Dr. Goldknopf at The Brace Place Orthodontics is a board certified orthodontist. He has earned this recognition through a rigorous certification and examination process that only 1 in 3 orthodontists has achieved. This means Dr. G can provide an advanced level of care that is effective and achieves the necessary results, often in a shorter period of time.
Contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.