Invisalign® in Ealing

Both fixed metal braces and Invisalign aligners move teeth efficiently so there is no real way of determining which is best. While fixed braces may be able to assist patients facing more complex bite or alignment issues, Invisalign can often treat mild to moderate cases faster and more efficiently. More often than not choice boils down to budget, lifestyle choices and the complexity (or not) of your individual case.

Invisalign is designed in such a way that each aligner should sit comfortably in the mouth. There are, for instance, no sharp brackets and wiring to trap the inside of your cheek or tongue and any applied pressure is deemed more gentle than when tightening up arch-wires on a fixed brace. 

That said, patients can expect to experience some degree of discomfort particularly in the first few days of a new aligner when it might appear tight on the teeth. The good news is that this is perfectly normal and is a sign that teeth are gradually moving in the right direction. Any discomfort felt can usually be brought under control using shop-bought pain medications like Nurofen, Ibuprofen or Aspirin. After a few days, any discomfort should dissipate and you probably won’t even the aligner is there.

As a top tip: You could leave your new aligner change just before you go to bed. This way you will probably sleep off much of the discomfort until you awake in the morning.  

If you do, however, experience prolonged discomfort, then come and talk to our orthodontist who can help.

Sometimes attachments are needed to put extra pressure or force on stubborn teeth or individual teeth that are particularly crooked but this isn’t always the case. It all depends on how your teeth need to be drawn into healthy alignment. This is something our orthodontist in Ealing will be able to tell you when they develop your custom treatment plan. If you do need attachments, then they will be coloured to match your existing smile so they too will be hard to spot.

Just like fixed braces, Invisalign aligners only work when pressure is applied directly to the teeth. So the longer they remain in the mouth the better. This is why they should only be removed for 2 hours a day for eating, drinking and cleaning your teeth.

The danger of leaving them out of the mouth for any longer than this over several periods is that it can have a knock-on effect on your treatment duration. If you leave them out long enough then it could get to the stage where your teeth start to drift back to their original positions. 

Remember, throughout your Invisalign treatment the bone surrounding the teeth should be in a continual state of flux or movement - absorption (dissolving) and rebuilding. When gentle sustained pressure is no longer applied teeth can revert to their original position. When this happens it may mean restarting treatment all over again and all the added costs and inconvenience that goes with that.

In a word, yes. It can take up to 12 months for teeth to stabilise in their newly formed position. Once new bone has grown and teeth have fully stabilised them you should be okay but until then, it’s important to continue wearing a retainer after treatment is completed. 

Our retainers, for example, are custom-designed, lightweight and comfortable so you probably won’t even know you are wearing one. It’s just a way of ensuring that all the hard work that you and your chosen dentist/orthodontist have carried out, doesn’t come undone.

Dental fillings or crowns should not present a problem because they are part of your existing tooth and should move accordingly. Dental implants, however, are a different story because they are a standalone restoration with no tooth roots and therefore can’t move under their own steam.

That said if you do have one or more dental implants them tell our orthodontist and they will be able to design your tooth movements around your existing restorations ensuring that they aren’t affected by your Invisalign aligners

Even though bone surrounding the periodontal ligament (PDL) is remodelled this should not affect the overall shape of your jaw. If anything, having straighter teeth may improve the overall appearance of the jaw giving the illusion of it being in perfect symmetry with the rest of the face

Each aligner is made using a BPA-Free clear plastic and unfortunately, this isn’t stain-proof. Therefore, foods that contain any type of tannin will stain the aligner when left in the mouth. Naturally, when the aligner is stained, it is no longer clear or invisible and this defeats the object of the exercise. Besides, being able to remove your aligners while eating means that you can eat whatever you like without restriction. 

Moreover, from a health point of view, removing your aligner every time you eat means that, unlike fixed braces, food particles can’t become lodged or trapped. When this happens it can cause a build-up of plaque which, in turn, may lead to cavities or gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease).

If crooked teeth are impacting your daily life in any way then you should consider undergoing teeth straightening. Here in Ealing, for example, our orthodontist will assess you and recommend a suitable treatment that takes into consideration the complexity of your case and your requirements or needs. 

The good news is that the advantages of straighter teeth extend well beyond appearance. Benefits include:

• Easier brushing and flossing leading to lower risk of dental disease and improved gum health
• Less wear and tear on tooth enamel; and
• Improved or increased levels of confidence