Along with the ever-increasing number of cosmetic dentistry procedures available to you today are some equally exciting orthodontic advancements. These advancements form a crossroad between the two specialties. Today’s cosmetic and neuromuscular dentists receive specialized training to develop their skills beyond ordinary treatment. One of those specialties is orthodontics done using invisible alignment trays. Invisalign® is one of the more common brands offered by today’s cosmetic dentists.
Clear Braces vs. Metal Braces
Everyone has seen metal braces, with their glistening brackets cemented to each tooth and held in line with a metal wire. Anyone who has worn these can tell you about the discomfort, cut lips, trapped food, bad breath, embarrassing kisses, and more. None of it is pleasant. The only upside to metal braces is that they work, eventually, to pull your teeth into an attractive and straight arch.
Enter the delightful and invisible aligners called clear braces, or invisible braces. Invisalign® aligners are made from a biocompatible thermoplastic material that is a USP Class VI medical grade polyurethane resin.
During your consultation with your Invisalign® trained dentist or orthodontist, you will discuss your goals and develop a treatment plan. Your dentist will make impressions of your teeth and take pictures of them to be used to digitize the movement stages of your treatment.
The impressions are used to create molds that will be the form for your Invisalign® trays. The molded teeth are positioned in successive stages of your treatment, and trays are made for each stage. Each tray is worn until your teeth slide into the maximum position intended by that tray. Then the next tray is worn until your teeth have moved into the next position. The process continues until your teeth have been gradually moved into the correct and final alignment.
Advantages of Clear Braces
While it may be one of the best, invisibility is not the only advantage of clear braces. Since they can be easily removed prior to meals, you are able to eat anything you want. Metal braces impose numerous restrictions ranging from sugary foods that can degrade the cement and seep under brackets causing decay, to hard or sticky foods that can dislodge a bracket. With clear braces you simply brush your teeth and your aligner before you replace it.
Clear braces have no sharp edges and will not cut your lips as brackets and wires can do. Clear braces allow you to floss your teeth and keep them healthy. The wires securing metal braces make it nearly impossible to clean between teeth at the gum line.
Clear braces have been said to work faster than metal braces. Like metal braces, they can help treat temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and problems such as overbite or underbite. And, of course, they have a distinct cosmetic advantage over metal braces by not attracting attention to your dental work.