Invisalign in London
Do you want a straighter smile but feel embarrassed about getting braces? Digitally-manufactured clear removable aligners are becoming an increasingly popular teeth-straightening system because they are almost invisible and can be taken out whenever you need to and replaced without the need for an appointment. There are many versions of clear aligners now on the market, but by far the most popular and the one with the longest track record is Invisalign. Made of clear colourless soft plastic, they fit over teeth like a gum shield, gradually straightening teeth over time, with no wires involved making them much more discreet.
The Invisalign process
Teeth are scanned using a digital scanner, and the scan is sent to Invisalign’s laboratories. There, the movement of teeth toward their aligned positions is digitally (or virtually) formulated, and the full movement is broken down into smaller stages. The virtual treatment plan is checked, modified, and finally approved by our specialist orthodontists at Elite Orthodontics. A sequence of Invisalign aligners is then created to match these smaller stages. These aligners are designed to be worn in a stepwise sequence and each aligner moves the teeth by a small amount in the desired direction. You will need to wear the aligners most of the time and only take them out to brush your teeth or eat. This is important, as removing your Invisalign too regularly will impact how successful the treatment is. This is one option for teeth straightening but if more complex movements or bite corrections are needed then you may be advised of alternative options.
Information about Invisalign London
Clear aligners such as Invisalign look like small, lightweight gum shields that are made of a colourless thin plastic material. Previously, they were made from impressions of the teeth; but here at Elite Orthodontics, we use the latest scanning technology to record the teeth. This is a much less invasive and uncomfortable way of taking impressions and offers incredibly accurate results. The scans are transmitted to Invisalign’s North American labs, and they use the scans to create a virtual treatment plan for the correct movement of teeth into an ideal arrangement. Once the treatment plan is checked and approved by our orthodontists, a series of aligners are manufactured and sent over to us. These aligners are worn almost full-time over the treatment period, each one bringing about a minor change to the bite until gradually the treatment goal is achieved. The great thing about this type of brace is that it is almost invisible, meaning it is the perfect option for working professionals and adults who might want to be more discreet about their orthodontic treatment.
Who can benefit from Invisalign London?
Opting for Invisalign in London is also a great choice for people who have previously had orthodontic treatment with fixed braces, but their teeth have moved again. However, there are a number of reasons why you may choose to go for Invisalign treatment, including if you have:
- An overbite
- An underbite
- Crowded teeth
- Gapped teeth
- An open bite
- A crossbite
Although extremely popular with adults, Invisalign in London works just as effectively with children and teenagers. In fact, many of our Invisalign patients are younger and wherever appropriate, our specialist orthodontists at Elite Orthodontics will offer the option of clear aligners to younger patients.
‘Barely there’ smile correction
There are other benefits too: you can remove Invisalign for eating and for flossing or brushing your teeth, and of course occasionally for a couple of hours for important social occasions! Many of our patients who use our Invisalign in London have commented that their friends and colleagues have not noticed that they are wearing orthodontic appliances, so you could complete a whole course of orthodontic treatment imperceptibly.
Invisalign – Before & After Photos
Invisalign FAQ’s
Although both have their pros and cons, typically Invisalign has become the most popular way to correct a smile thanks to its discreet design and fast process. Traditional braces cannot be removed, which does give them an advantage when it comes to how effective the treatment is, as those with Invisalign may be tempted to regularly remove aligners and therefore the finished result may not be as good. However, as long as you follow your dentists’ advice carefully, only removing your Invisalign when eating and brushing your teeth, you should find the end result is as good as – or even better – than braces.
Absolutely not! The great thing about Invisalign is that it offers adults a discreet way to straighten their teeth which draws less attention compared to more traditional methods like braces. It has become exceedingly popular with older patients and professionals who want to correct their smiles and get all of the oral benefits Invisalign can offer, and there is no age limit! Whatever your age, you can benefit from a healthier mouth with Invisalign, so why not get in touch to discuss further?
No. From start to finish, your Invisalign treatment is carried out carefully to ensure you’re comfort the entire way. Unlike traditional braces, the process of getting Invisalign is much less invasive, and even requires less sessions in the dentist’s chair! There are no wires to rub against your gums, and the special thermoplastic material means you won’t suffer any sort of irritation at all. Comfortable, designed bespoke for your mouth and no painful tightening of wires means you will glide through your treatment in comfort.
Maintaining a healthy mouth is one thing, but to get the best out of your Invisalign treatment you also want to be sure you’re keeping the trays clean at all times. As the aligners cover your teeth, the natural production of saliva is impacted, which means that cleaning your teeth and your aligners daily is vital to maintain a healthy mouth. Doing so is simple, all you need is your toothbrush and warm (not hot) water to brush away any build up from your aligners twice a day.
These are almost invisible clear removable braces or aligners that are made of soft colourless plastic and have no wire components. Clear plastic aligners are designed in a way such that each individual tooth has a certain amount of pressure applied to it which causes it to move gently and slightly. The patient is given a series of these aligners designed to be worn in stepwise sequence. Each aligner moves the teeth by a small amount in the desired directions. The aligners are created from scans and by using special digital software that determines the entire tooth movement sequence. Then the full movement is broken down into smaller stages. A sequence of aligners is created to match these smaller stages. These types of braces only remain “active” as long as the aligner or removable brace is worn. The action stops when they are taken out to either eat or clean their teeth. For this reason, it is important they are worn all the time for as long as possible and only taken out briefly to eat or to clean the teeth.
Traditional forms of orthodontic treatment often take over a year or two to be completed. With Invisalign, treatment times generally tend to be shorter and take under a year, and in some cases as little as 6 months. To get a clearer idea of how long your treatment will take, scans of your teeth are taken at your initial consultation. This allows our specialist orthodontists to gain a more precise idea of what needs to be done in order to achieve your dream smile. Complex cases tend to take longer to complete irrespective of the appliance used.
One of the big differences between Invisalign and traditional fixed braces is that they can be removed to allow for easy oral hygiene, eating and drinking. However, the aligners should be worn at all other times to ensure treatment success.
The advanced Invisalign technology means that your journey to straight teeth has been mapped out from the start. So, each new aligner will work to continue your progress, meaning fewer appointments than traditional braces.
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