Clear Aligners
If you need orthodontic treatment but worry about how braces will look, Clear Aligners might be the solution for you! A Clear Aligner is a series of clear trays, or aligners, that grip your teeth and apply gentle forces to slowly move them into their new position. The trays are clear so they won’t show up in photos or interfere with social activities. You can also remove the trays to brush and floss in order to maintain good oral hygiene throughout treatment. Invisalign® will work only if the aligners are worn 22 hours a day, which means they are only removed to eat and brush and are promptly placed back onto the teeth. For this reason and others, Invisalign® is not ideal for everyone.
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We offer 3D clear aligners, commonly referred to as “Invisalign”. Just as there are different brands of Kleenex tissues, yet some people ask for a “Kleenex” when they don’t necessarily mean that brand, they just mean they need a tissue. Same goes for “Invisalign.”
As a teaching faculty combined with her clinical experience, Dr. O has used many companies of clear aligners, including Invisalign. She often prefers either 3M clarity aligners, Angel Aligners, or ulab aligners - all collectively referred to as ‘clear aligner’ treatment. The secret is not in the plastic aligner itself or the brand that is used to make them, but is in the doctor controlled 3D treatment planning of how to move the teeth that really matters.
Another fun fact is that general dentists typically go to a weekend course to learn how to do clear aligner treatment on their patients and become “Invisalign certified”, where as Dr. O, as a highly specialized trained orthodontist, went to an additional 2.5 YEARS of orthodontic residency program learning how to move teeth most efficiently.
Clear aligners happen to be one tool that the Dr. O can use to move your teeth, and if/when it doesn’t go as planned, as an orthodontist she has lots of other tools to help get you the result you deserve.
An Aligners Parts:
Aligners
A series of clear trays which are manufactured specifically for you. Each aligner is worn for one to two weeks at a time and gently shift the teeth into their new position. During your visits, Dr. Odhner will be able to assess your progress and may even suggest skipping a few trays depending how your teeth are straightening.
Attachments
Small tooth colored attachments are glued to certain teeth so that the trays have enough grip to properly move the teeth. This can only occur with your orthodontist, as most DIY aligners will not provide you this customized treatment. The trays will then grip the teeth better and provide the proper force vectors to get the tooth to move in the desired direction.
Rubber Bands or Elastics
The trays work by straightening the upper and lower teeth separately. In order to make sure the upper and lower teeth line up together into a healthy fitting bite, rubber bands are used to connect the top and bottom teeth. They are only required for some patients. If needed, Dr. Odhner will show you where to attach the rubber bands. You can easily remove them to eat and for social events, but work best when worn all day and night with the trays.
Chewies
These are little rubber-like chew toys that look like a cotton roll. They are used to properly seat the trays and encourage the teeth to move most efficiently. They should be used each time a tray is put back into place. Ensuring a solid placement onto your teeth and gums is needed for optimal performance.
