Clear Aligners
Clear aligners, also called invisible aligners, fix mal-aligned teeth and bites. They are a virtually invisible and removable alternative to braces designed around convenience and flexibility. The aligner trays are made of BPA-free plastic and are custom-made for every patient. Each tray discreetly moves the teeth in small increments. Aligner trays are routinely swapped out every 2 to 3 weeks until the teeth are straight and aligned. How many trays you need depends on the severity of teeth misalignment (also called malocclusion).
Depending on the brand, clear aligners can fix the following teeth alignment issues:
- Crowded teeth (overlapping teeth)
- Overbites (upper front teeth overlap with the lower front teeth)
- Underbites (lower front teeth overlap with the upper front teeth)
- Diastema (small or large gaps between the teeth)
- Open bites (front upper and lower teeth slant outward and do not touch when the mouth is shut; a rare type of malocclusion)
- Misaligned primary (baby) teeth (phase I orthodontic treatment; children between 6 and 10 years of age are candidates for this treatment)
Clear aligner treatment involves the following steps:
- Consultation :First, you'll visit an orthodontist for a consultation.
- Aligner preparation : After the teeth impressions are made, your custom treatment plan will be created using 3D technology. Once approved, the digital models are transferred to a production facility, and the aligners are made. From here, you'll accept treatment and begin the process.
- Aligner treatment schedule : You'll change out the aligner trays every 1 to 3 weeks. For effective teeth straightening, you must wear them for about 20 to 22 hours a day. A single aligner is capable of moving teeth 1 mm or less, so multiple aligners will be necessary. Treatment can take anywhere from 3 to 24 months.
- Retainers :After treatment is complete, a custom clear retainer is made from a mold of your newly straightened teeth. Retainers should be worn every night while sleeping to ensure malocclusion does not recur. Most aligner companies recommend replacing them every 6 to 12 months.
Aligners offers convenience, easy cleaning, less time at the dentist, and so much more.
- Easier to Clean We all know that traditional braces are a hassle to maintain. Whether youre eating out or enjoying a family meal, keeping your teeth and brackets clean is a pain. When using aligners, it's easy to remove the aligner trays and clean. Gently brush them with toothpaste and warm water before reinstalling in your mouth.
- Fewer Office Visits Metal braces require a dental office visit for tightening the rubber bands or wires. Aligners give you the freedom to enjoy activities while ensuring the teeth repositioning and alignment progress. When starting the aligners treatment program, you receive aligner trays for the current phase and the several phases. Receiving the trays in advance allows you to move on to the next phase without another office visit and also gives the patient a possibility of undergoing the treatment from anywhere in the world ,just by staying in touch with the orthodontist / dentist over telecommunication.
- No Food Adjustments Aligners allows you to eat and drink whatever you want because the aligners are removable. This lessens the time to clean your teeth afterward. But be sure to rinse your mouth and brush your teeth before reinstalling the aligners.
- Look Better Orthodontic patients, especially adults, don't want to stand out. Aligners helps you hide your dental treatment because of the clear aligners trays. No one needs to know you're wearing aligners unless you tell them.
- More Comfort Even if you've never worn braces, the issues with discomfort aren't news to you. Traditional braces work by the brackets and wires causing tension to reposition the teeth. The tightening of the brackets causes soreness until the tension lessens, resulting in a cycle of discomfort. Wearing aligners enables the wearer to remove the trays for eating, brushing, and flossing teeth. It decreases the discomfort of pain and scraping against your tongue, cheek, or gums.
- Safe for Children, Adolescents, and Adults Cost of aligners may range anywhere between INR 75000 to INR 4 Lacs depending on the severity of the case and the number of trays that the patient may require and also on the brand of aligners chosen.