INVISALIGN – Advantages & Disadvantages – Helping you to Decide

Advantages

Cosmetic

The aligners are nearly invisible, this makes the system particularly popular with patients of all ages who want to straighten their teeth without the unflattering look of traditional metal braces.

Treatment Simulation

You can see an MP4 format video of what you teeth will look like at the end of treatment, before you commit to the treatment. Many patients find this highly motivating.

Faster Treatment

Invisalign is about 15% faster than conventional orthodontics, as the aligners can also perform complex multiple 3D tooth movements simultaneously.

Comfortable

Aligners are much more comfortable than traditional braces and we find there are very few problems with gingivitis, mouth ulcers and sore mouths.

Fewer Visits

To dentist as compared to traditional braces, usually one visit every 6 – 8 weeks – old style braces need a visit every month. Long summer vacations create no problems that we cannot work around and continue treatment given adequate time to plan.

Eating

Is still fun, as the aligners can to be removed for eating, so no food gets stuck like around the teeth, brackets and wires.

Wrinkles

Anecdotally, some of our female patients have told us that in their personal opinions, they have got an improvement in lip support as a result of Invisalign treatment with a reduction in the prominence of wrinkles around the lips and angles of the mouth. This is purely, anecdotal and are opinions given by patients.

Emergency visits

These are rare with Invisalign, with no painful detached brackets or broken wires.

Disadvantages

Commitment

The aligners are removable and should be worn for 22 hours a day, otherwise, they are not continually correcting the teeth. Unlike traditional fixed braces, they are largely dependent on a patient’s habits and their consistency in wearing the aligners.

Phonetic Problems

Are very rare. We ask new patients with aligners in the mouth for the first time, to say the word “Mississippi” , of the few saying “Mithithippi” the problem goes away in a day or so.

Movement Pressure

The first time you wear an aligner it is a bit tight and the teeth will be a bit sore for the first 1-2 days, the discomfort can be handled with minor painkillers easily like ibuprofen if needed. Successive aligners are less uncomfortable on insertion and for a shorter time.

Salivation

In common with ordinary fixed braces, for a day or so at the beginning of treatment there is a raised level of salivation, but that quickly settles back down to normal.