Table of contents
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign is one of the best-known clear aligner systems worldwide. It utilizes clear, thin plastic aligner trays that are custom-made to fit comfortably over teeth. Treatment is digitally planned to ensure each tooth receives the correct amount of force to realign it gradually.
Why Do Teeth Become Crowded?
There are many reasons why teeth can become overcrowded, and very few people have a perfect bite. It’s not unusual to have one or two teeth that overlap or bite together incorrectly, and minor issues may not cause any problems.
However, sometimes teeth can be significantly overcrowded, and the causes can include the following.
- Oral Habits
When a child sucks their thumb, finger, or uses a pacifier beyond the age of 3, it can affect the development of their jaws.
A thumb resting on the lower teeth can push them inward. At the same time, the action of sucking a thumb or finger can pull the upper jaw forward so it becomes narrower and elongated. As a result, there is inadequate room for the adult teeth to erupt properly.
- Losing Milk Teeth Too Soon
Milk or primary teeth are the first set of teeth to come through. Although these teeth only last a few years, they deserve the proper care and attention. Without this, they can become decayed and infected and must be removed.
Removing milk teeth leaves behind a gap that can destabilize the remaining teeth. They will start to drift toward the space, so as adult teeth try to erupt, there is inadequate room for them to come through correctly, causing orthodontic problems.
- Wisdom Teeth Crowding
Wisdom teeth are the final teeth to erupt, usually during the late teens or early 20s, or even later. At this stage, the adult teeth are firmly in place, and often the jawbone is too small to accommodate four large molars.
Consequently, wisdom teeth can cause problems when they try to come up underneath other teeth or sideways through the gums. They may partially erupt.
In this case, the solution is to remove the wisdom teeth. If general tooth overcrowding is an issue, Invisalign might be suitable for realigning teeth.
- Genetics
The size and shape of your jaw are often inherited factors. If parents or siblings have smaller jaws or problems with teeth crowding, it is likely that you will too.
How Can Crowded Teeth Affect Oral Health?
If you have teeth crowding, you probably already know how tricky it is to brush and floss properly. A toothbrush can’t clean overlapping teeth thoroughly.
Trying to fit dental floss between tightly packed teeth is nearly impossible. When you have crowded teeth, pain or discomfort is more likely, especially if it affects your ability to bite and chew food.
Teeth crowding can increase the risk of common oral diseases, including tooth decay and gum disease. Using crowded teeth braces to realign them can help improve oral health and your smile.
How to Fix Crowded Teeth with Invisalign
Using Invisalign for straightening crowded teeth can be effective in many situations. The system has been developed over decades and is capable of achieving ever more complex tooth realignments, all without the need for brackets and wires.
Similar Treatment Times to Fixed Braces
Invisalign is a highly predictable treatment process that can frequently straighten teeth as effectively as fixed braces. Mild realignment issues may only take a few months. Typically, most people complete treatment within 1 to 18 months.
However, this does rely on good compliance. Because the aligners are removable, it can be easy to forget to wear them or tempting to leave them out for periods. If you do this, it may delay your treatment or reduce its effectiveness.
Benefits of Choosing Invisalign
Invisalign is a very convenient solution, and the benefits can include:
- Comfort, since there are no brackets or wires to dig into cheeks and lips, as the aligners are made from smooth plastic.
- Convenience, as no dietary changes are needed, and you can follow your regular oral care routine, but you will need to clean your teeth after every meal and before replacing your aligners.
- Aesthetics, as once in the mouth, the aligners are tricky to see, but they are not completely invisible.
- Predictable results can be achieved with Invisalign, provided you wear them correctly.
What to Expect If You Have Invisalign
Invisalign treatment involves a few straightforward steps, outlined below.
Step One: Initial Consultation & Diagnostics
A consultation with our Invisalign dentist will include a comprehensive dental exam to determine your bite problems and assess whether Invisalign is the best option for achieving optimal results.
Digital diagnostics include a 3D scan of your teeth and photographs. These are used to create your custom treatment plan using Invisalign’s software. We can create virtual images from these diagnostics, predicting how your teeth will look at the end of treatment, which can be very useful in determining whether you wish to proceed.
Step Two: Invisalign Treatment
Once your treatment plan is finalized, your first sets of aligners are computer-generated and ready to wear. We show you how to insert and remove them, and how to take care of them, and discuss how long you must wear them daily.
Be prepared to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day, preferably removing them only for meals, brushing, and flossing. Approximately every two weeks, you discard your current set of aligners and start wearing the next set.
Step Three: Invisalign Checkups
Regular checkups are required every 6 to 8 weeks, and these appointments should not take you very long. We need to see you to check that your teeth are moving as anticipated, provide additional sets of aligners as required, and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
Step Four: Invisalign Retainers
After completing treatment, you will switch to wearing retainers. Invisalign retainers are very comfortable to wear, especially once your teeth have stopped moving. They are an essential part of treatment, helping to ensure your newly straightened teeth are retained in their new positions.
Invisalign is Only One Possible Solution
Invisalign is very effective, but there are occasions where it might not be the best choice; in such cases, we will consider another option, such as using crowded teeth braces. These are traditional braces that are fitted permanently onto your teeth for the duration of treatment.
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th St #801
New York, NY 10017
(45th St. btw 5th Ave / Madison Ave)
(212) 518-6096