How Does the Invisalign Process Work?
— October 16, 2015While it’s true that invisalign will correct a wide range of alignment issues, many patients wonder, “is Invisalign really invisible?”. Before anyone gets their hopes too high, our favorite family dentists in Garden Grove, CA — Primary Dental Care say, “not quite.” But that’s not the end of the story! While it’s true there’s nothing magical about invisalign (no invisibility spells, cloaks, or potions here). It is true that Invisalign is perhaps the most incognito (and convenient) form of teeth alignment available on the market today.
More often than not, patients with Invisalign report that friends, family, and even loved ones don’t notice their Invisalign retainers. Of course, if a patient goes around telling those friends, family, and loved ones about their Invisalign retainers, chances are they’ll notice them more readily. However, the facts remain: Invisalign retainers are easy to overlook (unless you’re looking for them, of course). While this is true for nearly every patient, there are a few telltale indicators that can expose you as the proud soon-to-be owner of set of perfectly straight teeth. While these “indicators” are often unavoidable for some patients, keep in mind that some of them (like an impact on your voice) lessen as you become more accustomed to the retainers.
Common “tip offs” that you’re using Invisalign to get straighter teeth
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How Invisalign changes the way you look
While Invisalign is hard to notice, the retainers are made of a slick plastic that can often appear shinier than your natural teeth. While this is hardly an issue, it can make your retainers appear more noticeable when you’re standing in direct sunlight, or lit from the front with a bright light. Typically, this isn’t an issue for patients unless they frequently work in bright conditions or work on-screen.
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How do Invisalign “buttons” make the system more noticeable
It’s important to remember that every patient’s treatment is different. However, some patients require the use of special attachments to make Invisalign treatment more effective.Sometimes, the sort of “movement” that your dentist wants to accomplish with your teeth is simply not possible with just plastic aligners alone, but this doesn’t mean that you’re not a good candidate for Invisalign. Invisalign attachments are placed strategically to help the teeth move in the right direction. Typically, they come in the form of a naturally colored resin that is removed at the end of your Invisalign treatment. Attachments are added to the teeth to provide the necessary grip your teeth need to comfortably fit the Invisalign retainers. Unlike attachments, buttons are sometimes added to allow the use of elastics (sometimes used with traditional braces). These elastics are used to correct issues that would otherwise be impossible for Invisalign retainers to correct by themselves.
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How can Invisalign impact your speech?
One of the most common questions from our patients is whether or not Invisalign will affect their speech with a lisp. Sometimes, patients do report having a hard time forming certain sounds, but for nearly all patients — this usually only occurs with new retainers. Any noticeable change to your voice will gradually go away or become much less noticeable as you get used to your new retainers.
Do you have questions about Invisalign? The family dental team of Primary Dental Care has been providing Invisalign in the Anaheim area for years. From small to major adjustments, they’ve made getting straighter and more perfect teeth a reality for patients of all ages. Visit them today to learn more.
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