Aligners. Orthodontic mouthpieces
What to do if the dentist recommends braces, but the patient associates them only with teen years or considers they ruin business image. Modern dentistry has effective tools for correcting malformations of the bite, one of them is aligners.
What are clear aligners?
Aligners are a type of orthodontic apparatus that look like translucent caps. Patients prefer aligners when they want to make their orthodontic treatment more comfortable and invisible to others compared to braces.
What are the aligners used for?
Aligners are recommended for patients to straighten the dentition and correct the bite at any age. Why is it important to correct the wrong bite?
Wrong bite is not only about the aesthetics of a smile. This is about the quality of chewing food, the clarity of articulation and the clarity of speech. Crowding of teeth or their incorrect location creates favorable conditions for the development of bacteria, the appearance of caries, periodontitis and unpleasant odor from the oral cavity.
The musculoskeletal system may even suffer from poorly aligned bite. Resulting from the uneven load of the dental-jaw apparatus, there may be dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, which also leads to the appearance of chronic headache.
Pros and cons of aligners in comparison with braces.
Advantages of aligners:
High aesthetics. Translucent caps are almost unnoticeable on the teeth, so in most cases, treatment with aligners is chosen by patients who want to make their orthodontic treatment invisible to others.
Comfort while eating. Aligners can be removed during meals.
Atraumatic. Aligners do not injure the oral mucosa and tongue, as is the case in the first days after the installation of braces.
Simple care. Aligners are simply removed before hygienic procedures, so you do not need to buy special toothbrushes and irrigators.
Disadvantages of aligners:
- aligners may not be used in all clinical cases
- in aligners, you cannot eat or drink liquids of high temperatures (only cold or room temperature)
- wearing aligners requires discipline from the patient. If the patient does not follow the doctor’s recommendation to strictly follow the rules of wearing aligners, the effectiveness and treatment time may increase.
Our orthodontist
Artem Bryzitskyi
Performs orthodontic treatment: detection of functional disorders of the dentition, diagnosis of diseases of the temporomandibular joint, correction of the dentition (bite) in children and adults, installation of bracket systems, clear aligners.
Indications and contraindications
Aligners are recommended for:
- presence of diastemas or trimes (gaps between teeth)
- crowding of teeth
- with minor anomalies in the position of the teeth
- preparation for implantation.
Relative contraindications for wearing aligners are:
- destruction of bone tissue of the alveolar lineage
- disease of periodontal tissues in the advanced stage
- retinated (teeth that have not erupted) teeth.
Absolute contraindications:
- severe somatic diseases
- skeletal anomalies of the jaws.
The choice of the method of orthodontic treatment depends on the condition of the teeth, deformation of the jaws, malocclusion type, individual characteristics, and most importantly – on the qualitative orthodontic diagnosis before the start of orthodontic treatment and the professionalism of the orthodontist.
Frequently asked questions in orthodontic treatment with aligners
What is the difference between braces and aligners?
Unlike braces, aligners are an orthodontic construction that can be removed. The patient cannot remove the braces on his own.
How often do you change your aligners?
Aligners need to be replaced every 2–3 weeks. During this time, the teeth have time to change their position in the dentition and relatively to each other.
At least how much per day do you need to wear aligners?
Immediately after the patient receives caps, they should be put on their teeth for at least 23 hours a day, for 2–3 weeks. After the next visit, the dentist can adjust the duration of wearing aligners.
Each clinical case in the orthodontic treatment of patients is special and individual, so only together with the orthodontist, after a thorough orthodontic diagnosis and additional methods of examination, we can conclude in what time frame and what exactly will help to achieve smooth teeth and an aesthetic smile.
Cost of treatment with clear aligners
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