Looking for information about Invisalign's clear braces, or invisible braces as they're commonly referred to, seems to generate more questions than anything else.
It seems that the advertising blurb about what these clear aligners can achieve has whetted the appetite of many people who don't like the idea of traditional metal wire braces.
Yet when something seems almost too good to be true we have a habit of assuming it can't be true, or that it couldn't work for us.
This seems to be what has generated a barrage of questions, with many people asking the same or similar questions to each other all over the place.
Unfortunately whilst there are websites offering advice and answers by professional, experienced dentists who have worked with Invisalign and provided clear braces to patients themselves, there's also quite a lot of information out there written by people with no personal experience or direct contact with such dentists.
I've spoken with several qualified dentists who provide Invisalign treatments to patients every day, and have put a few of the most popular questions to them.
I have then taken their answers and written them as concisely and as helpfully as possible.
In a forthcoming article I will include further of these questions and answers in an effort to continue to try to provide helpful advice which deals with commonly asked questions.
I have an underbite/overbite/missing teeth/gaps/overlapping teeth/crooked teeth - will I still be able to use invisible braces? There is only one way in which you can be certain that you will be able to benefit from wearing Invisalign's clear aligners, and that is to book yourself an appointment with an Invisalign dentist who will usually be happy to provide a completely free initial consultation.
This enables the dentist to examine your teeth and determine whether clear aligners are likely to be the right choice for you.
In most cases they are, and the clear braces are able to correct all of the problems listed in the question, but if you have any doubts at all, the best thing is to book a no obligation consultation appointment where you'll also be able to ask any further questions you may have.
I work with people face to face on a daily basis as part of my work, and am concerned about wearing any kind of braces - will they be apparent to people, and will they affect the way I sound? One of the reasons why Invisalign's invisible braces have proved so popular with adults is the fact that they are so much more discrete than traditional metal wire braces.
Because Invisalign's clear aligners are made of a transparent material, are very thin, and moulded to the exact shape of your teeth they are very hard to spot unless you know what you're looking for.
In ordinary day to day conversations with people it is unlikely that anyone will know you are wearing an aligner.
Although some patients may experience a slight change in the way they sound when they speak for the first day or two, they very quickly get used to the presence of the aligner, and are able to talk just as easily as before, with no apparent change in the way they sound.
How long will I need to wear the invisible braces for? This will obviously depend very much on the amount of movement needed to correct the alignment of your teeth.
For some people with relatively small adjustments needed the treatment may well be completed within six months.
In most cases the teeth alignment is completed within a year, although in more severe cases where major correction is required it may take up to eighteen months.
However, for a more accurate idea it is best to book an appointment with an Invisalign dentist for a free initial consultation, where he or she will be able to advise you on the likely duration of your treatment.
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