What are orthodontic conditions?
Orthodontics refers to a speciality of dentistry, which deals with the treatment of misaligned teeth primarily, but in some instances jaws too. Orthodontic conditions have been with humanity since it existed: archaeologists have found some human remains, which are thought to be around 50,000 years old. Even these ancient humans have been shown to have crooked teeth, which is a condition nowadays easily treated by orthodontics, thanks to the advancements in the field throughout the past 200-300 years. Orthodontic conditions for example include overbites, crossbites, underbites, malocclusions, crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, etc. Orthodontics is capable of curing and treating most of these conditions in a relatively short amount of time. The most commonly known orthodontic treatment is the use of braces, however today there are numerous alternatives available, one of which is Invisalign. If you are looking to get Invisalign Luton, you will join millions of other patients worldwide who can attest to its efficiency and subtlety.
How do braces work?
As it was mentioned above, braces are the most commonly used orthodontic treatment devices. The traditional metal braces with brackets we know today became widespread during the 1970s. This was enabled and facilitated by the invention of dental adhesives and the widespread use of stainless steel in orthodontics instead of more costly precious metals. The brackets are attached to the surface of each tooth using the aforementioned dental adhesives. Once this is done, a metal wire called the archwire is used to bind the brackets together. Tension is applied to the wire by the orthodontist, which exerts pressure on the teeth. This helps to move the teeth into their appropriate positions. As the amount of pressure required varies throughout the treatment, your orthodontist adjusts the tension on the archwires periodically. Many patients who require orthodontic treatments have aesthetic, comfort or other concerns associated with metal braces and thus are reluctant to get the treatment they need. It is important to know that there are alternatives to metal braces with brackets today. Invisalign can be a great choice for patients who would require some form of orthodontic treatment, but would not like to get metal braces.
What are the benefits of Invisalign?
Invisalign as the name suggests is a brand of invisible aligner. This is the oldest and most established brand of invisible aligners. These are plastic aligners, which fit perfectly on the dental arches. As they are made out of a transparent plastic material, they are very hard to notice – unless you mention them to your friends. The aligners are also removable, meaning that you can clean the aligners and brush your teeth without any hassle. You may also want to remove your aligner before consuming any foods and beverages that are known to cause staining, e.g. red wine, coffee or tea. While Invisalign is a great choice for some patients, it is not suitable for everyone. Patients with certain tooth shapes and patients with severe orthodontic conditions are unfortunately not suitable Invisalign candidates. Consult your dentist to find out if you could use Invisalign!