Invisalign clear aligners are made of almost invisible polyurethane plastic. Clear aligners are completely removable rather than being fixed to the teeth like metal or clear braces. That means you can take them out for important social occasions, eating, brushing, and flossing. Clear aligner technology has been improving over the years and can correct many malocclusions that once would have been too complicated for this form of treatment.
Yet there are still some situations where traditional braces would still be best. We would be happy to discuss this in detail with you. Invisalign clear aligners work the same way traditional braces do: by applying carefully controlled forces to teeth to move them into a better position.
Here's how it works: Specialized computer software helps us design a plan for moving your teeth from their current positions into the best possible alignment.
Your doctor will break down this movement into several dozen stages. For each stage, the Invisalign company will manufacture two plastic "trays" or "aligners," one to fit over your top teeth and one for the bottom. You will wear this first set of trays for two weeks, for a minimum of 20 hours per day. You will then move on to the next set of aligners in your series to accomplish the next stage of gradual movement. You will keep doing this until your teeth are correctly aligned.
Two features have been added to make Invisalign a more appropriate orthodontic treatment method for teenagers in the past several years. Eruption tabs hold the appropriate space open for molars that have not fully erupted. Invisalign for teens also has "compliance indicators" built into the aligner material, which fade with wear.
