These systems all consist of a series of clear plastic aligners worn over the teeth. They are almost invisible . Each aligner is worn for 2-3 weeks before moving onto the next aligner . These systems are not suitable for every orthodontic problem . It can be established at you initial consultation if invisalign will achieve a satisfactory improvement in your smile. In many cases where people are looking for an “improvement” in their smile, and are not prepared to wear braces invisalign is recommended. The important point is that the patients expectations for what invisalign can achieve in their case is realistic. In some cases invisalign will achieve as good a result as fixed appliances, and its use may have certain orthodontic advantages.
In other cases invisalign is not suitable, or if used will achieve a sub-optimal result.
It is also important that patients understand that attachments are almost invariably required with invisalign. With braces the bracket is the handle on the tooth and the wire moves the tooth, with invisalign attachments are the handle on the tooth and the plastic (aligner) moves the tooth. Recent research would suggest that the accuracy of invisalign has improved from 41% to 50%, this is attributable to amongst other things to the increased use of attachments on the teeth. The important point is that patients appreciate the central role that attachments play in getting invisalign to work. If attachments of the correct size and quantity are not used when indicated, the quality of the finished result will suffer.