Why Brace-free Orthodontics – Invisalign?
As you all know, teeth are of both physical and psychological importance in a person’s life. An individual with a healthy tooth structure can smile without hesitation, and this self-confidence can be reflected on the whole body of that person, and can also supports the development of his/her mental health positively. When we think about the opposite of this, i.e. when it comes to an individual with a crooked tooth structure, the person cannot smile freely and the limitation of movement he/she experiences has both physical and mental effects on him/her. As we can clearly understand from here, dental health is very important for young and old alike. Therefore, many methods have been developed over time to give aesthetic beauty to people’s smile, and most importantly, to create a healthy tooth structure. Until recently, crooked tooth problems used to be solved with braces. However, with the advancements in orthodontic treatments, problematic dental structures can now be treated without impairing the visual appearance of people, thanks to Invisalign treatment, one of the technological procedures intended for this purpose. In other words, crooked teeth can be corrected with transparent plaques prepared specially for the person, with no need to attach braces. When the braces are placed in the mouth, the person feels bad due to aesthetic concerns for a long time, and has a great difficulty in getting used to the braces. The Invisalign Procedure, on the other hand, offers people a new alternative in this regard, and the crowding of the teeth is eliminated even without others noticing. So, what is the Invisalign procedure and how is it performed? Let me brief you about it to satisfy your curiosity in this regard. Whether the Invisalign procedure will be performed on a person with crooked teeth becomes clear after the examination. However, we can say in general that the procedure can be performed on any person who has crooked tooth problems after the approval of the physician, at from 8 to 70-80 years of age.
The procedure is started after the physician measures the patient’s dental size digitally using a 3D scanning device, and transfers the records to the computer. Teeth are digitally moved and corrected in a computer environment in such a way as to reflect their final positions, and then transparent Invisalign plaque series are created through 3D printers to achieve the foreseen result. The designed plaques move the teeth to pre-determined extent. Therefore, since each new plaque should provide such mobility, special forces are applied on the teeth when the plaques are changed, ensuring that the teeth move uninterruptedly and consequently improve. Considering that Invisalign plaques are removable products, the patient should wear the plaques for a period of 20 to 22 hours a day average, in order to achieve high efficiency. Thanks to the forces applied to the teeth through the plaques, movements of the teeth are achieved within days after the placement of the plaques. When the expiration date of a plaque (the period may vary from 1 week to 10 days depending on the physician’s decision) is reached, the plaque intended for the next stage are placed, in order to keep the teeth getting better with each passing day. The required plaques are used until the teeth get completely corrected. The treatment process may vary depending on the crookedness of the person’s teeth and the mobility provided with the treatment.
It is an extremely comfortable treatment procedure compared to the traditional bracing procedure. Since it is produced from a transparent material, no metal is placed into the mouth, and it does not involve any negativity such as stinging or wound formation. In addition, it is hardly visible in the mouth, so it does not pose any aesthetic problems and does not affect daily life negatively. Since it is not yet a widespread procedure in our country, Invisalign is currently applied only at some professional clinics in Istanbul. The Invisalign procedure that gives the possibility of treating crooked teeth by providing an aesthetic appearance does not restrict speaking, eating and drinking. It may create a feeling of pressure on the teeth within 1-2 days after the first application, but patients get used to it in a short time. Since no discomfort will be felt then, the patient can continue his routine life throughout the treatment process. One of the issues most wonder about the Invisalign procedure is the duration of the treatment. As we have stated before, this situation will vary depending on the cases. However, we can say in general that it is possible to achieve the targeted tooth structure in a period of time shorter than that the traditional bracing procedure takes.
Some of the greatest problems suffered by people treated with dental braces include excessive pressure on the teeth, wounds on the lips, and penetration of the braces into the gums. Invisalign plaques placed on the teeth are produced from a completely transparent material and do not have a damaging effect on the gums and cheeks. They do not pose any visual problems and do not have any unfavorable feature in terms of use. In short, it offers a comfortable treatment process. Therefore, it will now appear to be one of the most preferred procedures in orthodontic treatments. So, is Invisalign applied at extremely high prices? Naturally, the price issue is one of the issues most wonder about, for those who want to try the Invisalign procedure. In this regard, it would be right to say that the price varies depending on the cases. In other words, all the teeth in the lower and upper jaws of the person may be crooked, while in another person, only 3-4 teeth may overlap the other teeth. As you see, there would be a significant difference in treatment planning of these two cases. In this context, determination of the prices would normally be variable. Therefore, we would like to state the fact that you can reach a clear conclusion about the price only after an examination. In addition, if you ask whether every dentist can perform the Invisalign procedure, we can definitely say that an orthodontist is needed. In addition, the doctor who will perform this procedure should have a special certificate. In other words, it is necessary that he/she has been trained in this field. There are no restrictions on eating and drinking throughout the treatment period. In addition, you need to remove the Invisalign plaques when eating, do your dental cleaning after eating, and then put the plaques back. You should keep in mind the fact that you need professional support and you should not rely on amateur people, in order to ensure the planning of a smooth treatment process.