What Can Invisalign Do For You?

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What Can Invisalign Do For You?
What Can Invisalign Do For You?

Traditional braces have been a rite of passage for teenagers around the world for over a century and Invisalign has been doing the same since 1998. When one thinks of orthodontics, the first thought that comes to mind is “beautiful straight teeth”. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Orthodontics can transform a smile like very few cosmetic procedures can, essentially creating a smile makeover. But is that the only benefit of orthodontics? More and more adults in Port Credit and Mississauga as a whole are being treated with orthodontics and the reasons are not restricted to beautiful straight teeth. The more common reasons include:

  1. Parents couldn’t afford braces when the patient was young.
  2. Improve the alignment of teeth to improve the ability to clean the teeth properly in cases of severe crowding
  3. Improve the function of the teeth in cases of severe crowding or malocclusion
  4. Improve the airway.
  5. Move the teeth into ideal positions to aid in cosmetic dentistry cases so as to provide more conservative preparations.
  6. And of Course… Beautiful Straight Teeth!

Here at Credit River Dental Centre in Mississauga, we have treated hundreds of patients with Invisalign to address many of the reasons listed above to help patients obtain and maintain a beautiful and healthy smile.

The case we will be discussing is of a 48-year-old lady who was not happy with:

  • the crowding of her bottom teeth
  • how her top and bottom teeth fit together
  • how you could not see the back teeth on the right side

For this patient, esthetics were her main driving force to seek orthodontic treatment. The decision was made to treat this patient with Invisalign to address these concerns and give her that smile makeover. Upper and lower Impressions as well as an impression that relates the top and bottom teeth were made and a full series of photographs was taken.

The treatment plan was made with the help of Invisalign. The patient returned to our Mississauga dental office a couple of weeks after the impressions and photos were taken and the treatment plan was discussed. The treatment would take approximately 20 months (unfortunately due to Covid 19, 3 months were added to the treatment time). The patient approved the treatment and was back to begin her Invisalign treatment 2 weeks later, once the trays were manufactured by Invisalign.

At the first Invisalign appointment, the first set of aligners(trays) are given to the patient. The aligners are checked for an accurate fit and no extreme discomfort, some sensation of pressure is normal.
Instructions are then given to the patient as to how to place and remove them, how long to wear them and how to care for them.

At the second appointment, 2 weeks later, buttons or attachments are placed on select teeth to guide the movement of the teeth. The buttons are tooth coloured and once the aligners are placed on top of them, they are virtually invisible. The patient was then asked to return after 4 weeks and pretty much every 4 weeks over the next year and a half.

As you can see, once the treatment was completed, the change to the teeth positions are dramatic. The new alignment will improve:

  • the ability to clean and maintain the oral hygiene.
  • the function of the teeth now that all the forces are distributed over a greater number of teeth
  • the overall esthetics.

In order to keep the teeth straight, retention was decided on upper and lower removable VIVERA retainers as well as a lower lingual wire. The patient will wear the VIVERA retainers just as she wore her aligners for the first 6 months and then will wear them only at night.

Invisalign and orthodontics are no longer exclusively the realm of the young. Many adults can benefit from the improved alignment of the teeth for improved function and hygiene or if they are looking for a restoration free smile makeover. If you live in the Mississauga area, please give Credit River Dental Centre a call if you have any questions regarding Invisalign or cosmetic dentistry or if you would like to book your free consultation.