The orthodontic industry has changed drastically over the years, and for people seeking treatment for healthier smiles and straighter teeth, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge.
The biggest advancement is undoubtedly the advent of clear aligners. Where traditional braces come with downsides that are too much to deal with for many, modern alignment methods make the process simple and painless.
In this article, you’ll learn the fundamentals behind this technology and how it can work for you!
Understanding the basics
Clear aligners are custom-made acrylic trays that represent an exact mold of your teeth. They’re created by combining scans of your dentition with 3D printing technology, and the biggest difference between these and traditional braces is that aligners are removable and mostly invisible.
Over the course of several months, you’ll go through many sets of aligners, each adjusted very slightly from the last to match the new position of your teeth; the precise alignments are achieved using digital mapping to predict how the teeth will move.
The Benefits of Clear Aligners Over Traditional Braces
Traditional braces are still a highly effective method for straightening someone’s teeth, but many adults are uncomfortable with the prospect of having them from an aesthetic standpoint, and they also usually require more visits to the orthodontist.
As touched on, most people choose clear aligners for the simple fact that you can’t really see them while they’re on, meaning you don’t have to go through several months with metal in your mouth. The fact that you can take them out is also convenient for many, as you’re able to remove them while eating and have a much easier, less laborious time brushing and flossing.
Treatment time is also roughly the same as with metal braces in many cases.
Who Can Benefit?
So, what sort of cases are clear aligners best used for? Thankfully, they’re appropriate for nearly all but the most severe alignment issues. Extreme cases may still require the use of traditional metal braces, but for the vast majority of people, aligners work fantastically.
They’re also becoming increasingly more common for orthognathic (jaw surgery) cases, which can be as complicated as orthodontics get, so it’s highly likely you’ll be a candidate for these methods.
The Future of Orthodontics
Ultimately, clear aligners have paved the way forward for many advancements in the field. New, more detailed scanning techniques are continually being worked on to make an already advanced field even better, as are small adjustments to the materials used for the aligners themselves.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming more prevalent: practitioners are now able to leverage special learning algorithms to improve predicted movements with greater accuracy for a more fine-tuned result.
If you’re interested in clear aligners, your first step is a consultation – in-person or virtual – with an orthodontist. They’ll examine you to assess how your teeth are currently aligned and whether you need any other oral treatment, and then you can discuss what sort of treatment plan will fit your specific situation.