We need your permission to use all the components of the Invisalign system, as well as your commitment to full-time (22hours/day) wear of the aligners.
Attachments
For certain types of movements, aligners can lose their grip on a tooth and fail to get the desired tooth movement. To overcome this, Align Technology custom designs small tooth-colored bumps that are temporarily and precisely bonded to some teeth to improve the effectiveness of the aligners and tooth movement. A small bubble in your aligner will correspond precisely to each of these attachments.
Invisalign Full Conditions
The Clincheck Video simulation is only a guide to what we can expect and not a guarantee that will be achieved. Compliance and care of your aligners well can help.
Aligners should be worn for at least 22 hours out of 24 to achieve the best results.
It is important to make all of your scheduled visits to our office. This will allow us to check your progress and deliver new aligners.
You may be required to wear elastics to correct certain tooth movements or help with bite correction. Elastics should be worn as directed by your orthodontist.
Aligners may be used in conjunction with different appliances to aid in bite correction (i.e Herbst appliance). Compliance with both is essential for optimal tooth movement and results.
If you have poor compliance with either aligner or elastics or poor tooth movement with your aligners, braces (in conjunction with other appliances) may be required.
Interproximal Reduction (IPR)
Interproximal reduction (IPR) is filing between your teeth to create up to a quarter of a millimeter (0.25mm) of space per tooth surface. Since this is the thickness of a few pieces of paper it is generally not even noticeable. The filing is usually done with a thin strip of metal that has fine diamond particles. Dentists use this to polish fillings between teeth so it will feel like we are polishing in between your teeth with floss that is gritty. IPR is very valuable because a small amount of IPR on a number of teeth can create space needed to correct crowding without extracting any teeth. IPR reduces friction between tight teeth facilitating movement. IPR can render better tooth shape and broader contact between teeth. This may be more stable, more aesthetic and even enable better periodontal health. IPR may help avoid extractions as an alternative to create space.
Refinement
At the end of treatment, we may order further aligners for ensuring that the outcome with your smile is as close to being perfect as possible. With a "Full Invisalign Case" there are three refinements available at no charge if ordered within 6 months of finishing the initial treatment.
Retention
At the end of the treatment, we recommend the use of retainers to keep your teeth from shifting back to their original position. We recommend permanent, fixed. I understand teeth can shift if retainers are not used.