The Beauty Society

The practise of orthodontics has been around for a very long time. The Greek philosophers Hippocrates and Aristotle were thinking about ways to straighten teeth back in 400BC. Mummies have even been discovered with catgut and metal bands on their teeth: all in all, the human race has been trying to straighten its teeth for centuries!

Fortunately the advances in orthodontics that have taken place in recent years means that people can now wear a variety of different braces. These range from invisible to tooth coloured or even behind the teeth, also known as
lingual appliances.

Invisalign®

The most popular recent advance in orthodontics has come in the form of a completely clear invisible brace called Invisalign®. This is a removable brace system that uses a series of custom-moulded aligners to move your teeth. The great thing about Invisalign® is that the aligners are transparent and invisible (no metal bands or wires), therefore nobody is going to realise that you’re undergoing treatment – unless you tell them!

Invisalign® can be used to treat the vast majority of common problems for adults and children. Using advanced 3-D computer imaging technology to project tooth movement, Invisalign® allows you to visualise your treatment from start to finish through animated visuals, which can be viewed online.

Whether your smile needs minor improvements or more extensive adjustments, Invisalign® can certainly help. It's successful in treating crowded or widely spaced teeth. It can also relieve more complex issues, including overbites, overjets, underbites and even crossbites. In fact, your orthodontist can use Invisalign® clear aligners in all or part of most treatment plans.

Every two to three weeks you will have to replace the old aligner for a new one which will continue to guide your teeth in the necessary direction. Each new aligner may give an initial feeling of minor discomfort for a couple of days - this sensation is typically described as a feeling of pressure and is a sign that Invisalign® is working.

The aligners gradually reposition your teeth over the period of treatment – the length of which is determined by the complexity of the case and what you and your orthodontist have agreed to achieve. You will need to go in periodically for a few orthodontic appointments in order to check your treatment progress and make sure your teeth are responding to the aligners.
Invisalign® aligners must be worn all day, except when brushing, flossing or eating. Fortunately, because you can remove your aligners to eat and drink you can eat all your favourite foods. After each meal, however you must make sure that you brush your teeth, prior to re-inserting your aligners to maintain good hygiene.

Irrespective of the simplicity of your case, your treatment is best handled by an orthodontic specialist, who is trained to diagnose and solve any problems which may arise during your treatment.

Invisalign® Express

Invisalign® Express is the latest technology from the Invisalign® range. It is suitable for patients who have previously had braces, but whose teeth have come slightly out of alignment. It can also be used to treat minor crowding, and small spacing between teeth.

It is a lower-cost and typically faster treatment than comprehensive full treatment Invisalign®. It is intended for mild or less severe malocclusions (misalignment of teeth), usually using no more than 10 aligners. As well as being used for simple orthodontic cases, it can also be used as a precursor to cosmetic dentistry treatments such as veneers, bridges or crowns.

Invisalign® Express is simple and can be used to solve orthodontic problems on one or both arches. The beauty of Invisalign® Express is that it gives patients quick, affordable, high quality treatment, but to qualify for Invisalign® Express you must meet certain pre-determined clinical criteria.

Invisalign® Teen

Invisalign Teen aligners fit into a teenager’s life beautifully. Now teens don’t have to be self-conscious when they are out socially, take school photos, post pictures online, or participate in any of the other activities they love. Even better, Invisalign Teen starts working with the first set of aligners. So as time goes by, you can watch their teeth gradually get straighter and healthier!

If you would like to investigate your suitability for Invisalign® any of the other latest range of treatments please contact Octagon Orthodontics at The Beauty Society.