Braces are probably the most wanted dental procedure these days. Everybody wants a more beautiful smile, and braces can certainly give you that. This increase in demand comes with the shift in social media standards. Everybody strives to look their best all the time. In fact, a beautiful smile is scientifically linked to happiness. Studies have shown that people with great smiles have greater job opportunities, greater chances at marriage, and are overall happier in life.
So it is no surprise that people are looking for a way to have more beautiful smiles, and braces is one of the many ways to do so. There is however one lingering issue with braces, and that is their looks. People think it is absurd to strive for a great smile while wearing something that makes their smiles and teeth look awful, and they are quite right. Manufacturers have caught wind of that fact, and started looking for solutions. The greatest solution available these days are Invisalign aligners, which is basically a method of getting braces without having to wear them!
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What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is one of the newest technologies in the field of orthodontics. It was devised to solve the problem of how braces look. However, it ended up solving many more problems along the way. The system has no brackets, wires, or colorful elastics. Instead, it uses a series of plastic, transparent molds called Invisalign aligners. These are not attached to the surface of the teeth, but rather fit the outer surface and apply pressure in a certain manner to move them to the desired location.
How are Invisalign Aligners made?
The process starts when you head to your orthodontist, and he explains all the braces options you have. If you choose Invisalign, and it is suitable for your case, then he can begin the first step by taking an impression of your teeth, and send it to the lab. The lab scans that impression and produces a digital version. On the computer, the entire treatment plan is simulated – and you can actually see that simulation which is one of the greatest advantages of Invisalign -. If that video is acceptable, the computer gives an order to a highly specialized milling machine that mills the aligners out of blocks of plastic. Each case needs around 15 to 20 aligners, and each is worn for about 2 weeks.
Is Invisalign the right choice for me?
Invisalign solved not only the problem of how braces look, but many more problems as well including:
- Comfort: The aligners are made of highly polished plastic. Therefore, they are much more comfortable to wear compared to metallic brackets.
- Accuracy: The whole plan is made with the help of computers. This makes Invisalign incredibly accurate and very unlikely to suffer any human errors.
- Time: Again the computers come into play. The carefully designed treatment plan on average takes less than 1 year to complete.
Perhaps the only drawback for Invisalign is its cost. But when you consider how much it offers, you will see why such a financial difference is worth it.
