A large proportion of Invisalign treatment plans involve shaving enamel from in between your teeth. Why? Well, shaving off healthy enamel creates space between your teeth. This means your Dentist or Orthodonist can start rotating and moving teeth more quickly, and treatment takes less time.
Teeth Shaving and Invisalign
Teeth shaving is not always necessary for Invisalign treatment, but it may help with crowded teeth and eliminate the need to extract any tooth prior to the Invisalign treatment.
Patients often wonder about the "shaving" process of teeth to allow room for straightening. The term of this operation is "Interproximal Reduction," which means that the enamel width between the teeth is reduced. The procedure is frequently done for patients with overcrowded teeth and needs room for teeth alignment.
Braces and retainers can help move teeth into better positions that can alleviate crowding or misplacement. However, sometimes an orthodontist may need to shave a little bit off a tooth or two as part of the process.
You may undergo teeth shaving for: Cosmetic Reasons: A step for adding veneers but also a low-level, painless cosmetic dental procedure, teeth shaving can improve the appearance of a tooth that is misshapen, slightly chipped or has scalloped or jagged edges.
Your scan will be sent to Invisalign, and they will make them and ship them back to us. You'll wear your last clear aligner tray until your retainer arrives. The retainer will be made of a clear plastic that is stronger and more durable than your Invisalign trays. It should last for several months or even years.
Don't Leave Aligners In – You need to remove your aligners every time you plan to eat or drink something, with the exception of plain water. Coffee, red wine and other items that cause teeth to discolor will do the same to the clear aligners. You don't want to walk around for two weeks with discolored aligners.
After Invisalign treatment, an orthodontist can complete minor reshaping, but if it's more involved, find an advanced cosmetic dentist. It's unlikely that your general dentist has enough experience to reshape your teeth precisely. At times, cosmetic dentists use composite bonding to finish the case.
The risks of Invisalign®
Without a proper diet and oral care routine in place, bacteria and food particles can get stuck in between the aligners and teeth, which can lead to an acidic breakdown of enamel and cause cavities. Teeth staining and gum disease may also be a risk as well.
Because of this, it's dangerous to attempt to shave your own teeth. You could permanently damage your teeth, cause pain and sensitivity to your mouth, and make your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay if you wear down your own enamel.
You might notice a gap between one tooth and your aligner or it can seem like your Invisalign doesn't fit your back teeth at all. If an Invisalign tray isn't fitting, it could be because: You're wearing a new set of aligners and you just need to massage the aligners onto the teeth to improve tracking.
Because teeth are covered by plastic aligners nearly 24-hours a day, there is a lack of oxygenation and saliva to support tooth structure. If, then, acidic ingredients sit on teeth that are covered, there is a higher risk that enamel will weaken over time.
Root resorption: Invisalign® has to cause a cellular response in the roots of the teeth in order to let them move. On rare occasions, it is possible for the cellular response to damage the ends of the roots of the teeth.
Invisalign Hurts to take off
Initially the trays can be very tight. In addition, the teeth can be sore as they move – which makes placing and removing the trays painful. If it hurts to remove your Invisalign, this is likely due to a new set of trays gripping the teeth tightly.
Yes, Invisalign can be used to move the lower teeth back so they naturally sit behind the front teeth. In extreme cases, braces may be combined with Invisalign and some underbite cases can't be treated with Invisalign.
No, Invisalign aligners do not make your teeth yellow.
The Question on Everyone's Lips
Can you kiss with Invisalign®? The first bit of good news is that the answer is YES, you absolutely can. The second bit of good news? Invisalign's clear design means your pashing partner probably won't even notice that you're wearing any aligners.
Invisalign benefits you more when you wear it more than 20 hours a day, including while you're sleeping. Therefore, yes, you should wear your Invisalign while you sleep. In addition, you should only take out your Invisalign or aligners only to drink hot drinks, eat, and brush your teeth.
When Do Orthodontists Prefer Braces? Because the Invisalign® system makes life easier for their patients, orthodontists often prefer it over metal braces. However, for patients with severely misaligned teeth, braces are the better option. Sometimes, teeth need to be twisted as part of the straightening process.
Invisalign does not actually change the shape of the palate or the jawbone. It merely shifts the teeth once the other corrective action has already taken place. Once the teeth have been shifted into a wider position, the smile will appear wider. Even minute shifts can have a huge impact on the smile.
No, orthodontic treatment, including Invisalign and braces, does not directly impact your nose or lengthen your face. The reason people occasionally think their nose looks different after braces or their face seems to have lengthened is about the angles.
Answer: Removing Invisalign Trays Many Times a Day
As long as you're getting in the full 22/hrs/day, you should be OK. The only risk you're taking is that the trays might crack prematurely from the multiple removals and insertions.
Again, drinking beverages with a straw is recommended when you're undergoing Invisalign treatment. A straw allows the liquid less contact with your teeth and less contact with your Invisalign if they're still in. If you simply must drink a sugary or alcoholic drink with Invisalign, use a straw.
Invisalign limitations
Severe overbite: Though a regular overbite may be addressed, severe overbite may require the use of braces. Tooth shape: Too-short or pegged teeth can prevent Invisalign from working properly. Tooth position: If your teeth are too rotated, Invisalign cannot shift them into proper alignment.
Unfortunately, many patients make the assumption that once their teeth look straighter, they can stop wearing their aligners. However, it's crucial to your treatment that you keep your aligners in until your orthodontist tells you otherwise.