We all like to be appreciated for the work that we do, but when your job is to provide invisible braces Clapham, going unnoticed is the sign of a job well done. As popular as clear aligners have become in our community, the odds are that unless you are using them, you will not have even noticed that they are there. Discretion is key!

How do aligners compare to braces?

So, clear aligners and the braces are both effective invisible braces Clapham that rely on the dynamic mobility of teeth to rearrange them and produce a well-fitting closed bite and to look appealing.

But that’s about it when it comes to what they have in common. The traditional metal brace has individual brackets or anchor points which are adhered to each tooth with dental cement or resin adhesive. These anchor points are linked to each other with an archwire, sometimes an adjustable rubber band is used to assist with the movement. This can take up to an hour to fit and once in place, it allows the orthodontist to ‘adjust’ the braces by tightening parts of it to apply pressure to the teeth, altering their position or orientation. The brace is worn for the entirety of the treatment and adjustments occur every 6 months.

Aligners

Aligners, on the other hand, are removable at will and the fitting process involves making a 3D digital model of your teeth. This can be done by scanning a plaster cast of a dental mould or taking it directly with a 3D scan of your mouth. The designing and manufacturing of the aligners occur outside of the clinics and they should be available for collection within 4 weeks of the fitting. The designing steps are the most time-intensive, so replacements for lost or damaged aligners can be rushed through faster if required.

Each of the aligner invisible braces Clapham are only worn for 2 weeks allowing them to be light, thin and comfortable. They are not suitable for moving molars or complex cases where palate extension may be required to resolve overcrowding. When an aligner is new, it will feel tight as it is pushing on your teeth; at the end of its role in your treatment, it will feel looser as your teeth will have taken on their new positions. This is when you would change to the next aligner in the sequence.

The sequence of aligners behaves in a similar way to the adjustment made by an orthodontist using a brace. The smaller 2 weekly changes are much more comfortable compared to the 6-month brace tightening. The application of force allows the aligner to achieve good clinical results with a minimum of inconvenience.

A 3rd option – ceramic braces

There is a third option for those who have orthodontic issues which are considered too complex for clear aligners but do not wish to wear a regular metal brace. The ceramic brace is a polymer cross glass-ceramic brace; its archwire is much thinner than a traditional brace, but it share s all its main features and is suitable for treatment on a wider range of conditions.