What are
Clear Aligners?

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What is Invisalign and Clear Aligners?

Smiling. It’s something that can so easily brighten someone’s day.

Unfortunately, smiling isn’t so simple if you suffer from an overbite, underbite, crowded teeth, crossbite, gap teeth or another dental issue. Chances are, if you’re not comfortable with the way your teeth look, you’re not going to smile as often, which will undoubtedly affect your self-confidence.

According to Orthodontics Australia, 60 percent of the Australian population perceives that a good smile gives a boost to confidence. More than half, though, feel self-conscious about their teeth.

Maybe that’s why more than three million Aussies wear braces, and roughly 40,000 Australians annually use clear aligner therapy for teeth straightening.

If you don’t currently have braces, you’re probably one of the 62 percent of individuals in the land Down Under considering this type of orthodontic treatment.

Clear aligners are a revolutionary and proven orthodontic treatment that moves teeth into better alignment using a staged system of plastic, removable transparent trays. These trays are practically invisible and work by applying pressure on the teeth in stages until your teeth move into the desired position.

Each orthodontic clear aligner case usually takes between 15 and 25 sets of trays. Each tray is typically worn for two weeks before moving onto the next set. This sequence continues until you complete the required number of sets that will move your teeth into the ideal position.

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How do I know if clear aligners are right for me?

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Nowadays, most general and orthodontic specialists
offer clear aligners services and welcome patients to visit for a no or low-cost consultation to discuss their individual case. The dentist will be able to advise you on the day if you are a suitable candidate and the expected cost and outcome if you decide to use clear aligners
to straighten your teeth.

Traditional Braces vs. Invisalign and Clear Aligners

Metal braces have for decades been the most common type of orthodontic treatment used by dentists to straighten or reposition patients’ teeth. Most braces these days use metal or plastic brackets combined with rubber bands and/or wires.

For some, though, this course of treatment isn’t convenient because they typically need to have their wires tightened every four weeks or so. Plus, they often have to avoid eating certain foods and aren’t as easily able to keep their pearly whites clean.

Some adults — and teens — want to get their teeth straightened but are self-conscious about wearing metal braces. Even though the stigma of wearing braces isn’t as prevalent, they prefer a more inconspicuous option. If this describes you, we recommend you consider Invisalign.

What exactly is Invisalign? The best way to describe this revolutionary orthodontic treatment is a clear set of removable aligners used to gradually straighten your teeth. Made from advanced SmartTrack^® material, these clear aligners are custom-fitted to your mouth and come in trays molded to fit your unique mouth shape.

Patients who select Invisalign wear their aligners for anywhere from 12 to 18 months — depending on the complexity of their dental issue(s) — and get an average of 25 sets. Expect to wear each set of aligners for 20 to 22 hours each day and change sets about every one to two weeks.

The benefit of Invisalign over similar products advertised online is that your dentist will regularly monitor your progress. To get the best fit, he or she will create a digital treatment plan mapping out the exact movements of your teeth.

The advantages of Clear Aligners

Probably one of the biggest benefits of clear aligners over traditional metal braces is that most people won’t be able to tell you’re wearing them. They’re virtually invisible and don’t distract from your smile.

Clear aligners are trimmed based on your gum line, offering optimal comfort. No more painful wires — and fewer visits to your dentist!

That popcorn you can’t eat with traditional braces? Not a problem with clear aligners. Simply remove them when you’re eating. Once you’re done, just brush them with toothpaste and warm water and then place them back in your mouth. You’ll still be able to brush and floss regularly to maintain good dental health — with the added bonus of a boost in your confidence!

What are the
advantages of clear aligners?

Cosmetic
Appearance

Comfortable
to Wear

Easier to Maintain
Oral Health

No Food
Restrictions

Accuracy of
Treatment

Quicker
Results

What are the
advantages of clear aligners?

Long-terminvestment — Long-term
investment

Learn more about Clear Aligners.

Understanding your condition is the
key to making the right choices for you

How much do clear aligners cost?

The cost varies depending on how many sequences of clear aligner trays are needed to move the teeth into the ideal position. For a simple case where minimal movement is needed clear aligners can cost as low as $2000. In extremely complex cases you could pay up to $10,000.

How do clear aligners work?

The trays are placed on the outer surface of the teeth and only removed when you eat or clean your teeth. When you wear them, they apply pressure on the teeth in a certain manner, moving them with pinpoint accuracy and magnitude to the desired location over a period of two weeks per set.

How to clean clear aligners?

The aligners should be first washed under running water, then brushed with a soft toothbrush without toothpaste to avoid warpage and discolouration.

Are clear aligners bad for your teeth?

Not at all. In fact, they are very good for your teeth in comparison to braces. They make teeth cleaning and oral hygiene far easier to maintain.

What are the downsides to clear aligners?

Not everyone is a suitable candidate to clear aligner orthodontic treatment and will need traditional bracket braces to straighten the teeth. Clear aligners can not fix problems related to jaw issues. For example, when the bones of your upper jaw are larger than the lower jaw or vice versa.

How quickly will you see results with clear aligners?

Generally, the treatment time for most clear aligner cases ranges from 6 to 18 months. You can expect to see a difference early on as the teeth are moved slightly every two weeks.

Do clear aligners cause gum recession?

Moving the teeth can impact the gum around the teeth however, your orthodontically trained dentist will take this into consideration when planning your treatment to minimise any long term changes to your gum health and tooth structure.

Do you really need to wear clear aligners 22 hours a day?

When you are not wearing your clear aligner trays the teeth are not under pressure to move and you risk them relapsing back into their previous position. In order for you to achieve the desired results, you must wear your clear aligners for the recommended treatment time each day and for most, this is a minimum of 22 hours per day. Only take the trays out to clean your teeth and eat.