Invisible clear aligners are orthodontic devices used to straighten teeth, mainly used in adults with premolar to premolar crowding as opposed to jaw discrepancies or more complicated malocclusions. These aligners are made of a transparent, flexible medical-grade plastic material that is both durable and flexible. and that fits over your teeth, gradually shifting them into the desired position over time.

Here’s what they do:

1. Teeth Straightening: Like traditional braces, clear aligners apply gentle pressure to your teeth, gradually moving them into better alignment. This helps improve both the function and appearance of your smile.
2. Custom Fit: Clear aligners are custom-made for each patient using digital impressions or moulds of your teeth. These are then loaded onto the computer which works out how much movement is required by each tooth to come into alignment and how many trays will be needed to achieve this. The computer then prints out in 3D the trays required. This ensures that the aligners fit snugly and comfortably and align the teeth using gentle pressure via the trays.
3. Discrete Appearance: Since they are made of clear plastic, aligners are nearly invisible when worn. This makes them a popular option for people who want to straighten their teeth without the visible appearance of metal braces.
4. Removable: Unlike traditional braces, clear aligners are removable. You can take them out while eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing, which makes maintaining oral hygiene much easier compared to braces. Although they are worn most of the time, they can be popped out for an important presentation or meeting – making them a realistic option for adults who want straight teeth but cant have traditional braces.
5. Comfortable: Since there are no wires or brackets like with metal braces, clear aligners are generally considered more comfortable, with a lower risk of irritation inside the mouth.

Overall, they are an effective, less noticeable option for adults and teens looking to straighten their teeth.

How do they work?

Clear aligners work through a series of custom-made, transparent trays that gradually shift your teeth into better alignment. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how they work:

1. Initial Consultation and Assessment

• You’ll visit Dr Theologides who has been doing aligners for over 20 years. She will assess your teeth to ensure that you are a candidate for aligners and not requiring traditional braces. If there isn’t a jaw discrepancy to be adjusted, she will take alginate impressions of your mouth, which are sent to the lab. The lab uses 3D scanning to create a detailed map of your teeth and mouth.
• Based on this, the lab will confirm that you are indeed a candidate for invisible aligners, and a treatment plan outlining the number of trays required, plus a cost estimate, will be presented to you.

2. Creating Custom Aligners

• Once the cost estimate has been approved by you, you will need to return to take impregum impressions which show up greater detail and on which the trays will be based.
• You will be required to pay a deposit at this stage.
• The impressions or scans are sent to a lab, where the aligners are custom-made using a special, durable plastic material.
• You’ll receive a series of aligners, with each one being slightly different from the last, designed to gradually shift your teeth into place over time.

3. Wearing the Aligners

• You wear each aligner for about 20-22 hours a day, only removing them for eating, drinking (anything other than water), brushing, and flossing.
• Each aligner is worn for about 2 weeks before switching to the next one in the series.
• The aligners exert gentle pressure on your teeth, moving them in small increments over time. The plastic is designed to be flexible enough to adjust to the contours of your teeth but firm enough to apply constant, even pressure.
• Often turbos made of composite material (matching your tooth colour) are placed on the teeth to facilitate movement.

4. Gradual Tooth Movement

• As you progress through the aligner series, your teeth begin to shift. Each set of aligners is designed to gradually move the teeth in the desired direction.
• The teeth are moved in small increments, and each new aligner is designed to continue the progress made by the previous one.
• Over the course of several weeks or months (depending on the complexity of the case), your teeth will be gradually aligned into their ideal position.

5. Monitoring Progress

• Periodic check-ins are important to ensure your teeth are moving as expected, and to give you your next sets of trays.
• In some cases, adjustments may be made to your treatment plan if necessary.

6. End of Treatment

• Once your teeth have reached their final position, your treatment is complete. After finishing the series of aligners, we recommend that you consider wearing a nightly clear retainer or placing of a stainless steel wire from canine to canine, to maintain the new positions of your teeth and prevent them from shifting back.

Key Points:

• Invisible and Discreet: The clear material makes aligners nearly invisible, so people around you likely won’t notice them.
• Comfort: There are no metal brackets or wires, so clear aligners are generally more comfortable than traditional braces.
• Removable: You can take them out whenever necessary (eating, drinking, brushing), which makes them convenient and helps with maintaining oral hygiene.

By following this step-by-step process, clear aligners help gradually straighten your teeth while being discreet, comfortable, and flexible.