30 Aug 2015

The British Orthodontic Society estimates that over a third of children require tooth straightening¹. It follows therefore that a similar number of adults are equally affected if they didn't have treatment as a child. However, the good news is that braces aren't just for kids anymore and tooth alignment can be improved at any age, so long as your gums and bone structure are healthy - so it is never too late.

Teeth straightening can dramatically improve a person's appearance and as a result their confidence and self-esteem. A contemporary technique called Invisalign offers a discrete way for anyone of any age to achieve straighter teeth without any visible evidence of braces - and instead wear a series of ‘aligners' which are removable and virtually invisible. For this reason a number of people with high public profiles have had Invisalign treatment - Olympic cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny are currently having treatment and pursing their championship careers on two wheels - yet you would never know - as it doesn't affect their appearance or performance.

Over 15 years of perpetual research and development has meant that the Invisalign system has become increasingly sophisticated and innovative year on year, enabling ever more complex tooth alignment cases to be treated and - as a result has significantly changed the tooth, straightening landscape. Such is its acceptance amongst the orthodontic specialty, that the words Invisalign and ‘aligners' have become synonymous with discrete orthodontic treatment.

The system is as technologically sophisticated as it is unobtrusive. During an initial consultation, images and impressions of the teeth are taken and the Invisalign system then uses advanced 3-D computer graphics technology (ClinCheck) to predict the projected outcome of the treatment and show you what your teeth could look like at the end of treatment. The software enables the aligners to be designed to work towards achieving the final position prescribed and each set is precisely calibrated and tailor-made to fit the individual's mouth at each stage of their treatment plan.

So how does the Invisalign system work? Once treatment is underway you wear each set of aligners for about two weeks. Gradually, week by week the teeth start to move towards their predicted final position. During treatment it is possible to eat and drink whatever you want as the aligners are removable - this also means you can play a wind instrument without impediment. It is also easier to brush and floss normally to maintain healthy gums and teeth, as with Invisalign here are no wires or metal brackets to navigate.

With advances such as these, it is no surprise that Align Technology treated three million people with Invisalign. Their teeth have been straightened by one of over 80,000 dental professionals worldwide, who have trained and are further qualified to provide Invisalign treatment, and who are supported by the company with on-going product developments, clinical education and technical support to ensure the best clinical outcomes. So anyone opting for Invisalign treatment can be confident that they are being treated by highly trained and validated dental professionals.

Jamie Morley, Country Manager for Align Technology commented "Align Technology is working with the British Dental Health Foundation, supporting National Smile Month for the second year as our aims dovetail with the Foundation's - we want to help make the nation smile. The Invisalign system is clearly a different way to straighten teeth and because it is virtually undetectable it makes it highly desirable for adults who don't want to put their aspirations, careers, hobbies and lifestyles on hold, and whose lives would be improved if only they had the
confidence to smile".

For more information and to find an Invisalign provider close to where you live or work visit www.invisalign.co.uk.

References

1. British Orthodontic Society