Let’s face one simple fact—everyone has a beautiful smile. While that’s true, it doesn’t mean every person has their best smile. If you want to improve your smile, Invisalign treatment might be for you.
What is Invisalign Treatment?
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that’s a comparatively new alternative to traditional metallic braces. Available since the late 1990s, Invisalign employs a series of clear aligners to move a patient’s teeth into proper position over time. Each successive set of Invisalign aligners moves a person’s teeth ever closer to where they should be.
Compared to conventional braces, Invisalign is more discreet because the aligners are clear and hard for onlookers to detect. Invisalign treatment is less invasive as well because patients don’t need to make any lifestyle changes, such as avoiding certain foods.
Invisalign and Teeth Grinding
Invisalign clear aligners are made with a flexible plastic called SmartTrack. For this reason, people who grind their teeth often wonder whether they can undergo Invisalign treatment. In general, the primary concern teeth grinders have is whether their grinding will ruin their aligners.
To address the first point, most people who grind their teeth can have Invisalign treatment. If you have to wear an appliance like a night guard or splint due to teeth grinding or clenching, however, Invisalign may not be an option for you. During treatment, patients must wear their Invisalign aligners for a recommended 20-22 hours per day so having to use a night guard or splint might make you ineligible for Invisalign. Before you give up on the treatment altogether, talk to your orthodontist.
If you’re worried that teeth grinding will destroy your Invisalign aligners during your treatment, you should know that there is a chance it will wear down your aligners faster. This isn’t as big a deal as you might think as patients typically wear a given set of aligners for two weeks or so. Even if your bruxism does wear out a set of aligners before you’re supposed to move onto the next pair, your Invisalign orthodontist can simply order a replacement set for you.
While many people grind their teeth involuntarily at night, others grind and clench during the day due to stress. One significant reason you should consider Invisalign if you grind your teeth is that the aligners used during treatment can act as a protective barrier against damage caused by bruxism no matter when you tend to grind your teeth. If you grind your teeth when you’re awake, your aligners will make your more aware of the behavior and they may help you curb or eliminate your teeth grinding when you experience stress.
Schedule an Appointment with Clearsmile Orthodontics
Whether you grind your teeth or not, we invite you to schedule an appointment with Clearsmile Orthodontics to see if you’re a candidate for Invisalign treatment. Our resident Invisalign specialist Dr. Colin Webb will evaluate your teeth and determine whether the treatment will yield your very best smile in the end.
We look forward to seeing if Invisalign treatment is right for you soon!