6 Problems Invisalign® Corrects

Few people are born with perfectly straight and even teeth. For decades, the only answer was a course of treatment using metal bands cemented to your teeth and connected with wires, the often-dreaded braces. 

Today, you have a choice. Invisalign® clear dental aligners use a progressive series of trays that gently guide your teeth from their current position to your balanced, ideal smile. It’s a discreet and effective way to gain the appearance you want without the hassles of braces. 

It’s the clear and easy way to avoid dental problems caused by tooth alignment issues, too. Visit Sabrina E. Mickel DDS & Associates to learn more and determine if Invisalign is right for you. Today, we’ll look at six problems Invisalign corrects. 

Common malocclusions

Perhaps the two most common malocclusions are better known as overbites and underbites. You have an overbite when your upper front teeth overlap your lower front teeth. Most people normally have a slight overbite. When it’s more pronounced, it affects both appearance and dental health. In extreme cases, it can cause tooth wear or jaw pain.

Underbite is the opposite problem. The lower front teeth protrude beyond your upper teeth. This misalignment potentially impacts eating and speaking.

Crossbite

A less common malocclusion is a crossbite, in which the teeth in your upper and lower jaw don’t line up with each other. This can involve one tooth or several. Crossbites can lead to tooth damage, receding gum lines, and other dental health problems.

The flexibility of the Invisalign system permits fine-tuning individual tooth movement, so crossbites are typically easy to correct during treatment. 

An open bite

An open bite is a malocclusion of the front teeth that happens when the tooth angle prevents close contact between the upper and lower teeth. It can cause a lisp, reduce the efficiency of biting and chewing, and risk damage or cracking of the back teeth.

Overcrowding

Overlapping, twisting, or teeth in tight contact with adjacent teeth create unnecessary pressure, making good dental hygiene a challenge. It’s harder to brush and floss when teeth are crowded, and while sometimes it can lead to a quirky, cute smile, many with overcrowding prefer a more even smile appearance. 

Because your Invisalign plan is completely customized for you, Dr. Mickel can develop a treatment target for comfortable, normal spacing that’s easy to clean. 

Gaps

The reverse of overcrowding, gaps in your teeth can ruin your self-confidence when visible to others. Again, Invisalign’s ability to treat each tooth on its own, within a single aligner set, makes it easy to close gaps at the same time as reducing crowding elsewhere. 

Crookedness

Having one or two teeth directed away from the rest is not unusual. While it’s easy for regular Invisalign treatments to handle minor tooth crookedness, more severe problems could require extra torque to move adequately. 

That’s where Invisalign SmartForce™ attachments come in. Think of these as small handles to make tooth movement easier when you have moderate to severe crookedness. SmartForce handles are the same color as your natural teeth, maintaining the discreet nature of your Invisalign treatment. 

Not every patient is suitable for Invisalign, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many conditions these aligners can treat. Contact Sabrina E. Mickel DDS & Associates in Beachwood, Ohio, to learn more. Call or click to book your visit today.