What Are Clear Aligners?

Clear aligners are orthodontic appliances that consist of transparent dental braces that are used to adjust the position of your teeth.

They are very innovative and attractive because they are more aesthetically pleasing than traditional braces, which usually cover most of the tooth. But what exactly are they? What are the advantages? Find out in this article!

What is orthodontics?

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that studies, prevents and treats abnormal size, position and shape of our teeth and jaws. This branch aims to correct these deviations in order to achieve optimal oral health and harmony between a smile and the correct alignment of the teeth.

Orthodontists use a variety of tools to correct the position of both teeth and molars. The most commonly used aids are braces. Braces are metal or ceramic structures that the orthodontist attaches to the teeth to correct their positioning.

On top of these structures, the orthodontist places different types of archwires of different thicknesses. The teeth move through these wires due to the force generated by the brace.

Thanks to scientific advances, orthodontics has come a long way (link in English) and we have been able to make these corrections through clear aligners, which are placed around your teeth. So they are virtually invisible.

What are clear aligners?

Clear aliners are an orthodontic tool. To plan this treatment, the orthodontist must first scan the patient’s teeth. Creates a 3D representation of the teeth of the current and desired tooth positions.

The aligners are made of 0.5mm thick thermoplastic clear material, which means they are barely visible. To facilitate movement of the teeth, orthodontists attach small transparent balls called splints to the teeth.

The splints help the aligners change the position of the teeth as planned. They should be replaced with a new set of aligners every 10 to 15 days. Treatment can last between four months and two years, depending on the degree of correction required by the teeth.

It is important to know that this orthodontic treatment cannot solve all problems. It is recommended for minor adjustments, rotation corrections and the like. Orthodontists recommend traditional braces when teeth require a lot of correction.

Benefits of clear aligners

• It is a very aesthetic treatment.

• They prevent complaints such as friction, wounds and blisters  that traditional braces can cause. So it is a more comfortable treatment for patients.
• Better hygiene is possible. Patients should remove the aligners before brushing their teeth, which allows them to brush their teeth normally, as if they were not wearing braces. Brushing your teeth with traditional braces is more difficult, which can result in plaque buildup near the gums. This often causes gingivitis and gum disease.
• Dentists make the aligners using a mold of the patient’s teeth, meaning the treatment is completely customised.
• Improved hygiene allows patients to reduce the risk of cavities, gingivitis and tooth stains.

• Clear aligners achieve the same results as traditional braces with minor adjustments. In some cases, the results can even be much faster than with traditional braces.

Disadvantages of clear aligners

• Patients must wear the aligners for at least 20 hours a day to achieve the desired effect. So they can only take them off to eat and brush their teeth.
• If the patient does not wear the aligners due to carelessness, the treatment may take longer and may even make the condition worse.

• In patients who suffer from bruxism, the aligners wear out much faster, meaning they may need to be replaced more often.
• Clear aligners are more expensive than traditional braces.

Both children and adults can follow this treatment. You should always remember that orthodontics is a secondary treatment to other oral pathologies. That means that you first have to make sure that your teeth are in order. That goes for fillings, dental cleaning, root canal treatments and other health problems in your mouth.

Conclusion

Clear aligners are an innovative orthodontic treatment. They make it possible to achieve the desired results while providing improved aesthetics and comfort.

By predicting treatment with 3D software, orthodontists can be much more accurate with treatment. This allows them to control the corrections of the teeth much better.