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A few months ago Evolve Dentistry in Portishead, on the outskirts of Bristol, were proud to introduceInvisalign invisible braces to our practice. We’ve undertaken some great cases and helped some fantastic local people achieve the straight teeth they’ve always wanted, but one question we are asked frequently is ‘am I suitable for Invisalign?’ – And so we thought it would be a good idea to write this blog post answering some of these questions people often ask.

What type of crooked teeth can Invisalign correct?

Invisalign is often referred to as cosmetic orthodontics or limited outcome orthodontics. This is because, in general, Invisalign does not attempt to correct serious bite problems which can often be complex in nature. If you have serious bite problems, in other words your back teeth are not meeting properly, then you may benefit from a different type of orthodontic treatment.

If this is the case then the recommendation is that you look for a specialist orthodontist (also available here) who can help solve these more complex tooth position problems.

So, what type of problem can Invisalign solve?

A quick list of orthodontic problems suitable for Invisalign is as follows:

1. Gaps between your front teeth (midline diastema).
2. Gaps between other front teeth.
3. Rotated front teeth.
4. Sticking out or ‘buck’ front teeth.
5. Rotated teeth.
6. Crooked front teeth.

Generally speaking we prefer to deal with complex bite problems on your back teeth with conventional fixed orthodontics provided by a specialist orthodontist.

At what age can I start Invisalign?

In years gone by orthodontic treatment was just for children and people in their very early teens, however advances in technology and research have allowed us to move orthodontic treatment much more towards the adult end of the age range.

As long as your natural teeth are in a healthy condition then you should be suitable for Invisalign, however your dentist will always do a detailed dental health analysis on you to be sure prior to starting any orthodontic treatment. If you are an adult then there is generally speaking no age limit on when you can either start or stop Invisalign.

To be considered for Invisalign Teen you need to be at least 13 years old, however all adult teeth must be present and fully erupted.

What problems should I look out for with Invisalign?

Invisalign may not be suitable for you in the following situations:

• If you still have baby teeth present
• if you have had certain teeth extracted
• if you have missing teeth, we may not be able to close them
• if you have false teeth or dentures
• if you have a dental bridge which means your current teeth are joined together
• if you have a cute gum disease or periodontal disease

How long does Invisalign take?

There our orthodontic systems which work faster than Invisalign however these involve the use of visible springs which many patients may not like. If your ideal option is to have invisible braces without other people knowing then Invisalign is the perfect choice and treatments can take around 12 months for adults.

It is not possible to give an exact length of time without seeing you as treatments vary considerably depending upon the starting position, and the proposed finishing position of your teeth.

What will the results be like?

Results for Invisalign are extremely predictable due to the Clincheck® which is a unique digital visualisation of the movement of your teeth. We do this by taking dental impressions and sending them to the Invisalign laboratory who scan this impression into the computer. Highly skilled technicians then move the teeth on the screen to the new position. Each tooth is carefully moved to be in the ideal position dependent upon your preferred result.

Once these movements had been made digitally it is possible for you to come back into the practice for your Clincheck® appointment. At this appointment we will check the computer screen for the movement of your teeth to ensure that you are entirely happy with how you will look after your treatment.

During this appointment you will also have the ability to let us know of any adjustments you’d like to make in your smile, a tiny twist here, a small adjustment there is easy when the whole  thing is digital!

How much does Invisalign cost?

As with anything prices vary between dentists, we also recommend that you consider the following factors before finding a dentist for Invisalign.

• Does the dentist offer a range of orthodontic treatments so that you can choose if Invisalign is not suitable for you?
• Does the dentist have a list of patient reviews demonstrating their ability to provide continuously great dentistry?
• What are the surroundings like? Will you be seen in a comfortable environment with no extra pressures?
• Does the fee include ALL appointments ans retainers after treatment?
• What about teeth whitening, some practices include this in the fee. We certainly do!

You will normally find that Invisalign is available for around £2500 with many practices offering flexible finance terms for members also.

What are the alternatives to Invisalign?

Invisalign offers the invisible choice for orthodontics, there are however a range of orthodontic alternatives to clear braces, and these include:

• Rapid Braces with the Inman Aligners
• Tooth Coloured Braces with 6 Month Smiles
• Behind the Teeth Braces with Incognito  Lingual Orthodontics or Damon Braces

Other options are also available.

To help with your selection we have created and orthodontic diagnostic section on our website, this allows you to select the type of treatment you are looking for whether it be lower cost, invisible, rapid orthodontics to fit with your lifestyle.

On balance many people opt for Invisalign because of the fact that it is almost invisible, however if you want to be done with treatment much quicker than rapid orthodontics with the Inman aligner or perhaps tooth coloured braces with six month smiles could work better for you.

The choice really is in your hands…

Evolve Dentistry is a Private dental practice in Portishead, Bristol, offering a range of high quality dental treatments and healthcare for the local people around the local area including Clevedon. For more information about our practice please call or send an e-mail.