Teeth Aligners - Everything Your Need To Know

According to a report by the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, above 4 million people in the US and Canada are currently receiving one kind of teeth treatment or the other. We all want at least a pretty-looking, if not perfect, set of teeth. We want to be able to smile without being careful of exposing too much. Though we don’t want to readily accept this, people with straight smiles are often rated better than people with crooked teeth.

There is several corrective measures orthodontists use in correcting crooked teeth problems, depending on the evaluation of your teeth. Teeth braces are a very common corrective measure. Braces help to align the teeth with the help of brackets connected by wire. As good and effective as the different types of braces are, they have myriads of disadvantages including cost and comfortability problems. Another very effective yet cheap teeth straightening or aligning measure is the use of teeth aligners.

Teeth aligners are a series of mouthpieces to be slipped over the teeth. These custom-made trays are clear and thin hence gently aligning the teeth. The trays are of different alignment levels. A particular tray is expected to have accomplished its alignment task after two weeks of having it on. It will then be replaced by another tray that will further align or straighten the teeth. This replacement continues until the desired straightening or alignment is achieved. Teeth aligners are very easy to get as opposed to the usual process seeing in the fixing of traditional metal braces.

Who are teeth aligners best suited for?

According to Mark Todd of toothcarepalace.com Teeth aligners are best suited for adults and teens. This is because they are custom-made for tight-fitting. This makes them unfit for children's usage. Aligning a child’s teeth is more complicated than adults because their teeth are still growing hence tight-fitting options are not best for them.

Also, serious cases of overcrowded teeth cannot be best handled by teeth aligners. They are usually best suited for moderate teeth overcrowding as well as minor spacing issues.

How teeth aligners work

Once it has been decided that the level of alignment or straightening your teeth needs can be handled by teeth aligners, several versions that each makes slight adjustment until the result is achieved will be fitted for you. Unlike many other options, teeth aligners can be removed for flossing, brushing, and eating which makes it easier to maintain proper hygiene as well as reduces the chances of stain. Once a tray has been worn for an average of two weeks, it is replaced with another one that will take the alignment further. At the end of the treatment, some patients may need to use braces to make refinement including smaller adjustments.

How fast do teeth aligners straighten teeth?

As typical of other alignment options, the time it will take for alignment depends on a number of things, the level of alignment needed being a very important determinant. Invariably, more crowded or crooked teeth will take longer to be aligned. The usual treatment span is 10 to 24 months but people who used brace as a child have a significantly shorter treatment span.

Advantages of teeth aligners

Comfortable and Removable: for me, this is the best part of teeth aligners. As much as you want your teeth to align, you equally want the process to be as comfortable as possible since it will usually take months. Teeth aligners are slipped over the teeth rather than fixed to it which makes them easy to manipulate. They can be removed when you want to eat, drink, brush, or floss. The ability to remove it is very vital to keep good dental health. The important thing is to wear it for at least 22 hours per day. Also, teeth aligners are more comfortable than traditional braces because their material is smooth and quite flexible.

Fewer dentist visits: unlike other options, teeth aligners do not need frequent dentist visits. All that is required is the replacement of a tray after two weeks which you just do yourself. Usually, you will only need to visit your dentist once in two months.

Faster alignment: teeth aligners often align teeth in about half the time needed by many other options.

Improved dental health: teeth alignment contributes to overall dental health and wellness.

Cost of teeth aligners

Usually, the cost of teeth aligners ranges between $5000 and $6000. The overall cost is greatly influenced by the treatment span required. Hence, maintenance of proper hygiene is as important as the use of teeth aligners itself.

More than just smile

The use of teeth aligners to correct teeth alignment is not just about showing a beautiful set of teeth each time you smile; it is very important for your long-term dental health.