It seems almost all Northern Virginia orthodontists and general dentists use Invisalign on their patients.  Invisalign, which uses a series of clear plastic aligners to move teeth, seems to be the panacea for all Northern Virginia orthodontic treatment.  We, too, used to use Invisalign many years ago.  But, found that it did not always produce the intended orthodontic result in the anticipated time.  The problem is not with the product but the process.  The aligners incrementally move the teeth by tipping them into place.  The roots cannot be aligned adequately with the crowns.  Not having the roots in line with the crowns leads to instability.  Therefore, Invisalign does not have the 3-dimensional control that can be gained with braces.  That is why we use Suresmile, which provides the ultimate control and fastest movement of the teeth.

The other problem with Invisalign is inconsistent wear by the patient.  Since the aligners are removable, the patient has control of the orthodontic process.  This may be fine as long as the patient is a dedicated wearer.  But, if the patient does not wear the aligner at work or when they socialize, they can limit their orthodontic progress.  In fact, if not worn as prescribed, they can actually digress.

A person who is considering orthodontic treatment must be honest with themselves as to whether their lifestyle, work or self-discipline is conducive to orthodontic treatment with removable orthodontic devices like Invisalign.  They are probably better off with fixed orthodontic braces for a more predictable and timely orthodontic treatment.

Posted by Orthodontics By Crutchfield on 04/19