Dental aligners, also known as clear aligners, have been making their appearance on social networks in recent months. Very attractive, these dental correctors allow you to correct your smile without having to wear traditional braces. But are these methods really effective? Can they compromise your oral health? We tell you all about it in our article on the subject.
What are dental aligners?
Dental aligners are an alternative method to traditional braces. Made of plastic, they are removable aligners. Transparent and almost invisible, they are worn on average 22 hours a day, except at mealtimes and when you brush your teeth. Each tray is used for a week, then changed as your teeth change. In this way, the alignment of your teeth is straightened little by little.
When treated by an orthodontist, dental aligners can be very effective in correcting mild to moderate problems with your smile. They make it possible to avoid traditional treatments such as metal or ceramic braces, which are often unattractive and uncomfortable.
Specific features of dental aligners
When are dental aligners used?
Dental aligners are a tool that allows you to correct your smile by straightening your teeth. If you have a problem with this but don’t want to wear braces, removable aligners can be a good solution. But be careful: your treatment must be monitored by a professional.
What steps should I take to fit dental aligners?
Your orthodontist is the specialist who will guide you through the process. Dental aligners may be less painful than traditional braces, but that doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. If you want to get the right aligners, you should definitely make an appointment with an orthodontic practice. The specialist will then be able to inspect not only your teeth, but also your entire oral cavity to see how it functions as a whole. The procedure is usually as follows:
- The orthodontist takes x-rays of your jaw and head.
- He/she also inspects the health of your gums
- Next, he/she studies the top-bottom ratio of your jaws
- Finally, he/she checks your jaw muscles and the way you chew.
The orthodontist can then provide you with perfectly adapted dental aligners. He/she will also make an appointment for you to come in for check-ups every 5 to 7 weeks. At each session, he/she will check that your teeth are developing in a healthy and correct way and can make adjustments if necessary. Once the treatment is complete, the orthodontist will fit a wire to keep your teeth in place.
Other alternatives to dental aligners
Dental aligners have been in the spotlight for a few years now. Although orthodontists have been using them for a long time, their low-cost versions are now getting a real media boost: advertising on social networks via sponsored posts, on buses, in the street, etc. Their aim? To offer removable aligners at affordable prices. It’s tempting, especially if you don’t have huge financial resources but still want to have a perfect smile.
Although these brands have democratised the use of inexpensive aligners, they can be harmful to users.
The first difference with aligners prescribed by orthodontists is that their low-cost version does not correct the whole dentition but only the six front teeth.
Secondly, these brands rarely offer regular follow-up. In general, they schedule a preliminary appointment to create the aligners, and that’s all there is to it. In some cases, it’s even possible to avoid an appointment at a dental surgery altogether: a kit for making dental impressions is sent directly to your home.
It’s fair to say that these new brands see you as a customer, not a patient. They completely disregard the whole preliminary part, which is the diagnosis.
But what are the dangers of these low-cost dental aligners?
As mentioned above, the cheap brands only correct the front teeth. The alignment of the upper and lower jaws is never studied. After treatment, it’s possible that your smile will be radiant, but your jaws will no longer close properly and the relationship between them will be completely destroyed (this is called a dental malocclusion). This can cause muscle tension in your head and neck, as well as severe migraines. Worse still, the roots of your teeth can be irreversibly damaged, and even the jawbone itself!
What’s more, the price doesn’t necessarily include the fitting of a support wire. If you don’t wear aligners at night for the rest of your life, your teeth will end up shifting and all the work will be lost. Hidden costs can also crop up during the term of the contract. For example, if you want x-rays or braces, you’ll be out of pocket. What’s more, if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to cover the extra costs yourself. For a clearer picture, we strongly advise you to read Dental Geneva’s article on the subject. You’ll find more details about the costs of treatment.
Would you like to buy dental aligners?
If you want to have your teeth straightened, we strongly advise you to go to a dental practice specialising in orthodontics. An orthodontist will advise you on the best solution. He/she will also provide you with a quote with no hidden costs. We also advise you to check with your supplementary insurance whether it covers the cost of orthodontics. Most of them cover up to 80% of the costs! All the more reason to avoid cheap methods. At OneDoc, you can make an appointment online with a dental practice near you.
