WITHOUT BRACES
Teeth movements and corrections with clear trays
Clear Aligners straighten your teeth effortlessly and without affecting your everyday life.
Clear Aligners is a specific Invisible Orthodontics technique that doesn’t require braces and the overall movements and teeth corrections are completed by custom-made invisible orthodontic trays. Clear Aligners are manufactured by thermoplastic material based on your impressions. A specialized laboratory creates a series of trays based on the latest developments in 3D computing technology and the guidelines of the treatment plan. Theses trays exert forces on the teeth, compelling them to move while activating different areas each time. In addition to the classic orthodontic treatment, where the forces are exerted by the metal brackets, Clear Aligners’ forces are exerted by the polymer of the tray. Each tray is different from the previous one due to the different movements in each step of the treatment. Trays are monthly changed and the teeth are moving into the desired positions. In fact, after 2 or 3 months into treatment, the movements are visible!
How does it work?
The treatment can last 3-24 months and a monthly appointment to the Smiles Dental Clinic is required. Clear Aligners should be used for 20-21 hours a day and be removed only during meals and brushing. Smoking doesn’t affect the therapy at all but it may discolor the invisible tray. Clear Aligners are cleaned daily using a compact tooth brush, which is given to you by the Smiles Dental Clinic at the begging of the treatment, toothpaste and water that is not too hot and too cold. At the end of the treatment a permanent retainer is placed guaranteeing that the result will last for a lifetime. It is either used a retaining appliance (essix or Hawley) during the night, a permanent immobilization which is a thin metal wire (retainer) or glass fibers for a more aesthetic result. In some cases, more than one form of permanent retainers is necessary.
Are Clear Aligners better than brackets?
Unlike metal braces, Clear Aligners aren’t visible when you smile, they can be removed and cleaned, they don’t irritate the gums nor accumulate plaque making your teeth more vulnerable to decay. The treatment is painless and it doesn’t affect your speech because the mouth becomes accustomed to them. Speaking difficulties may last a few hours to 2-3 days. Former orthodontics patients that are not satisfied with the previous result are great candidates for Clear Aligners. It is even suitable for periodontal patients. As they are invisible, an adult can straighten his or her teeth without affecting negatively their social and professional life.
Does it hurt?
The forces that are applied during the treatment are completely tolerant and a lot milder in comparison to classic metal brackets. Each time a new tray is used, new forces are exerted which will decrease after a few hours. In no case Clear Aligners are considered a painful treatment.
Is it the right method for me?
During your appointment at the Smiles Dental Clinic, a clinical and an x-ray examination takes place in order to determine if you are a suitable candidate. Impressions of the upper and lower jaw are also needed. The impressions are examined in the specialized laboratory of Clear Aligners and determine if you are capable to start the Invisible Orthodontics treatment with Clear Aligners, as well as the duration of the therapy, how many trays will be needed and, lastly, the overall cost.
Is it suitable for out-of-town patients?
Of course! And not only for out-of-town patients but for out-of-country patients too... Just let us know when we start planning your treatment so that you don’t have to visit Dental Smiles Clinic every 1-2 months, as it is normally scheduled. Your treatment is planned every 3-6 months so that you visit us the fewest times possible. This way you don’t have to pay additional shipping costs and you don’t have to miss work often.
