If you have crooked or misaligned teeth, you’ve likely thought about orthodontics. Through orthodontics, your dentist can help to realign your teeth over time, giving you a new and improved smile. But with technology constantly changing, there’s a new option in the field of orthodontics: Invisalign. Can it correct overbite?
Invisalign can correct a moderate to severe overbite. It’s an excellent approach to most types of dental misalignment. To start your Invisalign treatment, it’s as simple as booking an appointment with your dentist!
What Causes an Overbite?
Your teeth are designed to naturally interlock whenever your jaw closes. Whether you’re biting, chewing, or speaking, this natural function helps to evenly distribute the pressure of biting and chewing. This way, your teeth and jaw can function without shifting.
However, teeth don’t always grow properly. Sometimes, they develop at odd angles, leading to misaligned, crowded, or overlapping teeth. When your upper front teeth sit too far over the lower teeth, it’s called an overbite. Usually, this is caused by genetics, but it can also be due to environmental causes as your teeth develop.
An overbite isn’t just an aesthetic problem, though; because the teeth are misaligned, they’ll experience unusual pressure whenever you bite or chew. Over time this can lead to:
- Jaw pain, similar to TMJ
- Misalignment of other teeth
- Unusual wear and tear across the teeth
- Difficulty chewing or speaking
- Tooth pain
- Headaches
Fortunately, your dentist will be able to help by recommending an orthodontic approach like Invisalign.
What Is Invisalign?
When your teeth are misaligned, treatment aims to gradually shift them to a more desired position. This lets them function naturally without the unusual pressure, making it easier to talk and chew.
Invisalign is a popular approach to this situation. Unlike traditional braces, which involve installing a series of metal brackets and wires in the mouth, Invisalign uses a set of clear plastic aligners. These are custom-fit to your unique needs, and they’re entirely removable at a moment’s notice. This makes Invisalign an extremely convenient alternative to other orthodontic treatments.
This treatment takes some time—usually between a year or 2. During this time you’ll wear the aligners for roughly 20 hours a day. They gently apply pressure to the teeth to start shifting them, and after 2 weeks, you switch to the next set in the series. This second set applies slightly different pressure, and the cycle continues; every 2 weeks, you switch to new aligners.
What Is Invisalign For?
Invisalign is about more than just cosmetics. It’s ideal for plenty of dental issues ranging from crossbite to irregular spacing in the teeth.
Whether you’re dealing with gaps, crooked teeth, underbite, or almost any other misalignment, Invisalign likely can help. However, it isn’t a universal one-size-fits-all approach to orthodontics—some situations may call for alternative treatments. Invisalign also can’t treat conditions caused by decay or severe trauma in the mouth.
While convenient, it isn’t a substitute for other types of care. That’s why it’s essential to visit your dentist if you’re considering Invisalign; they’ll be able to examine your mouth to determine whether or not Invisalign is ideal for you.
The Invisalign Timeline
With Invisalign, treatment involves several sets of clear aligners. Each of these aligners should be worn for 2 weeks at a time; they each apply a slightly different level of pressure to the teeth until your smile is aligned as desired.
Usually, this process takes anywhere between 1 to 2 years. This depends greatly on your unique situation and the level of misalignment; minor misalignment may take significantly less time, while a severe overbite could take longer than 2 years.
Once your dentist determines if Invisalign is right for you, they’ll be able to provide you with a rough timeline. And during treatment, they’ll regularly monitor any changes in your mouth and make adjustments as needed. Follow their advice, and you should have a smooth treatment!
What to Expect When Trying Invisalign
Invisalign can be an excellent approach to treating almost any type of dental misalignment. So what should you expect during Invisalign?
The Invisalign journey begins with a quick consultation with your dentist. They’ll thoroughly examine your teeth to see what degree of misalignment you’re experiencing. Then, they’ll determine whether or not Invisalign is ideal for you.
If they think it’s the right approach, they’ll take several scans of your mouth. This lets them create a series of images and combine them to design a 3D model of your teeth. This is like the blueprint for your new aligners; it lets them understand where to begin so they know what to aim for.
Once the scans are complete, the information is sent to Invisalign. They’ll create your aligners and send them to your dentist. Then, you return to visit your dentist, and they’ll have you try out the aligners. If everything is proper, you can start the treatment as recommended.
Your dentist will schedule regular follow-up appointments over the next few months so they can monitor your progress and make any adjustments. Make sure you’re:
- Wearing the aligners for at least 20 hours a day
- Paying attention to the dates on each set; switch to the new aligners as recommended
- Removing the aligners when eating, drinking, or cleaning your teeth
If you follow the plan as recommended, you’ll slowly start to notice improvements in your smile!
Try Invisalign for Your Smile
Whether you’re dealing with an overbite, tooth misalignment, or gaps, Invisalign might be the answer. So come see our team at Heritage Pointe Dental! We can examine your teeth and determine whether or not Invisalign is the right approach for you. You deserve a straight, bright smile, so book an appointment with us today!
