Invisalign retainer

[Ava]

Hello

I am thinking about having Invisalign invisible braces to straighten my teeth. At the moment my teeth are crooked and stand out when I smile, so I try to hide my teeth when I smile.

I have heard that Invisalign is almost invisible and most people can't tell if Invisalign trays are worn. Is this true or are the Invisalign trays obvious to most people? Can you tell me what happens after the Invisalign treatment is finished? would I have to wear an Invisalign retainer and if so, how would that retainer look?

[Dr Ehsan J. Esfahani]

Hello Ava,

Thank you for your post.

The big advantage of invisalign is that its almost invisible and wearing aligners is really not obvious to the majority of people. This is the main reason why people choose clear brace systems over traditional braces.

Invisalign is suitable for treating many cases however some cases are best treated with fixed braces. A consultation will determine the ideal treatment option and we can offer you this for free at Pearl Dental Clinic.

At the end of invisalign treatment when you are finally happy with how your teeth look, we will remove any attachments on your teeth and start the retention phase of your treatment. The retention phase involves maintaining the final position of your teeth with a retainer.

Generally there are 2 types of retainers (pictures below):
1) removable plastic retainer
2) bonded fixed metal retainer

Invisalign manufacturer there own removable plastic retainers called vivera retainers. They are similar to the aligners and of thicker material. Click on the link below for more information on vivera retainers.

http://www.aligntechinstitute.com/Pr...es/Vivera.aspx

Wearing vivera retainers are not a requirement for invisalign patients and any of the types of retainers discussed here can be worn.

After invisalign treatment is completed, most patients must wear their retainers all the time for six to twelve months. Then, if everything is all right, we will reduce the time to night only when teeth appear to be stable.