What are Clear Aligners and Reasons You Should be Getting It?

Dental technology has evolved a lot over time keeping in mind new age advancements like newer materials that are compatible with the tooth repair and jaw structure. This is combined with innovation and invention to ensure that dental care need not be embarrassing for the patients in a social outing. Clear aligners are one such step forward in the field of medical dentistry that offers a range of advantages to the patients.

What are clear aligners?

Clear aligners refer to the braces that are used to straighten or align the teeth that are crooked or not in a straight formation. But they are very different from the traditional kind of metal braces that used to cause a lot of problems when used. The difference is in the material used to make them, as they are not made up of metal wires and brackets.
Clear aligners are made up of a particular plastic that becomes invisible when used, so that, the braces or the aligners are not noticeable and one does not have to compromise with smiling or talking. This is one of the biggest advantages that make patients prefer clear aligners over the traditional and socially awkward metal braces.

What are Clear Aligners made up of and how do they Function?

Clear aligners are removable plastic trays. They make use of a force in order to bring the teeth in the right position or alignment. As they are not made up of metal wires and brackets, they cause very little problem. Their material is a strong plastic material, which allows the aligners to fit into a different person’s mouth. Clear orthodontic aligners can also be used in series, where one aligner is placed for a fixed time period and is then replaced and so on till the required results are achieved.

The aligners work in this way: an aligner is applied to the teeth, which are fixed for a particular time period. After that, another aligner, which is somewhat different from the first one, is applied. Hence the series of aligners are used from time to time. This change brings about the required shift in the teeth positions.
Clear aligners need to be worn for at least twenty hours each day. And they are worn for about six months or two to three years in order to bring the desired results in the teeth alignment. As a sequence of aligners is there, each aligner is worn for three weeks one by one, as per the changes required. Time duration may vary as per each individual. But yes, they require much lesser time when compared with the traditional braces.

Differences between the traditional braces and clear aligners.

Traditional braces are different from the clear aligners due to the material they are made from, because of their cost, their usage way, their way of functioning and the time duration they take to give the results. As mentioned above, traditional braces are made from metal wire and brackets, while aligners are made from plastic. Braces are less expensive than the aligners and are fixed onto the teeth. They need cleaning from time to time or say daily. But this is not the case with the clear aligners, as they can be removed by the user when required. Aligners take comparatively lesser time to solve the problem.

Advantages of clear aligners in getting orthodontic treatment

There are many benefits of clear aligners due to which they are being preferred so much these days. Many of the reasons one should use these to get the treatment have been mentioned above. Some of the main reasons are as follows:
  1. They take lesser time to give results: Clear aligners take a comparatively lesser amount of time in the process of bringing teeth to their ideal positions. Hence, the patients do not have to use them for long as in other braces.
  2. They are invisible: As they are made up of special plastic material, they are almost invisible and therefore do not stop the persons using them from smiling. This is one of the most important reasons as most people feel awkward in using braces for their teeth as they affect the look of their faces.
  3. They are most comfortable with their kind: Aligners are far more comfortable than braces because they are easier to use and they give lesser pain troubles to the user. These are not painful while talking or during other movements of the teeth.
  4. They are removable: These can be removed when required cleaning or for any other purpose, for example, during an event when he or she does not want to wear them or during flossing, eating or drinking. They are plastic trays that can be removed and put on again quite easily. One can also brush his or her teeth whenever needed.
  5. They are easier to manage: The trays can be removed and cleaned daily or as suggested by the doctor. This process is more convenient with the aligners than braces as they do not contain metal wires and are not fixed ones.
  6. They are useful for patients with orthodontic problem history: Patients who have suffered from orthodontic problems in the past and have used braces can take the benefit of clear aligners to give perfection to the treatment process.
  7. They prevent teeth from getting ground: They prevent the teeth from grinding as well, in the process of the treatment. This is also one of the major reasons to use these kinds of aligners.
Besides these points, aligners also decrease the need to visit the doctor making it all more convenient. These reasons must be enough to understand the advantages of this product. These clear orthodontic aligners have proved to be a miracle for the people with the problem of wrongly aligned teeth, giving them a better solution than others.
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