Aligners for straightening teeth – how to correct an overbite without braces?

The well-known saying “Meet by clothes, but see off by mind” clarifies how important it is to have a presentable appearance and a neat appearance. Crooked teeth are the first thing that catches your eye when communicating with a person. Therefore, it is so important to correct all significant orthodontic changes in time. Modern medicine offers many ways, one of which is the correction of teeth with aligners.

What are dental aligners?

Before going to the doctor, people often try to study the issue on their own, and choose the type of cap that will be less noticeable and more effective. At this stage, the question arises – what are aligners. These are removable orthodontic caps that look like box structures for teeth. They are made from a solid polymer, which, after melting, forms a transparent cover for the teeth. Dental tray for teeth alignment is used only for minor changes.

Types of aligners

A transparent mouthguard for teeth alignment is performed in different types and is classified according to the following parameters:

one. According to the dressing method:

• personal version, made according to a 3D cast of the patient’s oral cavity;
• a thermoplastic apparatus melted from elastic raw materials and put on the jaw while hot to give it the desired shape.

2. According to the material from which the aligner is assembled to align the teeth:

• bioplastic models;
• silicone caps.

3. According to the age:

• for adults, such orthodontic systems are installed only with minor curvature of the teeth or malocclusion;
• For children, aligners are used to correct an overbite.

four. By application time:

• round the clock;
• night ones are worn only with a slight curvature of the teeth and when the treatment comes to its logical conclusion. Night mouthguards for teeth alignment are very convenient, but they are ineffective for serious changes in the jaw.

Do mouthguards help straighten teeth?

You will notice the first visible changes after 1-2 months. The design is really able to align the teeth and help achieve the desired effect, but only with careful observance of the prescribed time of use and oral hygiene. Even if the desired effect is achieved quickly, you should not interrupt the treatment, the teeth after the aligners can quickly return to their usual position if the period of time determined by the doctor is not maintained. The final result can be assessed only after 6-12 months of constant use of the cap.

Which is better aligners or braces?

If you are wondering how to straighten your teeth without braces, then you need to contact a specialist to clarify the appropriateness of treatment. It is important to understand the difference between braces and aligners. Braces are a non-removable system, more rigid in terms of degree of influence and more effective. Aligners are a removable device, which is a colorless lining on the jaw with a recess for each tooth. Aligners act more gently, constantly affecting problematic dental units. It is impossible to say exactly which is better. Each case requires an individual approach.

Aligners for straightening teeth – indications

Mouthguards for aligning teeth are used for the following changes in the jaw apparatus:

1. Gaps between teeth, diastema or trema. Often such anomalies are characteristic of the front teeth, but it happens that wide gaps are located between the chewing teeth or fangs. In any of these cases, aligners to align the teeth will be effective.
2. The exit of one or more teeth from the entire jaw row. This can be in the distal, mesial, open or crossbite. Correction lends itself to teeth that have come out of the row forward or backward.
3. Rotated or twisted teeth. The problem appears during the eruption of molars, but it can be corrected only after 18 years, when a person is aware of anomalies in the position of the teeth.
4. The last stage of treatment obtained with the bracket system. People often ask themselves the question – what are aligners for teeth, photos of which are present in large numbers on the Internet. But few people know that they are often used after a long treatment with braces, to consolidate the effect. The device is recommended to be worn periodically.

Aligners for teeth – contraindications

Alignment of teeth with aligners is contraindicated if the patient has:

• anomalies in the structure of the facial skeleton;
• periodontal disease in the acute stage;
• the presence of hard deposits and impacted dental units;
• changes in the temporomandibular joint;
• somatic disorders in severe course.

Dental treatment with aligners

Asking the question – how to align your teeth, you need to understand that first of all you will need the advice of a competent specialist. The first step in solving this problem is a visit to the orthodontist. The doctor will conduct a thorough examination of the oral cavity and decide which method of treatment will be effective in your case. If the choice is made in favor of aligners, the next step is to take an impression of the dentition, on the basis of which the doctor will create a 3D model for your individual mouthguard.

Throughout the treatment, you will need several caps, each of which will slightly change its parameters. On average, a patient receives a set of 2 to 30 devices, which are changed every 1.5 – 3 months. Thus, the result obtained is fixed and the maximum bite correction is achieved. Aligners should be on the teeth for 18 hours a day or more, it is recommended to remove them only during meals and brushing your teeth.

But before proceeding with the correction of the bite, it is necessary to cure all diseases of the gums and teeth, as well as remineralize the enamel. Many patients are interested in the question – is it possible to wear night guards to straighten teeth and how long it will take for treatment. Night guards are used with minimal deviations, and only a doctor can answer whether they will be effective in your case. Treatment takes on average from 8 months to several years.

Stages of teeth alignment with aligners

Aligners for teeth correct malocclusion if the treatment occurs in the following sequence:

1. Doctor’s consultation, during which the doctor conducts an initial examination of the dentition and oral cavity, identifies existing diseases and cures them.
2. Selection of the treatment method and type of cap. Development of a plan and scheme for correcting anomalies.
3. Removing an impression from the lower and upper jaws using a heated silicone pad.
4. Making a plaster model of the future orthodontic system. The dental technician carefully corrects each tooth.
5. Development of aligners for each stage of treatment using a previously compiled 3D model.
6. Trying on and installation of the starting aligner, receiving recommendations for its care and further use of caps.

How to wear a mouthguard to align your teeth?

The duration of treatment and wearing a cap depends only on the individual characteristics of patients. Someone will help a mouthguard at night to straighten their teeth, and someone needs to make an apparatus for around-the-clock use. Only an orthodontist can determine which method will be more effective. Doctors recommend wearing aligners 18 to 22 hours a day. The break includes time for eating and brushing your teeth. Caps are comfortable and do not cause discomfort.

How to care for a dental guard?

Mouth guards do not require special care, they must be washed daily under running water and the inside surface should be cleaned with toothpaste. The main rule is not to heat the aligners under a hot stream. High temperature can easily deform the material. The cleaning procedure should not be neglected, even if the device visually looks clean, microorganisms that harm the teeth can accumulate on its surface. After eating, the mouthguard must be removed, rinsed, the teeth under it should be cleaned with dental floss and a brush, and then put on the aligners to align the teeth.

Before and after photos clearly show the result: