The
Hertfordshire Centre for Dentistry is now a certified
centre for a revolutionary new system for straightening
uneven teeth. The 'Invisalign'® technique involves
straightening teeth 'invisibly' by using clear removable
plastic appliances called aligners. The aligners have
a 'snap fit' over the crowns of the teeth.
Using the latest advances in computer
3-D technology the Invisalign System combines clinical
orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning with graphics
technology to move the teeth with a series of customised
aligners. Aligners are manufactured the the fit is checked
in the clinic. Every two weeks the aligners are changed
by the patient which gradually moves the teeth millimetre
by millimetre over a varying period of time to produce
a perfectly aligned dentition. The system is proving
to be effective in universities and private practices
worthwhile.
The Invisalign system provides a convenient,
conservative alternative to fixed or bonded orthodontic
appliances with optimal aesthetics. Although suitable
for anyone with erupted second molars the system is proving
to be especially appealing to adult patients whose lifestyle
or job rules out the possibility of having fixed appliances
on the teeth. The aligners are invisible, comfortable
(no brackets or arch wires) and can be removed at any
time easily by the patient. Patients can still eat and
brush their teeth as normal.
Accurate PVS impressions are taken
and sent to California where they are scanned using computer
tomography. A 3D model of the teeth is produced and digitised
to produce the aligning sequence. The planned tooth movements
are viewed by the patient in a virtual video of their
teeth at the chair side. The can see their teeth at the
beginning of the treatment, at the end and all stages
in between. They will be able to see precisely what their
teeth will look like at any week during their treatment.
The system is most suitable for cases
where crowding, diastemas, extrusion, spacing, anterior
crossbite and rotation of teeth exist. Cases requiring
extractions are treatable although a period where a fixed
appliance is placed is recommended to produce bodily
movement of a tooth rather than pure tipping of teeth
to close excess spaces following extractions. |
