Clear aligner therapy is an orthodontic treatment that uses a series of custom-made, transparent plastic trays (called aligners) to gradually straighten teeth. It's an alternative to traditional metal braces and is often used for mild to moderate dental alignment issues.
How it works:
- Initial Assessment: A dentist or orthodontist evaluates your teeth and takes digital scans or molds.
- Treatment Plan: A 3D model of your teeth is created to map out each movement. Based on this, a series of aligners are made.
- Wearing Aligners:
- You wear each set of aligners for about 1–2 weeks.
- Aligners must be worn 20–22 hours a day, only removed for eating, drinking (except water), brushing, and flossing.
- Progression: Each new aligner makes small adjustments to the position of your teeth.
- Completion: After the last aligner, you may need retainers to maintain the new position of your teeth.
Benefits:
- Nearly invisible
- Removable
- More comfortable than braces (no wires or brackets)
- Easier to clean teeth