All you need to know about Invisalign Attachments
A major element of Invisalign treatment is the careful placement of attachments onto the teeth. But what exactly are attachments?
Attachments are very small, tooth coloured pieces of dental bonding that are glued on to very specific parts of the patient’s teeth. They help to provide extra purchasing grip for the Invisalign aligners. The attachments help apply the correct forces to the teeth to move them into the desired position.
Invisalign is often marketed by Invisalign and general dentists as the ‘no wires, no brackets’ option. But as every Specialist Orthodontist, attachments are a fundamental part of Invisalign treatment.
It is possible to treat patients without attachments, if the treatment is very simple, and the patient is willing to accept longer treatment times.
Attachments can make it a bit more tricky to put aligners on and take them off, due to the snig fit that they create.
At the beginning of treatment the attachments can also rub against the soft skin inside the mouth, but if you wear your aligners as directed (min 22 hours per day) it should not be too big an issue as you’ll have an aligner on!
Its important that patients brush carefully around attachments as they do tend to be food traps.
To apply the Invisalign attachments, the Plaza Health Orthodontist will use a template that he has designed to accurately place the attachments in the correct positions.
This typically takes about 30 minutes to complete during your second visit.
Attachments will also need to be removed and reattached during revisions and updates to your treatment plan.
This is a normal part of Invisalign treatment. But more on that in another blog!
Most patients have no issues taking aligners in and out, but for those that do we can provide a special tool to help you.
Remember, the aligners are moving your teeth, so its not uncommon to feel a dull pain as movement occurs, but you will get used to it and the pain will subside.
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You can book online or give us a call on 01 444 0709