Invisalign

The aligner therapy ( from to align, align ') is an orthodontic treatment method for largely invisible treatment of lighter misaligned teeth, which works with a sequence of individually crafted, thin and transparent plastic rails (English aligner ).

Using a special computer graphics method, a predetermined treatment goal, starting from the actual condition of the tooth rows, which is held in jaw models, displayed in three dimensions and divided into individual stages of treatment. Then each individual rails are produced for each of these phases, each carried about two weeks. During this time, the teeth are moved continuously by applying pressure to the previously calculated direction. Then follows the next track until the desired treatment goal is achieved. The duration of treatment, depending on the degree of misalignment is usually between about 6 and about 18 months.

Benefits

• The plastic rails are transparent and thus less conspicuous than ordinary braces.
• The rails are removable. Thus, no problems with eating or oral hygiene arise.

Disadvantages

• Since the rails are removable, it is, in wearing non- consistent no continuous pressure exerted on the teeth, which can prolong the treatment. Compliance with the wearing time of 22 hours a day by the patient is a crucial factor for the success of the treatment.
• The teeth should be cleaned before the rails are used again as it may lead to superficial discoloration of the teeth otherwise.
• At the beginning of treatment may result in a lisp, until the patient becomes accustomed to the rails.
• At the therapy is given a retention phase.
• The method is not subsidized in Germany by the statutory health insurance funds, by private health insurance already. In Switzerland, the basic insurance covers according to KVG no treatment costs, while benefits may be insured by the then private supplementary insurance.

Requirements

The method is well suited for teens and adults (from about the age of 11 ). For the treatment with clear plastic mouth trays the late mixed dentition is approximately 11 to 13 years is a good time to take advantage of the subsequent body growth for the correction of malocclusion. The form of treatment is suitable for almost all misaligned teeth and can be combined with other methods.

History of development

The method to correct misaligned teeth with transparent plastic rails, goes back to the orthodontist Kesling of 1945. It is based on the therapeutic approach to achieve the goal of treatment with elastic devices gradually. Over the years, different methods of manufacture have been established. There are production processes in which the plastic rails are individually manufactured by dental technicians, as well as industrial mass production. Wider application and notoriety learned the treatment method by combining it with a computerized manufacturing process that was developed by Align Technology, Inc. (San Jose, USA) ( Invisalign ). The name Invisalign is a portmanteau of the words invisible ( invisible ') and align ( align '). As Invisalign treatment process was introduced in 2001 in the German market.