At Davis Orthodontics, we know that a new smile can change your life — and we want to help you achieve that. So if you’ve started your journey towards getting your dream smile and you’re interested in using Invisalign®, we’re here to get you there.
A good place to start is learning everything you need to know about Invisalign treatment. The first question many of our patients ask is “What can Invisalign fix?” Or sometimes, “What can Invisalign not fix?” Although an industry leader in clear aligners, it’s understandable to wonder if Invisalign can fix your specific orthodontic issues and get you the smile you want. After all, everyone’s smile concerns are unique.
This post will help you figure out what Invisalign can do for your bite issues. Here, we’ll cover:
- How does Invisalign work?
- What is the process of getting invisalign?
- The benefits of Invisalign
- What bite issues can Invisalign fix?
How does Invisalign work?
Let’s first start with talking about how Invisalign actually works. Simply put, Invisalign is a series of clear, BPA-free plastic aligners that you fit over your teeth. You wear them 22 hours a day, every day, taking them out to eat and drink, and brush and floss. Yes, unlike braces, Invisalign clear aligners are removable — in fact, you have to take them out to level up from set to set as your teeth gradually move into their optimal positions. That’s how Invisalign transforms bite issues like overbites, underbites, or crossbites into beautifully straight and healthy teeth.
An orthodontist like Dr. Buddy, Dr. Adam, or Dr. Sarah designs your Invisalign journey as a step-by-step series of teeth movements. Typically, Invisalign treatment involves 18-30 sets of aligners that you swap out every 1-2 weeks, depending on your prescribed treatment plan.
Now, you might be wondering how Invisalign actually moves your teeth. Whether you’re using Invisalign for gaps or crowding, or looking to Invisalign for an issue like overbite, overjet, or underbites, the basic science involves gradual and steady movements.
Invisalign uses a pushing motion that activates the periodontal ligaments connecting each tooth’s roots to its socket. This pushing force stretches the ligaments on one side of each root and compresses the ligaments on the other side of the tooth root. This stretched ligament/compressed ligament situation signals osteoblasts to build new bone cells on the stretched side, while osteoclasts break down bone cells on the compressed side. This allows a tooth to slowly shift until it has moved into its final spot.
Once your teeth have completed their incremental shifts, your teeth need time to adjust and your teeth roots need time to settle securely into their sockets. So even though you can say, “Good bye!” to your last set of clear aligners, you’ll need a retainer to help your teeth settle and keep them in position.
What is the process of getting Invisalign?
At Davis Orthodontics, we follow the golden rule: treat others like you’d want to be treated. So getting Invisalign with us is all about making sure you feel well-informed, confident, and cared for. And, of course, we want the best Invisalign results for you just as much as you do! In a nutshell, here’s how it goes:
Step 1 – Initial consultation. We kick off the process with a free consultation. Choose from Greer, Simpsonville, Spartanburg or any of our seven Upstate SC locations. Our team will take quick and painless x-rays and your Davis orthodontist will examine your teeth. We’ll then have a conversation about your diagnosis and treatment options.
Step 2 – Your Invisalign treatment plan. We use the latest orthodontic technology at Davis Orthodontics so an Invisalign treatment plan starts with high resolution images of your teeth, jaws, and gums with our iTero® scanner. This info gets translated into a 3D model of your mouth where your orthodontist moves each tooth on the screen to map out your entire smile transformation. You can see how your treatment will play out from beginning to end with the Invisalign Outcome Simulator.
Step 3 – Start your treatment. Your prescription is sent to the Invisalign lab where they’ll make your entire prescription of clear aligners. You then pick them up from us and start your treatment!
Step 4 – Wear your aligners according to schedule. You’ll wear each set of your aligners for 1-2 weeks before graduating to the next set, depending on your prescription. Every 6-8 weeks, you’ll come in for a quick progress check so we can make sure your teeth are on track. How long does it take for Invisalign to work? Treatment length varies from person to person, but you can expect about 1-2 years.
Step 5 – Admire your new smile! Throw that last set of aligners in the trash and reveal your amazing new smile! We’ll then fit you with a retainer so your results last a lifetime.
What bite issues can Invisalign fix?
You might have heard that Invisalign can only fix mild cases, while more complex bite issues need braces. But the good news is that, today, most people are candidates for Invisalign in the hands of an experienced orthodontist like Dr. Buddy, Dr. Adam, or Dr. Sarah. If you’re weighing Invisalign vs. braces, you could even say Invisalign is better because they’re really discreet and don’t interfere too much with your daily life.
So what can Invisalign fix? Invisalign can provide great results for bite issues like overbite and overjet, underbite, crossbite, and crowding. You can also use Invisalign for gaps — to close up small spaces if you have diastema — or help align teeth to create the right spacing for dental implants or bridges.
With this in mind, let’s get into more detail about each of the bite issues Invisalign can fix:
Invisalign for Overbite:
An overbite is when the top teeth stick out past the lower teeth. You might be familiar with this type of bite since it’s pretty common, and actually, a slight overbite is considered normal. But an unhealthy overbite is when the top teeth stick out too far in front of the bottom teeth. If left untreated, an overbite can result in excessive wear on your teeth, jaw pain, or make the top front teeth more prone to damage.
Does invisalign work for an overbite? Yes, Invisalign is often used to fix an overbite. And depending on the severity of your overbite, your SC orthodontist might add special Invisalign attachments, such as precision wings at the back and/or rubber bands. These mandibular attachments help shift both teeth and jaws into their best positions for a healthy and functional bite.
Invisalign for Overjet:
The term “buck teeth” pretty much says it all. Overjet, or “buck teeth,” is when the upper front teeth stick out excessively. With an extreme overjet, some people can’t comfortably or completely close their mouth without their top front teeth getting in the way. Overjet is often genetic, but is also caused by prolonged infant habits such as thumbsucking, tongue thrust, pacifier, or bottle use. Having overjet teeth can make your top front teeth more susceptible to damage.
Invisalign for overjet brings the top front teeth back into alignment with your other top teeth. And at the same time, fix an overbite that is contributing to how far your overjet teeth stick out.
Invisalign for Underbite:
An overbite looks like the opposite of an underbite: the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth when your mouth is closed. Sometimes an underbite is caused by the lower jaw growing at a faster rate than the upper jaw so it ends up sticking out further. An underbite can make it harder to speak clearly or chew properly. And just like an overbite, it can cause uneven or excessive wear on your teeth.
Since an underbite is a skeletal issue — meaning your lower jaw — severe cases used to call for surgery as well as orthodontic treatment. But thanks to new techniques and treatments, more cases of underbite go without surgery now and can be fixed with Invisalign alone. The team at Davis Orthodontics are happy to assess and treat your underbite with Invisalign, with fantastic results.
Invisalign for Crossbite:
A crossbite is when some of your top teeth sit inside some of your bottom teeth when you close your mouth. You can have either a back crossbite or a front crossbite, depending on where the misaligned teeth are found. Having crossbite teeth can wear your teeth down or cause chips. It can also lead to gum recession or little notches above your gum line, both of which can be painful.
Crossbites happen because of things like early loss of baby teeth, trauma to the teeth, genetics, or poor oral habits. It’s important to correct a crossbite because people sometimes compensate for their poor bite by moving their jaw to one side, which can lead to changes in facial structure and affect jaw growth.
Invisalign can fix crossbite in most cases, and attachments can be added to help encourage certain tooth movements.
Invisalign for Crowded Teeth:
Crowding is when your jaw is too small to fit in all your teeth with correct spacing. Teeth overlap, bunch together, or shift out of place to try squeezing in. In turn, your oral health is affected: crowded teeth can be harder to keep clean, which can lead to tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.
If this sounds like you, you can look to Invisalign to correct your crowding. Invisalign is an effective option for creating space and moving teeth into their ideal spots. And if your case is more complex, Dr. Buddy, Dr. Adam, or Dr. Sarah can add special, tooth-colored Invisalign attachments to help teeth shift in the direction they need to go.
So how long does Invisalign take for crowded teeth? As always, this depends on your specific case. Rest assured, the cutting-edge treatments at Davis Orthodontics mean your Invisalign is as effective and efficient as possible.
The benefits of Invisalign
Why Invisalign over braces? We’ve found that many of our patients choose Invisalign because it’s convenient and easy. Benefits include:
- You can eat and drink as usual. Because you take Invisalign out when you eat, when you drink anything other than water, and when cleaning your teeth, you don’t have to worry about avoiding foods that might damage your appliance.
- Invisalign aligners are nearly invisible. Whether you’re getting Invisalign for overbite, underbite, crossbite crowding, or gaps, you get results without looking like you’re going through orthodontic treatment.
- They’re comfortable. With Invisalign, you enjoy a gentle, continuous pressure throughout treatment. Clear aligners are also trimmed to the gums so there’s no irritation on your gums or the inside of your mouth like you get with braces.
- Clear aligners are a time saver! No adjustments means shorter check-ins with your Davis orthodontist.
- No awkward flossing or brushing. Take your clear aligners out and brush and floss as usual. And be sure to follow these great Invisalign tips and tricks to make sure you’re getting the most out of your Invisalign treatment.
Start your Invisalign Journey with Davis Orthodontics
As a leading provider of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen in Simpsonville and Greer, SC, you can trust that we’ll give you a healthy, beautiful smile with Invisalign quickly and comfortably. And our dedication to old-fashioned personal services means you’ll enjoy your smile journey every step of the way.
Contact us today to start your Invisalign treatment. Choose the Upstate SC location that’s most convenient for you: Simpsonville, Greer, Spartanburg, Clemson, Anderson, Walhalla, or Greenville.
