Invisalign® treatment outcomes and treatment timelines are dependent on the quality of the
product from Align Technology (2 million cases, 97% patient satisfaction), the experience of your
dentist in working with Invisalign®, and your level of participation in this process. We need your
permission to be able to use all the components of the Invisalign® system, as well as your
commitment to full time wearing of the aligners.
Attachments
For certain types of movements to be achieved, aligners need assistance in maintaining their grip
on a tooth and therefore their ability to get the desired tooth movement. To accomplish this, Align
Technology custom designs small tooth-coloured “bumps” that are temporarily and precisely
bonded to some teeth to improve the effectiveness of the aligners. A small bubble in your aligner
will correspond precisely to each of these attachments.
These attachments are visible but not too noticeable from conversation distance. They may be
more noticeable on the upper front teeth but that is also where we want the highest level of finish
detail, and hence the possible need to use them here.
- I agree to attachments on any teeth as needed
- I do not agree to attachments on the following teeth. Of course, teeth selected will not
get the full benefit of the Invisalign® system. Please mark “x” on any teeth that you do not
want attachments placed.
IPR
Interproximal Reduction (IPR) is filing between your teeth to create up to a quarter of a millimetre
of space per tooth surface. Since this is the thickness of a few pieces of paper, it is generally not
even noticeable. The filing is usually done with a thin strip of metal that has fine diamond particles
embedded on one side. Dentists also use these strips to polish fillings between teeth so it is a
process that you may have already experienced. It is similar to using dental floss or dental tape
between your teeth.
IPR is very valuable because:
- A small amount of IPR on a number of teeth can create the space needed to correct
crowding without extracting any teeth - IPR reduces friction between tight teeth, facilitating movement.
- IPR can render better tooth shape and broader contact between teeth. This may be more
stable, more aesthetic and may result in improved gingival and periodontal health - IPR may be a successful alternative to extracting teeth to create space to realign your
teeth.
Your Commitment to Wearing your Aligners
Tooth movement is a biological process stimulated by very light force (200 grams). However,
efficient tooth movement requires that the light force be as continuous as possible. We have
learned from our patients that full time wear (22 hours per day) is more effective than episodic
wear. There are several reasons for this:
- When you wear aligners all the time, you get used to them – they become your new
‘normal’ feel in your mouth - When aligners are worn full time, the bite changes temporarily as the teeth are moved.
Therefore, when you don’t have the aligner in place in your mouth, your teeth will feel
strange when they bite together and may not contact together as you would have
expected. So it is more comfortable with aligners in than out. - Part time wear means that the aligners are not working as effectively.
- Please initial here that you fully commit to wearing the aligners full time (just taking
them out for meals and brushing) thereby maximising the potential of wearing
aligners - Please initial here confirming that you prefer getting some improvement with part
time wear, but not the ideal results.
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