Do Invisalign Attachments Always Need to be Used?

You may not need any accessories for your Invisalign treatment. If your treatment plan is simple and Invisalign aligners can do all the alignment work on their own, you may never need attachments on your teeth. However, if your orthodontist has recommended that you wear Invisalign attachments to straighten your teeth, it's important to understand how they work and why they are used. Attachments are small, tooth-colored “bumps” that are attached to teeth using dental compounds.

They will be placed in precise locations to allow the aligners to grasp the teeth while guiding them to their new locations. Buttons are small accessories used to attach or anchor elastic bands. They can be tooth-colored or metal, depending on location. Metal ones are usually used on the back teeth, since no one will see them.

An Invisalign attachment adheres to the tooth with the use of a composite resin and is easily removed with a polishing tool. This will not cause any damage to your teeth or cause any pain. Depending on your specific location and the shade of the composite bonding material used, these Invisalign accessories may be more or less obvious. Invisalign treatments don't always require Invisalign accessories.

With the help of an Invisalign treatment simulation, your dentist will be able to determine if any phase of your treatment will require the placement of Invisalign accessories. Not everyone with Invisalign needs attachments; whether you need them depends on your treatment plan. Your dentist will tell you if it should be part of your treatment plan. Many Invisalign patients get a little help when it comes to the hard work of moving their teeth.

The small attachments are temporarily applied to the teeth so that the aligners can fit into place more tightly. When working with each patient, a good, experienced orthodontist has a wealth of experience and knowledge to draw on; whereas an Invisalign dentist who is a general practitioner does not have the same set of skills and specialized training that an orthodontist does. But if your teeth don't move according to your plan, Invisalign accessories provide extra strength to get you back on track. If you want to learn more about Invisalign, its accessories and where they are expected to be placed, be sure to talk to your dentist during your initial consultation.

It's essential to note that the cost of Invisalign will vary from case to case, depending on the complexity of the dental problem, the number of aligner trays that will be used during treatment, your orthodontist, and your dental insurance coverage. If you still have questions about Invisalign accessories or wonder if Invisalign is right for your smile, schedule a consultation with Legacy Orthodontics, Leesburg VA's leading provider of Invisalign. Invisalign accessories are best kept on throughout the course of treatment, but in certain cases they can be removed. Fortunately, Invisalign accessories respond well to whitening, so you can whiten them throughout your treatment, just like your teeth.

An experienced Invisalign provider should be able to determine which of your teeth would likely need accessories. If you're interested in the benefits of Invisalign and want to learn more about straightening your teeth, contact Nashoba Valley online or call us at (97) 425-9088 to schedule an appointment today. Although they will make your treatment a little more visible to people close to you, you will continue to receive the most discreet treatment possible when you use Invisalign with accessories.