If you have a misaligned smile as an adult, it can impact everything from your confidence to your ability to successfully brush your teeth and keep them clean.
When the use of invisible aligners became more prominent in dental surgeries, many patients rushed in to have assessments performed to see if they could straighten their teeth using this tool.
While suitable for most people, many patients were left disappointed to learn that invisible aligners were not proper for everyone and that there is a checklist that needs to be ticked off before your dentist can offer them to you.
So, before you rush off to book an appointment with your dentist, what are some of the contraindications for using invisible aligners?
Age of the patient
It is true that when it comes to Invisalign Clapham, as long as you are in good health, there is no upper age limit on having the treatment.
But it is uncommon for dentists to offer this aligner to people under the age of 18. Yes, there are options for teenage patients but this is only offered if the roots of the adult teeth are developed which, on average, happens between the ages of 17 and 19 years old.
So, if you are looking to have your teeth straightened but are a young teenager, then your dentist may suggest a clear brace or even a standard brace as a treatment option.
Severity of misalignment
While orthodontics has progressed enormously in recent years, the ability to move all manner of misalignment with a discreet aligner or brace is still a long way off!
If you want to use invisible aligners to straighten your teeth, you are more likely to be given the green light for this treatment if your misalignment is deemed mild to moderate. In cases where there is excessive spacing, crowding or even crooked teeth, your dental team may want to try a fitted brace as the first treatment option.
Given time, once the severity of the alignment has reduced via the use of regular braces, an invisible aligner may be offered.
Rotation and molars
Following on from issues surrounding the severity of the misalignment, it is also unlikely that you will be suited for invisible aligners if you need to have molars straightened or teeth rotated.
As before, clear and standard braces can be adjusted to provide relief from these issues but, when it comes to removable options, there simply isn’t the support to do so. So, if you have issues with bite alignment, teeth that have erupted at a twisted angle or spacing issues that extend to your molars, an invisible aligner is unlikely to provide a solution.
Gum disease
A big no-no for orthodontics of any kind is gum disease.
If during any orthodontic assessment this is detected, it will need to be resolved before you can have your teeth straightened.
This is because, if left untreated, gum disease can cause teeth to fall out. Paired with the applied pressure of an aligner or brace, this can result in more extensive tooth loss.