How Do Invisalign Attachments Work?
Most people are familiar with Invisalign or other brands of clear aligners as alternatives to braces. They’re convenient because they apply subtle force onto the teeth for less pain, are translucent, and are removable, making eating and oral hygiene a breeze.
What many people aren’t aware of, however, is that innovation in this orthodontics technology called Invisalign attachments, or buttons, has improved Invisalign’s ability to correct more severe malocclusions and teeth alignment problems.
Where braces used to be warranted for more severely crooked teeth, over or underbites, and other malocclusions, there are no available attachments and buttons which are used in conjunction with the aligner trays to correct these dental problems too.
Attachments for Invisalign are dots or bumps made of composite resin which are adhered to your teeth. They are used to help the aligners grip more firmly onto the teeth as well as applying just the right amount of force to rotate teeth and push them higher into the gumline.
This is something the aligners would not be able to do themselves and is why patients with more severe dental problems were always ruled out as candidates for Invisalign and recommended metal braces.
However, with Invisalign attachments, these bumps come in all different shapes, sizes, and locations, with some teeth requiring multiple attachments and other teeth requiring none. These attachments help anchor these aligners to apply more force where it’s needed in a certain direction.
Buttons are another kind of Invisalign attachment that acts as hooks for bands, similar to how some braces function. When someone has a severe bite problem for example, and their front or lower teeth are pushed too far forward or backward, this helps to correct this bite problem in a way the aligners could not do so by themselves. The use of elastics and buttons helps gradually move the jaw and your bite into proper alignment.
Invisalign attachments and buttons are more noticeable than aligners alone, but they are likely to go unnoticed. The attachments and buttons are tooth-colored, so they blend into your natural teeth. The most noticeable part about attachments is that there is a small raised surface on your teeth.
However, this would be most noticeable when not wearing your aligner trays, and considering you need to wear them for 22 hours a day, this would only occur when you are eating or brushing your teeth. In other words, the only person who is likely to notice them is you.
Attachments and buttons are used to assist your Invisalign aligners in doing their job to correct more severe dental malocclusions. They blend into your tooth and are likely to go unnoticed.
Using attachments allows you to reap all the benefits of Invisalign and steer away from the uncomfortability and noticeability of metal braces. Other benefits of Invisalign attachments include:
It’s no secret that dental patients prefer clear aligners over traditional braces. They’re more comfortable, easier to clean, less noticeable, and offer more freedom. In the past, severe malocclusions have prevented much of the population from qualifying for Invisalign.
However, all of that has changed with Invisalign attachments. If you’re wondering if you’d be a good candidate for Invisalign, contact us at Santo Dental Group today. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Santo, Dr. Miles Santo, or Dr. Katelyn Domingues to find out if Invisalign is right for you.
We look forward to meeting you. Call 732-530-1003 or schedule an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.