Overbite correction without braces: the unique possibilities of aligners

Everyone dreams of beautiful, straight teeth. But the prospect of wearing metal braces for several years scares many people, especially adults. Some worry that the braces will spoil the appearance of their teeth, while others fear that they won't be able to eat or talk properly.

Fortunately, modern orthodontics has made a big step forward in this matter and is ready to offer adult patients an alternative solution to correct the overbite without wearing braces - aligners. After all, everyone should have the opportunity to realize their dream of a perfect smile.

What are aligners

Aligners are removable orthodontic mouthguards for correcting an improper overbite. They are made of a special transparent polymer for medical purposes, so they are completely safe and invisible to others. Treatment with aligners in Russia began in the 70s of XX century, but the technology was imperfect and did not always give the desired result, so it was used very rarely. And only in the late 90's, the American company Align Technology gave aligners literally a second life, having developed a separate system for each type of overbite anomaly. Modern models of aligners are safe, comfortable, transparent mouthguards that effectively and quickly cope with almost any problem of malocclusion in adult patients.

Who aligners are suitable for

The mouth guards are made from impressions of your teeth in a dental laboratory, so you can rest assured that the aligners will be designed specifically for you and address your overbite problems:

• mesial bite
• distal bite
• open bite
• crossbite
• deep bite
• gaps, crowding, tilting, dystopia

This list of indications for the use of aligners does not include all overbite abnormalities. Therefore, the first thing you should do is to consult an orthodontist to determine whether aligners will help you in your specific case and how long your treatment will take. In addition, a 3D model will show you how your teeth will move into the correct position with the help of the selected elainer system. This way, before you even begin treatment, you will be able to see the final result.

As for age restrictions, overbite correction with aligners can be performed from the age of 14. There is no age limit.

Pros and cons

Let's start with the disadvantage. It is, perhaps, the only one - the high cost of treatment. However, the cost of correcting the overbite with aligners is calculated individually and depends on the complexity of a particular case and the number of drops. And if we compare it to the price of the highest quality braces, such as lingual braces, aligners in some cases may be a more favorable option to correct the overbite.

As for the pros, there are a lot of them, and all of them together overlap this single minus.

So, what makes aligners better than braces?

• Aligners are removable
  At any moment when you need it, the mouth guard can be easily removed and put on. However, it is important to remember about self-discipline: aligners must be worn at least 20-22 hours a day, otherwise you will not get quick results.
• Comfort during use
  Wearing mouthguards will not affect your usual lifestyle, smile and socializing. They are thin, smooth, soft, and fit snugly over your teeth - no pain or discomfort on your gums. Psychological comfort for many patients is no less important: aligners are absolutely invisible to others, do not disturb diction. Agree, this is very important!
• No diets!
  Braces are a great reason to go on a diet: no nuts, chocolate or ice cream, and so on for several years. But if you're not ready to make such "sacrifices", opt for aligners. If you want a snack, just remove the mouth guard and eat your food at your leisure!
• Easy care
  To clean your mouth guards, all you need is a toothbrush, warm water, and a couple minutes of time. Braces, on the other hand, require meticulous care after every meal and an arsenal of products. Toothbrushes, irrigators, flossers, special toothbrushes - this is what you will have to learn to use to thoroughly clean the bracket system and teeth from food debris.

In adulthood, it is more difficult to change your habits. Therefore, the choice in favor of aligners is obvious. Caps do not require prolonged habituation, compliance with special diets. They are hypoallergenic, invisible and insensible on the teeth, effectively and gently solve many problems with malocclusion.

Stages of treatment and timing

Overbite correction with aligners is carried out in several stages. Let us tell you what the patient should be prepared for.

• Consultation
  So, you have decided to realize your long-held dream of correcting all the imperfections of your smile and the first thing you do is to make an appointment for a consultation with an orthodontist. The doctor will conduct a preliminary examination, offer treatment options, answer all your questions and show you the results of treatment from his practice.
• Diagnosis
  A thorough diagnosis is necessary in order to draw up a detailed treatment plan, to choose an effective system of aligners and to predict the perfect excuse to go on a diet: no nuts, chocolate or ice cream, and so on for several years. results. Standard diagnostics include: dental impressions, panoramic jaw scans, teleradiographs, and photographs of the face and teeth.
• Computer modeling
  Before starting the fabrication of aligners, the doctor creates a virtual model of the patient's dentition in the laboratory based on the diagnostic data obtained, calculates the force with which it is necessary to influence each tooth using different models of mouth guards. Before you sign a contract for treatment at the clinic, you will be able to see how the teeth will change their position during the intermediate stages of treatment and what the final result will be.
• Fabrication of the mouth guard
  All the patient's data is sent to the dental laboratory, where a set of 20-40 mouthguards (depending on the complexity of the overbite pathology) is first produced on a 3D printer and then in a vacuum-former. Each model is numbered and differs in shape from the previous one by a fraction of a millimeter. After 2-3 weeks, your doctor receives a parcel with the mouthguards and invites you to the installation.

Before starting orthodontic treatment, it is necessary to undergo a complete oral sanitation, professional hygiene and preventive fluoridation.

• Insertion of the mouth guard
  The orthodontist fixes the first model of aligners on the teeth, gives clear instructions on their use and care, and schedules the next consultation. After two weeks, the doctor evaluates the first result and gives the next set of aligners, which you change independently according to the instructions. As for the duration of treatment, if the aligners are used correctly, you will notice the first results in 2-3 months. The period of treatment with mouth guards is on average from 9 months to 2 years and depends on the complexity of the clinical case and the patient's responsibility, his willingness to comply with all the recommendations of the doctor.

Contraindications

The main contraindications for overbite correction with aligners can be:

• presence of implants
• chronic periodontitis
• diseases of the nervous system and mental disorders
• serious anomalies of the dento-mandibular system requiring surgical intervention
• somatic diseases
• presence of retained teeth

Doctors do not recommend starting to correct the overbite with mouthguards to undisciplined patients who will wear them irregularly.

Memo to the patient

Aligners are very easy to use, but require strict adherence to all recommendations.

• Wearing time
  aligners should be worn for at least 20-22 hours a day, removing them only for eating and brushing. After two weeks, the mouth guard is changed to the next model.
• Nutrition
  The aligners are removed during meals, so you can eat whatever you want. Remember to remove the mouthguards when eating hot or cold foods.
• Storage
  You will be given a special branded box to conveniently store your aligners. When eating or brushing your teeth, simply place them in the box.
• Orthodontic appointments
  You will be given an individualized schedule of visits that should be adhered to. Generally, you will have to visit the doctor once every 1-2 months to monitor the results of your treatment.

Do you smoke? Ideally, it is recommended to get rid of this bad habit before treatment. However, if for some reason you can't, you should remove the mouth guard before smoking. Otherwise, it will negatively affect their color and transparency.

Cost of treatment

As we wrote earlier, the price of aligners is quite high, but it is fully justified by the number of benefits you will get in the process and as a result of treatment. The cost of overbite correction with aligners is calculated individually and depends on the duration of treatment and the number of mouthguards used.