When there isn’t enough room in one’s jaw for all of their teeth to fit normally and comfortably, it’s called overcrowding. Just like a jam-packed subway car during rush hour, but picture all the shoving and unhappy people as teeth. This is a form of malocclusion (A misalignment of the teeth of the two dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close.) and can become worse over time if not treated properly. Overcrowded teeth are often severely crooked and can result in plaque accumulation, an increased chance of gum disease, and major tooth decay. Invisalign actually helps with many of the issues crowded teeth provide, but there are other factors that need to be considered.
The variables when looking into Invisalign all depends on how overcrowded your teeth are. The vertical and horizontal components of your bite determines the need of Invisalign. It is most common for patients who have overcrowding to also have bite issues and noticeable misalignment. Even if you are someone who has fairly “straight” teeth you can still have a bite issue. It’s possible for some to need extractions if their mouth is severely overcrowded. Extractions would take place before the Invisalign process is started. By doing so, this would create more room for the other teeth to shift into place properly. Shaving teeth is also necessary before Invisalign could be applied to the teeth. This would be done carefully to the sides of the teeth to make more room and allow comfort. This can prevent future problems, including sensitivity.
Some people will need attachments (small bumps of plastic material) along with Invisalign. These attachments give a type of gripping point for the aligner to click into place and stay on better. These put pressure on the teeth in the direction needed to straighten the teeth properly. All of this will be determined by your specialist for they will know what it best to make that smile even better.
