What You Can and Cannot Do with Invisalign

Invisalign, the most popular type of clear braces, is effective for many orthodontic problems. However, it does not work well for all of the issues that metal braces can address. Here is what you can and cannot do with clear braces from our dentist.

What Clear Braces Can Do

Most of the common issues faced by orthodontic patients are resolvable with clear braces. For example, clear braces can straighten most cases of overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite. Overcrowding, another common orthodontic issue, also tends to respond well to clear braces. Not only can clear braces be as effective as metal braces for most bite irregularities, but they can also usually achieve these improvements in less time.

What Clear Braces Cannot Do

Some bite problems are correctable with metal braces, but not clear braces. Teeth that are vertically mis-positioned and teeth that are severely rotated are outside the corrective capability of clear braces specifically. Examples of problems that neither treatment can fix are narrow palate and improper jaw positioning. In these latter cases, special orthodontic appliances, such as palatal expanders, may be used in addition to the chosen braces.

The release of Express and Teen versions of these clear braces makes this type of bite correction possible for even more patients than before. An exam can reveal eligibility of patients for clear braces. At a consultation with Dr. Allen Sanders, you can learn more about clear braces and discuss your candidacy for this treatment.

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