The main appeal of clear aligners is that they are a more visually appealing transparent alternative to traditional track braces with unsightly metal bands.
But clear aligners aren’t purely chosen for their aesthetic reasons and can also help with some more serious dental issues that, if left, can have larger implications. But what problems are these, and how do clear aligners help to treat them?
What jaw alignment issues can Clear Aligners help to treat
The majority of people think that braces and aligners only help with conditions such as tooth overcrowding or gapped teeth. However, with modern advancements in orthodontics, clear aligners are the perfect solution to a large number of dental misalignments that you may be unaware of, including:
Clear Aligners for Open Bite
An open bite is a jaw alignment issue when the top and bottom front teeth don’t meet at all. Depending on the severity of the open bite, this gap can be very small and not cause any real issues; however, others can make it incredibly difficult to bite and chew foods effectively.
An open bite can sometimes cause speech impediment and lead to more serious issues such as Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD).
Clear aligners can work to close the gap between your top and bottom teeth by adjusting the molars on either side so that they can close the space between the front teeth.
Clear Aligners for Underbite
An underbite, as the name suggests, is when your lower teeth go past the upper front teeth. This prevents the front teeth and molars from operating as they should resulting in an accelerated rate of tooth wear as well as causing painful jaw and joint problems.
Clear aligners work to subtly apply force to the bottom teeth over the course of multiple aligner trays that gradually work to push them back behind the upper front teeth as they should naturally sit.
Clear Aligners for Overbite
An overbite is when the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower, causing jaw pain, tooth damage and
Deep bites can often lead to gum problems or gum irritation. This type of misalignment can also cause wear on the lower teeth, which can result in painful jaw and joint problems.
Clear aligners are able to help correct this by the clear aligners working in tandem to move the upper teeth upwards to where they should sit and the lower teeth downwards.
Clear Aligners for Deep Bite
A deep bite is when both the top and bottom part of your jaw doesn’t line up correctly. A jaw misalignment like this can cause some serious issues if left untreated, as the upper teeth will apply pressure on the inside of the lower teeth, putting them at a higher risk of wear, gum disease and bone loss as a result.
If you are only suffering from a mild ‘deep bite’, it is possible to be treated with invisible aligners by applying force to the front teeth in order to open the bite up, so it is an ideal level (where the top teeth overlap the bottom by 2mm).
Some additional steps may be required if the deep bite is more severe such as bite ramps or elastics. But despite this, Clear Aligners are still an ideal solution for deep bites and are able to correct around 90% of cases.
How do Clear Aligners work to help these teeth issues
Clear Aligners Southampton are proud Invisalign Platinum providers that utilise the latest 3D modelling technology so that our expert dentists can forecast the movement of your teeth in order to create a fully bespoke Invisalign aligner which will work to straighten your teeth no matter the issue.
Clear Aligners are suitable for children and adults, no matter your age, it’s never too late or early to give yourself the smile you deserve. The best way to know if Clear Aligners are a good option for you is to book a full consultation with one of our Invisalign Dentists in our Southampton clinic to see whether you’re a good candidate and if we can help with your dental misalignment.
Get in touch today to start your smile journey and have our award-winning Invisalign dentists develop a personalised cosmetic dentistry plan for your specific needs.
