Three Pressing Questions About Invisible Braces Answered

Invisible and removable braces are very popular because kids and adults never have to worry about someone noticing the braces on their teeth. Unless you pop them out during a meal and then pop them back in, no one around you would know that you wear them. Some people have asked some important questions about invisible braces, either due to curiosity or concern as to how they can last. Those questions and answers follow.

What Are Invisible Braces Made Of?

You have probably wondered about this yourself. How durable are invisible braces, and what makes them durable enough to do what they are supposed to do? Invisible braces, like the Invisalign ones, are made of a patented plastic material, the exact composition of which is a carefully guarded company secret. In fact, it is so carefully guarded that a former employee of Invisalign left the company to form another invisible braces brand with the same technology and was sued. However, the material that these braces are made of is engineered by CAD tools and software, which calculate the necessary density of a material in order to withstand the typical bite force of an average adult.

How Much Change Occurs With Each Set of Aligners?

The amount of change you see in your smile is so minuscule that you will not notice it until after you have switched out about five sets of aligners. Your orthodontist sets your treatment program to move your teeth every two weeks by a fraction of a millimeter, somewhere between .25 and .33 millimeters. If you do the math, that means your teeth will move about one millimeter every two to two and one half months. It is not an immediately dramatic or overnight solution for straightening your teeth, but at the end of your treatment, your smile will look very different from when you put in your first set of aligners.

Are Invisible Braces More Expensive?

Yes, they typically cost about $1,600 more than metal braces, and almost all dental insurance plans do not cover them because they are considered cosmetic. Also, the invisible braces are only for teens and adults who have all of their adult teeth and none of their baby teeth. An orthodontist or dentist will not give children invisible braces no matter how much a parent begs, because that is not who they were designed for. The special cleaning kits you have to buy to keep your aligners in tip-top shape are also quite expensive. You do not have an option not to buy the cleaning kits because denture cleaners can scratch or discolor the aligners.