No Invisalign Attachments
No one wants attachments placed on their teeth!
Background
Aligntech is the company that created Invisalign Aligners. Aligntech wants every dental practice in the world to use their aligners. To make this goal possible Aligntech will write the Invisalign prescription for dentists that haven't been trained in orthodontics. Hard to believe, but you can use Invisalign to treat patients, and all you need to do is take a 1 day seminar.
Ok, so what does Invisalign making it easy for general dentists, have to do with attachments?
In order for Invisalign to ensure predictable tooth movements when using a general dentist, the lab at Aligntech will use a standard template with the attachments already inserted. This template, in its entirety, is inserted into the patients mouth and the doctor bonds the attachments to the patients teeth. The template is like one of the aligners that you will wear but in this case it is used to temporarily deliver the attachments to the dentist.
The issue with this is that the standard treatment templates that the Aligntech lab uses, rely on attachments to reduce the number of different templates they would have to maintain for each orthodontic condition. You can think of it like buying clothes off the rack or having them custom made. The clothes can be made out of the exact same materials but fit completely differently. The aligner fit, number of necessary trays, and the discomfort are determined by the person preparing your prescription.
Invisalign in the hands of an Orthodontist versus a Dentist.
So now you see that Invisalign is just a tool. One of many tools that an orthodontist might select to create your perfect smile. A general dentist on the other hand is just selling Invisalign service on the side. If you have an easy orthodontic case you might fit into one of Aligntech's template solutions that won't need attachments. However, more likely than not, you will get a prescription with attachments from a general dentist.
At Invisalign Austin we hate attachments!
Because we are specially trained orthodontists, who have performed over 5,000 Invisalign cases since 1999 and over 17,000 orthodontic cases since 1991, we write the Invisalign prescription to not have attachments if at all possible. Even the most difficult cases can avoid attachments because we have other tools we can bring in and out of your Invisalign treatment.
More information about Invisalign Attachments.
Even a trained orthodontist might recommend a solution that has a lot of attachments. That is how you know it is time to get a second opinion. You would seek multiple proposals to renovate your house, it only makes sense to talk to several doctors to create your perfect smile! Here are some pros and cons of attachments:
PRO: They allow a large amount of torque to be placed on the tooth.
CON:
- They are initially rough, pointy, and sharp.
- They don't always match the color of your teeth.
- Dentists who use attachments won't hesitate to use Buttons.
- With Buttons comes elastic rubber bands. Might have well used metal braces.
- The attachments can easily get knocked off when chewing
- The soreness caused by the attachments can take awhile to subside
New Invisalign Buyer's Guide
Give us a call! (512) 327-7575
The call is free, the appointment is free, and the prescription is attachment free. 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion, make sure your doctor is a good match for you. It literally costs no more to talk to an Orthodontic Specialist than it does to talk to a general dentist.