DR.Murad Maraqa
Everyone wants to have a perfect smile while it adds extra beauty to any human being and who doesn’t love it. But not everyone has aligned teeth by nature or a beautiful smile. In a Survey held in the United States clarifying the importance of aligned teeth and a beautiful smile: • A “smile” ranked as the number 1 physical trait of a first impression among adults and parents. • When asked to prioritize physical issues they would fix if they were an issue for them or their children, both adults and parents ranked straightening teeth as their number 1 priority. • 43% of parents seek orthodontic treatment for their children because they believe it will help them be more successful in life, and approximately 38% believe it will help prevent bullying or judgment. • Adults rate teeth straightening number 1 over some self-improvements, including cosmetic surgery. • Adults who seek adult orthodontic treatment cite the top 5 reasons for doing so are to boost confidence (59%), attractiveness (55%), health reasons (45%), reduce judgment from others (24%) and help with career success (20%) Everybody loves straight teeth and a nice smile but!! Not everybody accepts the metal braces and the wires because they hinder the cleaning of the teeth and causes some embarrassment socially Here come the clear aligners to play a new role in the orthodontics therapy while not causing some of the problems caused by the classic braces Clear aligners are made of polyurethane plastic which is almost invisible and hence the name. These clear aligned are removable which are not like cemented or embedded metal and tooth braces. This makes a person comfortable as it is
easily removable while eating, brushing, flossing and a few important occasions.
6 main steps to have a straight teeth and a nice smile
1st step consultation and impression taking
At the first appointment the doctor should advice you and discuss if the treatment is suitable for you.
If yes the doctor will start taking impressions (moulds) of your teeth or a digital scans, which we send off to the aligners company. They’ll then use these impressions to create a digital model of your teeth and, based on your doctor’s recommendations, they’ll plan your treatment using special computer software.
2nd Virtual treatment plan
Your virtual treatment plan is then sent back to your doctor so we can make sure we’re happy with your end result and the way your teeth are going to move throughout your treatment (we can anticipate how
your teeth will look at every stage!)
3rd Receiving your aligners
You will receive a custom made aligners that will be used to straighten your teeth. The number of aligners that you’ll need will depend on how complex your treatment plan is. Usually you’ll have one aligner for every two weeks of treatment. It’s important to wear your retainers for between 20 and 22 hours every day.
4th Check up
Your doctor will give you a few aligners at a time and see you every six to eight weeks to check your progress and hand over the next set of aligners. Usually this is a quick routine appointment to make sure everything is moving as planned. Occasionally we may need to make small adjustments to your teeth or aligners. For example, it might be necessary to fit small tooth-colored buttons to your teeth to help your aligners move them in a particular direction. These are called aligners attachments
5th Refinements
As you reach the end of your treatment we may need to make some extra refinements to give you the very best results. These would be included in the cost of your treatment and might involve taking another set of impressions, the doctor can make you some extra aligners to refine your results.
6th Retainers
Once your treatment is complete you’ll be given fixed or removable retainers
While everything seems perfect all the patients wanting to go through an aligners therapy should care about these main things
1. Direct to consumer clear aligner services: multiple companies provide aligner treatment to patients by mailing their aligners and monitoring the treatment through a digital platform. The American Association of Orthodontists, the largest society representing orthodontists in the United State and abroad, released consumer alter explaining potential risks associated with such services. Direct to consumer aligner treatment might work in a very small group of patients yet one is taking a high risk for irreversible damages to their teeth and gum
2. Aligner precautions: Aligners should stay clean, avoid hot food/beverages, Stop Smoking, No Chewing gum and the aligners should be stored in the place designed for.
3. Find the right doctor: Always choose the doctor carefully and find doctors experienced with such technology would make your treatment smooth and successful.