Dr. Margo Robinson recently attended an advanced training session on Invisalign treatment at a class in Baltimore, MD. At the class she learned about advanced tooth movements that could be achieved with Invisalign, as well as some new services and protocol that the company is using to achieve optimal outcomes for cases. 

Currently, Invisalign treatment is primarily used to treat mild to moderate crowding or spacing of teeth in mostly adult dentitions. Invisalign uses a series of removable, invisible, and comfortable trays to move teeth and align them for esthetic as well as dental health reasons. When the teeth are straightened, they are much easier to keep clean and set up the situation for an ideal environment for patient homecare. The average treatment time for a typical Invisalign patient is eleven months, although it is variable depending on each particular situation.  The new advancements in Invisalign help the teeth to move more quickly and thus make the aligners more efficient.

The course also focused on finishing and perfecting cases, as well as long term retention to keep the teeth aligned. The new thought is that retention, meaning bonded wires or retainers, need to be used throughout a person’s life to prevent recurrences of crowding and spacing of the teeth. This is a new idea but important to know before beginning any type of tooth movement procedures. Thanks to Invisalign, millions of adult patients have been effectively treated to improve oral hygiene and esthetics. Invisalign is an up and coming procedure and will most likely replace a majority of traditional orthodontic procedures in years to come.