For patients who require teeth straightening, the prospect of wearing unseemly and uncomfortable braces for the best part of two years can be a daunting one. Thankfully, with the advances in dental technology that have occurred over the last twenty years, patients now have alternatives to the old fashioned fixed metal braces.

In 1999 Align technologies introduced the Invisalign brace system which revolutionised the world of orthodontic teeth straightening. Invisalign offered a genuine alternative to metal braces for the first time. Clear plastic braces had existed in the past but they were at best ineffectual and most patients still opted for the traditional fixed metal variety.

For teenagers in the most difficult and emotionally unstable years of development, wearing the visible intrusive metal braces could be a source of great embarrassment. For older patients, wearing a brace was often difficult because of the stigma attached. Thanks to Invisalign they were now able to straighten their teeth with a suitably discrete brace.

Invisalign braces are made from one thin clear plastic that are engineered and manufactures using the very latest in imaging and computer-aided technology. A series of twenty or so retainers are used consecutively, each with a small adjustment designed to move the teeth into the desired position. The retainers are more or less invisible unless up very close to the patient, and they also have the advantage of being completely removable. This is ideal for patients who need to attend important social or professional occasions. It also means that certain foods that are off-limits to foxed brace wearers pose no problem for the Invisalign system.

Each set of retainers needs to be worn for about two to three weeks on average, although this can vary on a patient-to-patient basis. Invisalign braces may not be suitable for all patients so consult a Leeds dentist if you think invisible Invisalign braces could be suitable for you.