Invisible Adjustments: What Are Invisalign Refinements?

Did you know that straightening your smile can improve your appearance and your dental health? Overcrowded teeth are harder to clean because not all their surfaces are accessible to brush and floss. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of developing common oral issues, such as cavities or gum disease.

Thankfully, your dentist can reposition your grin with Invisalign. Many patients can complete this alternative orthodontic treatment in 12 to 18 months, but sometimes, refinements are required to finish the job. If your provider recommended adjusting your Invisalign treatment, continue reading to learn more about why this happens and how it works.

What is Invisalign?

Unlike traditional braces, which utilize metal brackets and wires to exert enough force over your teeth to move them, this method relies on transparent plastic trays. Your aligners are customized to fit over your arches like a glove to place just enough pressure on them to shift them gently.

However, you must wear them for 20 to 22 hours daily to prevent your teeth from reverting to their previous positions. Then, in a week or two, your provider will give you the next trays in your series to account for the ongoing movement.

Why Do I Need Invisalign Refinements?

Your treatment timeline is established in advance, and each set of aligners is predesigned in advance. You’ll need to schedule consistent follow-up appointments with your provider so they can monitor your progress and provide the next trays you’ll be required to wear. Usually, these visits are brief, but if your teeth haven’t moved at the anticipated rate, your dentist will need to adjust your treatment plan to accommodate them.

There are several potential reasons your pearly whites might not have moved as intended. For instance, older patients have firmer jaw bones, so it might take longer to shift your teeth than for a teen or young adult. Also, if you neglected to wear the trays for the allotted time, they might have begun relapsing to their previous placements.

How Do Invisalign Refinements Work?

To refine your plan, your dentist will provide additional aligners to get your teeth back on track. To do so, they’ll need to make new impressions of your teeth to create trays that fit correctly. This information is shared with special Invisalign software to begin creating them. Once they’re finished, they’ll be mailed to your dentist so they can provide you with the new trays and updated instructions about how and when to wear them.

If you still have unanswered questions about Invisalign refinements, the best way to get accurate answers is to consult your dentist!

Meet the Author

Dr. Gonzalez enjoys helping families in San Antonio build and maintain their most beautiful and healthiest smiles. He earned his dental degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where he graduated with honors on the Dean’s List. He’s a proud member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Dental Association, and is also a certified Invisalign provider, so you can trust that your teeth are in good hands. He combines a caring approach with advanced technology to improve patient comfort while delivering accurate treatment results meant to last. You can request an appointment on the website or call (210) 737-6900.