When you initially learned about Invisalign, you quickly found out about its amazing benefits and advantages over traditional braces. At face value, it seems like all you need to achieve your perfectly straight smile is these clear aligners. However, you might not have heard about something common in treatment called Invisalign attachments. Here, you’ll get more information about what these attachments are, why you may need them, and whether they will hurt to remove when treatment ends.
What Are Invisalign Attachments?
These attachments or buttons consist of a composite resin material, the same thing used to create fillings. Tiny knobs on teeth, they are either clear or colored to match your enamel, which means you shouldn’t easily notice these attachments unless you know what to look for.
Why Are Invisalign Attachments Sometimes Necessary?
Although traditional braces are bulky and visually distracting, they do come with some advantages over clear aligners. For one thing, the brackets provide significant leverage that can be used to make more advanced shifts. Invisalign attachments help compensate, making sure the aligners fit securely, and allow your dentist to accomplish moderately complex movement even without brackets and wires.
How Long Will Invisalign Attachments Be on My Teeth?
Typically, once you have attachments placed, they’ll likely remain on your teeth until you have completed treatment. On average, treatment usually ends within 18 months. However, if your upper or lower arch is finished significantly before the other, these attachments may come off sooner.
Note, however, that if you carelessly eat nuts, uncut fresh fruits or vegetables, or other hard foods, the attachments may chip off accidentally. In this case, they may need to be added again.
How Are Invisalign Attachments Removed?
To provide adequate leverage, attachments must be strong and tough. When it comes time to take them off, your dentist will use a drill that sprays water to break down the set composite resin and then a polishing tool to make the tooth appear natural and perfectly normal. Although this removal method may seem scary, it doesn’t involve any pain. In fact, you shouldn’t need to be numbed at all.
Taking off the attachments also requires much less time than putting them on, meaning you don’t have to wait nearly as long to finish off your perfect smile.
Although you may not have heard much about Invisalign attachments before, they are nothing to fear or cause hesitation. You can move forward with your clear aligners more fully informed and ready to achieve straight results.
About the Practice
With multiple offices in Lincoln, Williamsburg Dental is bound to be close to you. Our team has years of clinical experience and training, even in advanced treatment like Invisalign. We are happy to treat patients of all ages, which is why we offer both Invisalign and Invisalign Teen. If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign treatment, you can schedule a consultation at one of our location by reaching out to the specific office here.