Clear aligners are like the latest kid on the block – they are popular, attractive and also successful. However, their success rate in treating various malocclusions is often questioned. Many of us heard time and again that braces are painful and that orthodontic treatment is uncomfortable. So much so that when patients opt for clear aligners and feel no excessive pressure or pain while wearing the trays, they begin to question the effectiveness of the treatment. With many brands of aligners available today such as 32 Watts, Clear Path, Invisalign, Flash, Smile Direct club etc., it becomes difficult to choose which is the best. Most people opt for aligners those are most effective or most successful in treating cases.
But, how do we know which aligner system is the most effective?
To make it simple, let’s first understand what factors affect the success rates of various aligners.
Patient Compliance
This is one of the primary factors that affect the success rate of the aligner systems. The clear aligner trays need to be worn on the upper and lower teeth for a specified number of hours each day and for a specific number of days. However, many patients either forget or are not very discipline to wear their aligner trays as required by them to. This leads to the poor success of the treatment. Patients cite reasons such as pain and discomfort to avoid wearing these trays.
Activation Time
Most patients wearing aligners are advise to change their trays in every 2 weeks. It has been observed that the orthodontic teeth movement is 4.4 times more in the first week than in the second week. It has also observe that the success rate of completing the first set of aligners is higher. When the activation time is set at two weeks as compare to when the activation time is just 1 week.
Also Read: Invisible braces Cost in India
Materials
There has been a lot of research that continues to occur on the materials for clear aligners. Clear aligners are make of transparent plastic material that move teeth into alignment. The material used to make these aligners can be either soft or hard. The choice of material also determines the accuracy of tooth movements. Based on the brand of clear aligners you choose, the accuracy of tooth movements ranges from anything between 26% to 85%.
Another factor that determines whether your treatment is successful using clear aligners is the right choice of case. Though most patients would love to opt for clear aligners to get their teeth align, it is not possible in complicated cases. After your consultation and evaluation appointment, your orthodontist will tell you if you are a case for clear aligners. Only the rightly chosen cases have success when treated with aligners.
If you choose a poor quality aligner system, you must be prepare to undergo mid-treatment changes or mid-treatment refinements.
There are many brands available in the market today to choose from – 32 Watts Clear Aligners, Kline, Clear Path etc. But, making the right pick from these available aligners systems determine how successful your treatment using them is. For example, choosing a brand like 32 Watts that has successfully treat patients, is comfortable to wear, is support by laser-guide software to give you the best treatment plan and is also very affordable. While most aligner systems take about 2-3 months to begin your treatment, it takes only 7 days to begin your treatment with 32 Watts aligners.
So, the next time you wonder about the success rate or effectiveness of clear aligners, remember it depends upon many factors.
