If you’ve been told by your dentist that you need Invisalign attachments, you might be wondering how these work. Attachments serve several purposes in your alignment journey, but most important is that they help your aligners to get a better grip on your teeth.
In this guide, we will explore how Invisalign attachments work, who needs them, and how to care for your teeth with attachments.
Invisalign attachments are applied directly to your teeth. The tooth-coloured material is virtually imperceptible, so you don’t need to worry about the attachments making it obvious you are wearing aligners. They work in a similar way to brackets in traditional fixed braces.
Attachments make it easier for your dentist or orthodontist to manoeuvre your teeth into the correct position as they help the aligners to grip your teeth. Your aligners will contain corresponding bumps, allowing them to click onto your teeth. Once you’re done with your alignment programme, the attachments are removed without leaving a trace.
What do attachments look like?
Attachments are tooth-coloured dots made from dental composite. The shape and positioning will vary depending on the goal. They may be round, rectangular, square or triangular depending on the placement. They are most often used to help with rotations, intrusions or extrusions.
Attachments on your front teeth will be more obvious than attachments on your rear teeth. Since the attachment is made from a tooth-coloured composite, it will simply look like a raised bump on the surface of your tooth.
Who Needs Invisalign Attachments?
Not everybody needs Invisalign attachments, but your dentist will let you know if this can help your treatment plan. Invisalign attachments help to move teeth and correct more complex dental problems.
If your teeth are not responding to the aligners, your dentist may recommend introducing attachments to help anchor your aligners to your teeth.
How To Care For Invisalign Attachments
You don’t need to do anything special to care for your attachments, simply look after your teeth as you normally would. The material should stay in place for the duration of your treatment, but if you notice the attachments are loose or fall off, you’ll need to visit your dentist.
Attachments make it more difficult to insert and remove your aligners, so be prepared to be a little more careful with this step. The attachments mean that your aligners will “click” into place. This can take a little getting used to.
Attachments can also trap food and bacteria, so you will need to be prepared for a little extra dental care while wearing them. You will need to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day as usual.
Rinse your mouth with mouthwash after every meal to help prevent the build-up of bacteria on your Invisalign attachments.
When you aren’t wearing your Invisalign aligners, you might find the attachments quite uncomfortable. They shouldn’t hurt, but you might find the raised texture feels odd.
Removing Invisalign attachments
At the end of your treatment plan, your dentist will remove your attachments using orthodontic adhesive removal pliers. Removing the Invisalign attachments is not painful and they simply pop away from the tooth surface.
You might find that your teeth are slightly more sensitive when the attachments are removed, but this will soon pass.
Any remaining residue will be buffed away using a dental polishing tool. Patients often like to visit the dental hygienist once the attachments are removed as this can restore your teeth and ensure no residue remains.
Ready to start your Invisalign journey with Sloan Dental? Get in touch with our friendly team today to book your consultation.
