10 Fast Facts About Invisalign Attachments

Invisalign attachments serve an important purpose by anchoring Invisalign aligners in place. Your treatment will be that much more successful for having worn attachments, but what are they all about? Do you really need them? And how annoying are they?

1. Attachments are small.

Attachments are small dots made either of dental bonding or composite resin. They can be squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, or other shapes. Because they are tooth-colored, they blend into your teeth and are discreet, just like Invisalign trays.

2. Location will vary.

Attachments are typically placed near the middle of the tooth, but their location will vary depending on how a tooth needs to move and in what direction.

3. Attachments may or may not be visible.

Understandably, an Invisalign-wearer doesn’t want to do anything that will draw attention to their ongoing orthodontic treatment. Sometimes attachments are obvious, particularly if they’re on prominent front teeth, and sometimes they will be toward the back of your mouth and less visible.

4. They do important work.

The job of attachments is to help anchor the trays to teeth and force the tooth roots and crowns into their proper position. The shape and size of the attachment you get will depend on what goal is trying to be achieved, like rotating a tooth.

5. They’re not permanent.

Attachments are carefully popped off your teeth at the end of treatment and after they have served their purpose but before you begin to wear your retainer. Any residue will be buffed off the tooth that held the attachment so that it is smooth and looks normal.

6. They can be a little frustrating.

It is necessary to carefully click your aligners into place when there are attachments on your teeth so that the spaces created in your trays for the dots fit over them precisely. Some patients are irritated by their attachments when the trays are out of their mouth, but this is a minor inconvenience for a lifelong straight smile.

7. They must be cleaned carefully.

Though you won’t need any special tools to clean your teeth and attachments every day when you wear Invisalign (unlike conventional braces wearers), it will be important to brush meticulously around them. Food and plaque can build up on the dots during meals and you don’t want to give decay an opportunity to settle in.

8. You might not need attachments.

Most Invisalign patients need attachments to make their treatment work better and more effectively, but not every tooth needs an attachment. The typical Invisalign patient can wear up to 20 attachments. Or you may be one of the lucky folks who has a simpler case, can wear Invisalign Express, and do not need attachments at all.

9. Attachments will be determined at the start.

Your Haymarket Invisalign provider will determine whether you require attachments at the start of your treatment. You are unlikely to be surprised with these dots in the middle of your treatment.

10. Attachments may make Invisalign possible for you.

If you have always shied away from braces because you don’t like their visibility, but you were told that other methods wouldn’t straighten your teeth, it may be time to investigate again. Attachments have made Invisalign a viable option for tooth movements that might not otherwise have been possible – and have made many people candidates for this revolutionary alignment method.

Find out if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign. Schedule a consultation with Haymarket Invisalign provider Dr. Sina Reangber. Contact LifeTime Smiles today.