Active Aligners™ - An Alternative to Braces

What are Active Aligners™?

Active Aligners™ are better known in the orthodontic industry as transparent aligners or clear aligner therapy and involve wearing a thermoplastic set of trays made from transparent FDA approved material. You will wear the aligners in sequence through a series of stages as they gradually realign your teeth into their optimal position; this has rightly earned them the name "Invisible braces".

How does Active Aligners™ treatment work?

Active Aligners™, otherwise known as clear aligners, were based on fundamental orthodontic principles. Orthodontists use these clear aligners to correct crooked teeth, gaps, or rotation while achieving the desired results in a systematic and planned manner. These "invisible" custom trays move the tooth in the desired direction.

You must wear your Active Aligners™ for 22 hours a day for two weeks; this equates to one stage and will move your teeth up to 0.3mm. You will continue these treatment stages until your teeth reach their desired alignment.

Active Aligners™ can resolve cases in as little as six months.

Who will want Active Aligners™?

Active Aligners™ are for people who want a cost-effective alternative to traditional orthodontic braces that produce similar results in a shorter space of time. The design of Active Aligners™ makes them comfortable and discreet. You can usually wear them without people noticing; hence they are hugely popular with teens and adults who are conscious about their aesthetic appearance and want to avoid the traditional braces treatment.

The minimum age is set at 16 because all of the patient's permanent teeth must have erupted. There is currently no maximum age for Active Aligners, and many people find the nature of the treatment to fit their lifestyle. Your orthodontist may prescribe you to wear Active Aligners™, which frequently get used to treat misaligned teeth, gaps between teeth, and rotated teeth.

Active Aligners

What orthodontic problems require Active Aligners™?

Active Aligners™ feature as a solution to many orthodontic problems, including

  • Overbites
  • Underbites
  • Open bites
  • Crowded teeth
  • Diastema
  • Rotated teeth
  • Misaligned primary (baby) teeth

On your first visit to an orthodontist, you will receive a free consultation where your teeth will undergo a preliminary examination to ascertain the nature of your orthodontic problem. After the evaluation, your orthodontist will decide whether or not Active Aligners™ are the best treatment option for you.

Active Aligners™ vs Traditional Orthodontics

Traditional orthodontics involves using metal wires and brackets bonded to teeth to move them into their optimal position.
Active Aligners™ avoid using metal wires or brackets and instead function as removable clear plastic trays that get pre-moulded to the position of a patient's teeth after each stage of treatment. While wearing the aligners, a slight but precise force is applied to specific teeth throughout the treatment.

In some cases, such as when patients have highly complex bites, Active Aligners™ may not be the best treatment option, and we recommend traditional orthodontic treatment instead. On the other hand, Active Aligners™ are preferred by most candidates over traditional orthodontics because they are virtually undetectable, removable, affordable, more comfortable, and, in most cases, have shorter treatment times and produce similar results.

What are the benefits of Active Aligners™?

Comfortable to Wear

Active Aligners™ are super comfortable to wear due to their precise, metal-free and smooth fitting design. The smooth edges of Active Aligners™ do not irritate your gums or cheeks in the same manner as traditional braces.

Invisible

Active Aligners™ are invisible and barely noticeable compared to traditional metal braces. As a result, you can begin your journey to a picture-perfect smile makeover without anyone noticing you're wearing them.

Aligner braces

Premium Material and Polymer Technology

Active Aligners™ get made from FDA-approved materials; this means there will be no natural rubber latex or BPAs.

Improved Oral Hygiene

Active Aligners™ are removable, allowing you to maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine and adequately care for your teeth.

No Dietary Restrictions

Because there are no brackets or wires, you can easily remove your Active Aligners™ and eat and drink whatever you want without fear of food becoming entangled in the wires.

Improved self-esteem

Because they are invisible clear aligners, you can confidently wear your Active Aligners™ without worrying about your appearance, resulting in boosted self-esteem and overall satisfaction.

How Does Active Aligners™Treatment Work?

Scan or impression

  • We will examine the overall condition of the potential candidate's mouth and perform any necessary dental work, such as fillings and restorations, to prepare the mouth for Active Aligners™.
  • The next step is to send a 3D scan or an impression of the mouth to the treatment planners to determine candidacy.
  • If you qualify, the treatment planning team will digitally plot all tooth movements and model the patient's new smile, as directed by the provider.
  • After the treatment plan is approved, the laboratory will use high-precision 3D printing and positive pressure thermoforming to create the Active Aligners™ case in less than two weeks.

Alignment

  • Some treatment plans require IPR or attachments, which the provider will complete before the patient begins their Active Aligners™ treatment (generally done on the same day as a collection of Active Aligners™).
  • Active Aligners™ are worn for over 22 hours a day, seven days a week, and the next stage is replaced every 1 to 2 weeks.
  • Every 8-10 weeks, the patient will check in with their treating professional, either digitally or in person, to see how their treatment progresses.

Retention

  • The patient has completed their Active Aligners™ treatment and will need to wear their retainers for at least three months to keep their newly aligned smile.
  • Following that, at the discretion of their treating professional, they can progress to nightly wear or a fixed lingual retainer (1 set of retainers comes included per treatment).

Patient Precautions for Active Aligners™Treatment Work?

  • Tenderness or temporary discomfort may occur during the initial aligner placement and after switching to each new aligner.
  • The aligner may initially affect speech and cause a lisp, but this usually goes away within two weeks.
  • The patient may experience temporary increased salivation or mouth dryness.
  • When drinking hot, sweet, or coloured liquids, you should not wear aligners.
  • Suppose the patient does not brush and floss appropriately during treatment or consume sugary foods or beverages while wearing aligners. In that case, they may develop tooth decay, periodontal disease, and permanent decalcification and staining marks.
  • Lack of compliance in wearing the aligners for the specified number of hours per day or not utilising the aligners as directed can lengthen the treatment time and impact intended results.

Does Medical Aid cover Active Aligners™Treatment Work?

Depending on a person's medical aid provider and plan, it could cover the total cost of the treatment. As a result, we recommend that patients inquire directly with their medical aid provider about their potential orthodontic treatment. (Brent to provide an update)

[FAQ]Frequently asked questions about Active Aligners™

Active Aligner treatments typically last between six and seven months, but the time required may vary between two and twelve months depending on the individual case.

The minimum age required for Active Aligners™ treatment is 16 years. The minimum age required for Active AlignersTM treatment is 16 years; exceptions may be made by your dentist as needed (young teens usually will not qualify until all their adult teeth have emerged).

Please return any faulty Active Aligners™ to your provider as soon as possible if you discover a problem.

When they first start wearing Active Aligners, most patients do not experience any problems with their speech. However, some patients experience a slight lisp. Your mouth might feel uncomfortable while adjusting to having the aligners in the short term.