User:CorporateM/Invisalign

Comparison to wire braces
Advantages to using Invisalign include aesthetics, comfort for the wearer, improved oral hygiene and lower costs associated with time in an orthodontist's chair. The aligners are easier to remove than braces for brushing and eating and people typically experience less pain. In a survey by YouGov, individuals using a less noticeable appliance like Invisalign, lingual or a ceramic option were more likely to be seen as attractive and intelligent. The Invisalign aligners are more noticeable than lingual options, but also more comfortable and removeable.

Disadvantages to Invisalign include more expensive lab fees and potentially limited results for root movements or intermaxillary corrections. An article in New York State Dental Journal said the public is often under the mistaken belief that Invisalign can "place teeth anywhere in the mouth" and that more extensive clinical trials were needed to evaluate its efficacy. People using Invisalign are also more likely to experience orthodontic relapse.

Studies evaluating how well Invisalign works compared to braces have had mixed results. The only randomized clinical trials in 2005 were inconclusive. Although Invisalign has been used successfully as an alternative to surgery, it is typically recommended for mild to moderate crowding or spacing, as well as severe crowding and overbites in some cases. It is considered less effective than conventional braces at rotating teeth more than 20 degrees, extrusions, closing extraction spaces, or crowding and spacing of more than 5mm. Recently Align Technology has been improving the aligners with elastics, attachments and other modifications to handle more complex cases.

Misc

 * Suggest adding to the end of the Align Technology section: As of March 2014, Align had 500 patents and 200 pending patent applications related to Invisalign.


 * Suggest adding to the Lede and the very end of the History section: As of 2013, 58,000 dentists and orthodontists are certified to provide Invisalign treatments and there have been an estimated one million Invisalign users.