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Repairing Enamel Wear from Invisalign Braces
asked 1 year ago by Nanlynn in Miltonvale, KS
Latest answer by R. William McNeill, DDS, MS
Question viewed 264 times
Tags: damage, enamel
I have had Invisalign since April of 2009, 9 months down the road my teeth are almost perfect. My question is if anyone else has noticed wear on their enamel of their teeth where the actual brace rubbed. If so is it fixable? Its not bad but I do notice it. There is no tenderness what so ever just concern. Other than that and a slight lisp Invisalign has worked wonderfully!
3 answers to Repairing Enamel Wear from Invisalign Braces
+1
TOOTH WEAR IS RARE WITH INVISALIGN
If teeth are normally formed, the enamel surfaces are quite hard and resistant to wear. Since the aligner material is resilient and quite a bit "softer" than the teeth, it is unlikely they would abrade the enamel surfaces. Enamel is vulnerable to softening (decalcification) when exposed for extended periods to anything that is acidic. Using aligners after eating, and particularly after drinking soft drinks or citrus juices, and not brushing does expose the teeth to acid and might...
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R. William McNeill, DDS, MS
Mercer Island Orthodontist
Mercer Island Orthodontist
+1
Enamel wear
Teeth are HARD, invisalign aligners are SOFT (plastic)...they cannot wear enamel...either you had wear before you started or too much acidic liquids when you were wearing the aligners
Robert Waxler, DMD, MS
Saint Louis Orthodontist
Saint Louis Orthodontist
+1
Invisalign is generally not abrasive
Since the aligners for Invisalign are made of plastic (resin polymer) and enamel is harder, the tooth is normally not harmed. It is possible that the wear you see is from how the teeth aligned previous to Invisalign treatment?
At the end of treatment, the dentist or orthodontist can polish the enamel to look natural and beautiful, so this should not pose a problem.
