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What Can I Do About "Black Triangles" Caused by Invisalign Treatment?

I started invisalign treatment in Feb. 08 for crooked teeth. I'm wearing the last tray for bottom teeth and the result is not nearly satisfying. Before I had only one slightly crooked tooth at bottom and it's still crooked.

What makes it WORSE is the black triangles. I didn't have them before. At the beginning I thought it was part of the process of moving teeth around and it will eventually go away. My ortho told me last week that they will be permanet and there won't be any fix! my smile looks worse than before. I'm really desperate.

Can someone tell me if there is any fix? I wish I knew this before I started. My Ortho didn't warn me about this at all. I still have 6 more trays to go for upper teeth. I see more black triangles start forming between upper teeth. I can't stop wearing the trays since my biting is not corrected yet. I'm stuck. Can someone help???

Asked 42 months ago by Lululu in NY

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black triangles

Additional Invisalign aligners may be needed

Suggest additional Invisalign aligners to correct the rotated teeth. Attachments and interproximal reduction may be needed. Interproximal reduction may also be an option to change the contact point of the two teeth, reshaping them to reduce the black triangles. You may require additional Invisalign refinement aligners in order to close any residual space. The good news is that once new contact points are formed following your Invisalign, there may be some reestablishment of your papillae... more

Jason K. Tam, DDS

Toronto Orthodontist

Black triangles

These triangles are due to your triangular shaped teeth meeting at the top due to their flair and hence a space opens up between. The dentist could create some small spaces by stripping the enamel at the top between the teeth, this will make the teeth less flared and traingular. He/she could then use Invisalign to bring the teeth closer together. Sometimes closer teeth can get the gum to grow up a bit further reducing these triangles. Hope this helps Dr R Kumar BDSLDSRCS... more

Doctor's Website

Raj Kumar, BDS, LDSRCS

London Cosmetic Dentist

"Black Triangles" can be corrected after Invisalign treatment.

Chances are that your Invislaign treatment did not "cause" the black triangles. It is common for gum tissue between severely rotated teeth to be less bulky than between properly aligner teeth. Then when the rotated teeth are corrected, the gum tissue is not bulky enough to fill the space. This is particularly true with adults. In adolescents, we typicaly see that the gum tissue will adapt to the space that is created by rotation correction. ( Good argument for early bite... more

R. William McNeill, DDS, MS

Mercer Island Orthodontist

Veneers can help

Whether direct bonded composite veneers (similar to a diastema, or gap, closure) or indirect porcelain veneers, the spaces can be closed. Often movement of teeth reveal periodontal issues. Sometimes the black triangles are temporary, but more often than not, when doing adult orthodontics the triangles are permanent. Sometimes simply making the teeth slightly thinner (interproximal reduction) and continued orthodontic care can minimize the spaces, but veneers should be considered as well.... more

Doctor's Website

Lance Timmerman, DMD

Seattle Cosmetic Dentist

Simple bonding or veneers for "black triangles" from Invisalign

Black triangles are formed from the combination of tapered teeth and receded gums or papilla (the triangular shaped gum tissue between teeth). Often when teeth that were originally spaced come together the black triangles become more pronounced. These black triangles can be eliminated with conservative bonding to fill in the triangles. In other instances in which the triangles are larger veneers may be necessary.