Invisalign for an Open Bite: Everything to Know
Invisalign is an excellent tooth-straightening remedy for teenagers and adults that didn’t receive orthodontic treatment early in childhood. Orthodontic treatment doesn’t mean people must have metal brackets, wires, and bands mounted on their teeth. In contrast, after the introduction of Invisalign in the late 90s orthodontic treatments changed forever because Invisalign helped straighten teeth with transparent plastic braces assisting people in correcting many orthodontic imperfections.
Suppose you dislike orthodontic treatment because you don’t want to have a mouthful of metal. In that case, you can discuss your situation with the dentist near you to determine whether you qualify for Invisalign treatment to improve the imperfections impacting your teeth conclusively. The dentist nearby an Invisalign certified provider will assess your situation to decide whether or not you have mild, moderate, or severe malocclusion before confirming or suggesting you get treatment from an orthodontist to correct your problems.
Can Invisalign Improve an Open Bite?
Invisalign near you can help correct many mild to moderate situations of under-bites, over-bites, cross-bites, open bites, misaligned, crowded, and crooked teeth, besides gaps in your smile. However, if you have a severe situation of the above, the dentist suggests you seek orthodontic treatment that helps correct all the above and more with conventional braces.
What Precisely Is an Open Bite?
An open bite is also a version of malocclusion, indicating your teeth aren’t correctly aligned when your jaws are closed if you have an open bite, your upper and lower teeth in the anterior region of your mouth slant outwards and don’t touch when closing your mouth.
There are many reasons why you might develop an open bite. Prominent are thumb-sucking and pacifier use, tongue thrusting, TMJ disorders, and skeletal problems.
Treatment for Open Bite
Open bites have many treatments, and the dentist nearby makes specific recommendations based on age and whether your teeth have developed. The treatment modalities include behaviour modification, orthodontic treatment with conventional braces or Invisalign, and surgery. Suppose you have permanent teeth with an open bite of the mild or moderate category. In that case, you can receive treatment with Invisalign to correct the problem affecting you in six to 18 months depending on the severity of your situation.
What Is the Process to Get Invisalign?
If you desire to correct the open bite, a discussion with the dentist nearby is essential to determine the severity of your situation. The dentist, a certified provider of Invisalign in oak lawn, IL, will assess your eligibility for Invisalign treatment by conducting a comprehensive exam of your teeth while also allowing you to discuss your smile goals. If eligible for the treatment, the dentist captures 3D images of your teeth with an intraoral camera, allowing you to see how your smile appears after your treatment. The dentist requests you wait about three weeks before revisiting them to collect your first batch of Invisalign aligners to start your treatment.
During the second visit to the dentist, you receive your first batch of aligners which the dentist recommends you start wearing on your teeth for a fortnight before replacing them with another set. Invisalign creates a series of aligners for your treatment, with each brace being tighter than the previous aligner. Replacing the aligners every fortnight helps you gradually move your teeth into their correct positions to achieve your goal of having straighter teeth and a beautiful smile braces.
Changing the aligners every fortnight is one of many requirements of Invisalign therapy. In addition, you must ensure the aligners remain on your teeth for a minimum of 22 hours daily to achieve your goal as fast as possible. Invisalign treatment doesn’t restrict you from having the foods you love or stop you from maintaining excellent dental hygiene. The aligners have a removable feature and require removal when eating or cleaning your teeth. However, you must ensure you don’t use a removable feature for purposes other than eating and cleaning teeth. Not having the aligners over your teeth can delay treatment and costs, compromising the overall results.
Invisalign treatment doesn’t need monthly adjustments from your dentist because you replace the aligners every fortnight. Instead, you must visit the Invisalign provider to monitor your progress and collect your fresh batch of aligners after every six to eight weeks ensuring that you don’t have to spend on monthly appointments with orthodontists.
Mild open bites are corrected by Invisalign in approximately six to seven months, while moderate situations require 18 months or more. However, you can achieve faster results if you are diligent with the treatment and ensure you keep the braces over your teeth for as long as possible during your treatment.
If you are bothered by an open bite and need help to correct the situation with a comfortable treatment, Forrest Tower DDS provides Invisalign. This revolutionary orthodontic therapy helps you achieve your goal without metal brackets or wires. Kindly arrange a meeting with them today to assess the situation’s complexity and start treatment with Invisalign without delay.
FAQs
An open bite is a type of alignment issue where your upper and lower teeth do not touch when you close your mouth. This often affects the front teeth, leaving a visible gap even when the jaws are fully closed. It can affect chewing, speech, and overall bite function.
Open bites can develop from several factors. Long-term habits such as thumb-sucking or extended pacifier use, tongue thrusting, or certain jaw growth patterns can contribute. In some cases, muscle imbalance or TMJ-related issues may also play a role. Your dentist or orthodontist will help decide the specific cause during an exam.
Invisalign can help improve many mild to moderate open bite cases by guiding the teeth into better alignment over time. Whether it is the right option for you depends on the cause and severity of the bite. A full evaluation will help confirm if Invisalign is appropriate.
Your dentist or orthodontist will start with a full examination and digital scans or images of your teeth. You’ll receive a series of custom aligners that are worn in sequence, usually changing to a new set every couple of weeks. For the best results, aligners should be worn about 22 hours per day. We’ll monitor your progress during routine check-ins.
Treatment time varies based on how complex the open bite is and how consistently the aligners are worn. Some patients with mild cases may see results within several months, while more moderate cases may take a year or longer. Your dentist will give an estimate based on your individual needs.
Invisalign aligners are quite easy to remove, so you can continue your normal brushing, flossing, and eating habits. Just remove your aligners before meals and clean your teeth before putting them back in. This helps keep both your teeth and the aligners clear and clean.
Wearing the aligners fewer than about 22 hours per day can slow down progress and affect the final outcome. It may also extend your overall treatment time. Staying consistent with wear time is one of the most important factors for success.
Yes. Severe open bites caused by significant jaw positioning or skeletal issues may require other treatments, such as braces or a combination of orthodontics and jaw surgery. Your dentist or orthodontist will explain all suitable options after evaluating your bite.
Some open bites require extra help, such as small tooth-coloured attachments or features built into the aligners to encourage proper vertical movement. Because success depends on wearing the aligners consistently, patient cooperation is essential. In certain cases, supportive therapies may also be recommended to help maintain long-term stability.
Many patients see meaningful improvements in how their teeth meet, how they chew, and how their smile looks. Your exact results depend on the severity of the open bite and how closely you follow the treatment plan. Your dentist will review expected outcomes based on your individual case.