Clear aligner

Today's technology offers a wide range of orthodontic therapy, and the most modern and currently most sought after are clear braces. Leave it to our experts and see for yourself all the advantages and efficiency of wearing transparent braces.

Visit us and check out why to choose the St. Catherine Dental Centre:

• the most modern systems for correction of teeth positioning
• minimal visibility
• wear comfort
• relatively fast therapy
• perfect supplement for fixed dentures

Clear aligners

Clear aligner is a type of modern mobile teeth braces. Opposed to fixed dentures, clean aligners are removed when eating while for the rest of the day and night they have to be placed on the teeth, if results are to be achieved. With advances in technology today they can do practically everything what fixed dentures do, with the exception of correction of hardest anomalies. Aligners are made with use of digital technology; after the dentist and the patient together determine the goals of the therapy and after teeth impressions are taken, a digital planning of teeth shifting is started. In this way the final position of each tooth can be very precisely affected.

Achieving a beautiful smile with the most modern and fastest method

Before the therapy starts the patients is given a so-called tooth shifting visualisation for review. Visualisation is an excellent tool which enables the patient to give suggestions and thus participate in the teeth shifting planning. The classic fixed denture does not provide this possibility. Following the visualisation, a 3D printer shall produce models – in each model the teeth are slightly shifted towards their final position. According to each model one aligner is produced out of medically approved plastic material and the patient wears it for 7-10 days and exchanges it on his own. When the braces are handed over the patient is provided with detailed instructions on the wearing and maintenance of the aligner.

Advantages of aligner compared to classic fixed dentures:

• significantly less visible
• no speech disturbances
• easier hygiene maintenance
• no sores and scratching caused by wires and locks and the pressure on the teeth is much milder

For the aligner technology it is important that the patient regularly wears his aligner and follows the dentist’s instructions. Further, the dentist planning the therapy is also important, because aligners do not come as “finished product”; they have to be individualised for each concrete case and thus knowledge about the biomechanics of teeth shifting and the possibilities of the aligner is extremely important for a successful conclusion of the therapy.

Further, although following the completion of therapy the teeth are placed in a better position, the aesthetics does not necessarily have to be entirely satisfied. Namely, due to its bad position the teeth are irregularly worn-out or have been of irregular and uneven shape as of beginning, and unfortunate habits (smoking, coffee etc.) cause loss of colour. Thus, teeth shifting is often only the first step towards a more beautiful smile.

For a maximum effect, the teeth are to be bleached, and worn-out or torn edges polished or replaced by cosmetic fillings. In case of bigger anomalies to colour and shape of teeth the best results are achieved with ceramic veneers. The procedure during which aesthetically unattractive teeth are first aligned in a relatively short time period with clear aligners and thereafter bleached and finally restored with cosmetic fillings or ceramic veneers is called „ABB - Align, Bleach, Bond“ and represents a truly minimally invasive dentistry. The alternative to the ABB technique is mostly aggressive grinding, numbing or even tooth extraction, to which we in our day-today practise do not consent.

Katalinić, DMD, PhD has amongst the first in the region started with performing the minimally invasive smile reconstruction according to the principles of the renowned international IAS Academy (ABB - Align, Bleach, Bond) and received education from the best in this field (Dr. Qureshi, Prof. Hobson - London, UK). He is also certified partner and regional educator / mentor in the field of clear aligner use and ortho-restorative principles of general dentistry.

International Alignement Sciences Academy: https://www.iasortho.com/people/ivan-katalinic/

Following any orthodontic therapy, the teeth should be beautiful and straight and the bite functional. Unfortunately, the teeth shall not stay in the ideal position on their own; almost all teeth have the tendency to relapse (return to the previous position and „crowd“) with time. Thus each patient is recommended a long-term wearing of retention braces (retainer).

Retainer  is an orthodontic device with the purpose to retain the teeth in their present position achieved by wearing braces.

Types of retainer:

• mobile – transparent plastics made according to the teeth impression; easy to put on and take off
• fixed – slim wire positioned on the inner side of the teeth; it is not visible and does not disturb when talking and eating

The duration of retainer wearing mostly depends on the anomaly which was corrected. Our dentists will suggest an individual plan for wearing the retainer. During the first couple of months it is necessary to wear the retainer even up to 22 hours per day and later on the wearing time is shortened to a couple of hours per day and the entire night. It is important to have in mind that wearing the retainer during the night (each or every second night) is needed for the entire life respectively for as along as you wish to have straight teeth. Over time the possibility of relapse is diminished and the teeth most likely will not completely return to their position prior to wearing the braces, nevertheless it is important to acquire the habit of regular wearing of the retainer.

Book an appointment for a free examination in St. Catherine Dental Centre and together with our experts choose the best therapy for you.