Invisalign consists of invisible aligners that are made of a thermoplastic material that was developed especially for Invisalign technology. These aligners straighten your teeth by making slight adjustments to each tooth’s position. The aligners cause your teeth to gradually shift over the course of two weeks. After two weeks, you will be fitted for new aligners and the process will repeat itself until your treatment is over. The treatment takes about a year and your dentist will map out a plan according your mouth’s needs. Because each mouth is different, your dentist may have mentioned that you require tooth extraction before starting your Invisalign procedure.
What is tooth extraction?
Tooth extraction refers to the removal of a tooth from the socket in the bone it rests upon. There are two types of tooth extractions. Simple extraction is a procedure done on a tooth that is visible in the mouth. For this, your dentist will loosen the tooth with an elevator and use forceps to get it out. The other type of extraction is surgical in nature and done when a tooth has broken off at the gum line or cannot break free into your mouth. An oral surgeon will make a tiny incision in your gum in order to surgically remove the tooth. This is usually done for wisdom teeth that have become impacted.
Why is tooth extraction done?
There are many reasons that your dentist is suggesting tooth extraction; the most common one is malocclusion. Malocclusion is a term used to describe misalignment problems like crowded teeth, crossbite, overbite, underbite and open bite. If you have a crowded mouth you may require tooth extraction to create space to allow your teeth to properly flourish.