You came into the orthodontist’s office excited to try in your new Invisalign trays to get that straight smile you have wanted since you were in middle school. Soon the snaggle tooth struggle will be no more, and the doctor said braces weren’t even needed! How sweet is that?!
The doctor shows you a digital model of your teeth and you see tooth-colored blocks resting on top! What are those? Isn’t Invisalign supposed to be invisible?
Well, those white blocks are what we call “attachments” and yes, they are necessary to properly move teeth into alignment. During every Invisalign treatment, the orthodontist will prescribe the correct shape and location for these attachments and bond them to the teeth. They function as handles that allow pressure from the clear plastic trays to exert moving forces. Without them, it is impossible to properly align the teeth to the same level of care as traditional braces. So equal results without metal in your mouth? Sounds pretty straight-forward!!!
-Dr. Robert Yu, Orthodontist specializing in Invisalign treatment.