Invisalign is a great way to straighten crooked teeth and fix a bad bite. The clear aligners are custom-molded to fit around your teeth. What if you grind your teeth? Will Invisalign work with teeth grinding?
Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics wants you to have the best orthodontic treatment possible. Whether that treatment is with Invisalign depends on a few factors. We want to help you with your bite and your bruxism.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism is the technical term for grinding your teeth. Many people are affected by bruxism. Bruxism can be caused by misaligned teeth or jaws or by stress.
Some people may not realize they grind their teeth because they do it in their sleep. Others grind their teeth during the day.
How do you know if you grind your teeth? Bruxism causes several symptoms and health issues.
- Excessive tooth wear
- Tooth pain
- Cracks in the teeth
- Chips in the teeth
- Broken teeth
- Headaches
- Neckaches
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ or TMD)
While bruxism can decrease with age, it can do a lot of damage before then. You can reduce your bruxism with a night guard, which is similar to a mouthguard. A night guard will keep your teeth separated and safe.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign is an alternative to braces treatment. Rather than metal brackets and wires, Invisalign clear aligners are made with a special acrylic material custom-molded to your teeth.
How does Invisalign work? Like traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners apply gentle pressure to move your teeth into the correct position. Unlike braces, Invisalign clear aligners are nearly invisible on your teeth.
Patients get sets of Invisalign trays to wear for at least 22 hours a day. Each set of aligner trays is worn for 1-2 weeks, then switched out for the next set in the sequence. You get a new set of trays every 6-8 weeks when you visit us for a routine checkup.
Invisalign can treat many orthodontic problems:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Gap teeth
- Crowded teeth
Invisalign isn’t for everyone. Some of the most severe cases will need braces. That may also apply to some patients with bruxism.
Can You Have Grinding Teeth With Invisalign?
Are Invisalign and teeth grinding compatible? Yes and no. You should be wearing your aligners 22 hours per day, including overnight, to be effective.
That means you can’t wear a nightguard with Invisalign. Mouth guards will keep Invisalign from fitting correctly.
However, you can wear Invisalign if you have bruxism. The clear aligners are durable, and even if they are worn slightly by teeth grinding, that set of aligners will be changed out in 1-2 weeks. Invisalign could act like a mouthguard and protect your teeth from bruxism.
If you’re wearing Invisalign, jaw pain the next morning could signal you’re still clenching and grinding your teeth. Let us know if this is the case, and we can keep an eye on whether trays are getting damaged or need replacing.
Invisalign is not compatible with a splint. If you wear a splint or a mouthguard for your bruxism, Invisalign may not be your best treatment.
Does Invisalign Move Your Jaw?
A primary cause of bruxism is a misaligned jaw. Can Invisalign fix a misaligned bite or jaw? Yes, it can! Invisalign treatment can correct a misaligned bite, often using rubber bands and attachments.
What are Invisalign attachments? They are small triangles or “buttons” on the trays that allow you to loop elastics from the upper jaw to the lower jaw. This allows Invisalign to align your jaw properly.
What does that mean for your bruxism? It means that Invisalign can reduce or eliminate your teeth grinding as it straightens your teeth!
Invisalign Treatment in Topeka, KS
If you’re interested in Invisalign treatment in Topeka, KS, Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics can help! You can still get Invisalign treatment if you grind your teeth, though we will need to evaluate you to ensure it’s the best treatment.
What if Invisalign won’t work for you? We have other treatment options available, including metal braces or clear braces. Our clear braces are much less visible on the teeth than metal braces, so they are a great alternative if Invisalign doesn’t work for you.
Start by scheduling an appointment with Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics. We will evaluate your dental issues and tell you whether you are a good candidate for Invisalign.
