Aligners Information and Informed Consent

Treatment outcomes and treatment durations vary depending on the quality of the Align Technology product, your dentist’s experience working with aligners, and your level of participation in this process. We need your permission to utilise the components of your aligners and your agreement to wear aligners full-time.

Attachments

In some instances, aligners require assistance in holding onto a tooth. This assistance aims to maintain the ability of the treatment to produce the intended movement for particular sorts of activities.

Align

Custom tooth-coloured “bumps” may be used. These are temporarily and precisely bonded bubbles placed on some teeth to improve the effectiveness of the aligners. Each of these attachments will correspond precisely to a tiny bubble in your aligner.

Whilst these attachments are visible, they are not overly noticeable from distance. They may be more noticeable on the top front teeth, but that’s where we want the most finished detail and may need to use them. In agreeing to this treatment, I accept that wearing attachments on my teeth as needed may be necessitated.

IPR

Interproximal Reduction (IPR) is a technique for reducing tooth surface space by filing between your teeth. IPR can create up to a quarter of a millimetre of space per tooth surface. Since the thickness is similar to that of a few pieces of paper, it is typically not obvious. A thin strip of metal with fine diamond particles embedded on one side is generally used for this procedure. To polish fillings between teeth, dentists also employ these strips. It’s a technique you may have already used. It’s like using dental floss or dental tape between your teeth, but instead of removing plaque, it polishes the area around your tooth.

The IPR technique is very valuable because:

• A small amount of IPR on several teeth can create the room necessary to treat crowding without having to remove any teeth.
• IPR facilitates movement by reducing the friction between tight teeth.
• IPR can create broader tooth contact and better shape. This might result in improved gingival and periodontal health. When it comes to creating space in which to realign your teeth, IPR may be a successful alternative to extracting teeth.

Your Commitment to Wearing your Aligners

Light force (a force that measures roughly 200 grams of pressure) is required for tooth movement, which is a biological function stimulated by a minute amount of force. However, efficient tooth movement requires said force to be as continuous as possible.

As a result of years of research and treatment, dentists have learned that wearing aligners full-time is more effective than intermittent wear (22 hours per day). There are several factors behind this: you get used to them over time, and the feeling you have when wearing aligners becomes your new ‘normal’ feeling.

When aligners are continuously worn, the bite shifts temporarily as the teeth are adjusted. Because of this, when you don’t have the aligner in your mouth, your teeth may feel unusual when they bite together and do not meet as expected.

When a patient wears aligners full-time, they will have more control over their teeth. Part-time wear means that the aligners will be less effective.

In signing this form, you fully commit to wearing the aligners full time (just taking them out for meals and brushing) thereby maximising the potential of wearing aligners, or alternatively, that you accept that there will be limited results seen with part-time wear should you choose to only wear your aligners part-time.  

Aligner Conditions and Costs

Any treatment simulation we have shown or will show you is only a reference point, and not a promise of what will be accomplished. Your attention to detail and your compliance in maintaining your aligners will assist you.

To get the best outcomes, aligners should be worn for at least 22 hours each day.

There are three free refinements accessible after the first round of therapy if required. Although refinement is not always required, it is beneficial in many instances. In signing this form, you agree that if replacements are needed beyond these allowances, you will be charged accordingly.

Aligner fees, initial payment and progress payments will all be discussed with your dental professionals in the consultation phase.

Treatment must be continuous in order for the procedure to be effective. Otherwise, additional costs may be incurred if the patient’s condition does not improve as a result of non-compliance. If the non-compliance is for a continuous period of more than four months, full treatment fees may have to be charged again, as it may be necessary to restart treatment.

No refunds will be given for cases that are not completed for reasons of force majeure.

Retention and Refinement is a separate process that requires an additional payment.

After your teeth have been moved during treatment, it is critical to keep them in place. For the first 8 months, we advise utilising a retention protocol of 16 hours each day, plus nighttime wear indefinitely to prevent relapse. 

We reserve the right to use our discretion in any of the above issues.

Refinement

At the conclusion of treatment, we may request more aligners to guarantee that your smile is as close to flawless as feasible. If you order within 6 months of completing the initial treatment, you may get three additional refinements for free. This is dependent on the type of aligner treatment which you receive.

I understand that there is a fee for additional sets of aligners after my treatment has finished and that there is a time limit on ordering more aligners.

Retention

At the end of therapy, we recommend using retainers to keep the teeth from returning to their original placement.

I am aware that if retainers aren’t used enough, teeth may shift and that relapse is costly.