Invisalign and Pain: Does It Have to Hurt to Work?
Posted on: 1 November 2017
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Invisalign is a great way to move teeth into the desired position without the discomfort and pain that often accompanies traditional braces. Although it is normal to experience at least a little discomfort while wearing Invisalign aligners, don't take a lack of pain or discomfort as a sign that your treatment isn't working.
Because of the way Invisalign is designed to work, you may feel little to no pain. This is due to a number of things.
Invisalign Is for Mild to Moderate Cases
One reason that Invisalign patients generally experience minimal pain during treatment is that Invisalign was designed to treat less severe cases of malocclusion. That means closing spaces of no more than 6 mm in width, correcting mild crowding and working with jaws that already have sufficient space for the full set of teeth.
However, while Invisalign is mainly used to treat mild to moderate cases, skilled orthodontists may be able to correct more severe cases of malocclusion using it. Therefore, it is only natural that more pain will be involved when a case is moderate to serious.
Tooth Movement Occurs in Small Increments
Each aligner is designed to move teeth 0.25-0.5 millimetres and carries out this movement over a period of two weeks. Because of these small increments, there is little pain involved.
Discomfort Is Felt in the First Few Days Only
As you go through your allotted number of aligners, any pain or discomfort you feel will generally be confined to the first several days. The sensation may be as minor as a slight tightness or as mild to moderate pain. After the initial first few days, all tooth movement has already occurred. At this point, your teeth settle into their new places.
Therefore, if your treatment lasts 10 weeks for example, you may only experience 3-4 weeks' worth of pain over the whole period.
Invisalign Closes Gaps More Slowly Than Braces
If you know someone that is currently wearing braces or once wore them in the past, they may have told you about the pain they experience while wearing them. However, fixed braces generally move teeth much faster than Invisalign and are used to correct severe malocclusion, therefore the pain is obviously more severe.
Each Invisalign patient will have a different experience so don't worry if another patient you know of is in more discomfort than you. As long as you wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, every day, your treatment should achieve the pre-planned objectives. Visit a dentist for a consultation if you have more questions.