Postural Changes When Wearing Clear Aligners like Invisalign®

Clear teeth aligners and posture!?  Now there’s a pair. Not necessarily a pair you would put together though! McHenry teeth aligners are popular now. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic meets many McHenry chiropractic patients who have chosen to use these new devices to adjust teeth. They are virtually imperceptible. They are flexible. They come out when the clear aligner wearer wants to take them out. Wearers acquire some control of the procedure. All is good, and yet the treatment planning like that of Invisalign® is newer technology. Everyone is learning more about it. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic had not imagined that orthodontic and McHenry chiropractic treatment plans might come in contact with each other. Surprise!

TOOTH ALIGNMENT TREATMENT AND PLANNING

Most McHenry chiropractic patients recall (too well for some!)  the classic fixed appliances (braces) used in orthodontics to straighten teeth. Many McHenry orthodontic patients experienced them firsthand! Research presents that in using Invisalign® technology, tooth type and movement are important elements to ponder when the treatment plan is set. Invisalign® technology permits clinicians to predict tooth positions with high accuracy when done in nonextraction cases, but some of the actual outcomes may vary from those predictions. Most variances were not clinically relevant though. (1) Malocclusion (a misalignment or incorrect relationship between the teeth of the top and bottom teeth when they come close to each other as the jaws close) plays a role in teeth straightening treatment planning. In a comparison study of Invisalign® to these conventional fixed appliances for mild to moderate malocclusion issues, they both improved the condition. Invisalign® wearers completed their care faster (by 5.7 months!). Invisalign® improvement wasn’t as “great” in effectiveness as fixed appliances. (2) One study planned to determine associations between body posture in the sagittal profile and sagittal jaw position. The mandible (lower jaw)  has a greater influence on body posture than other craniofacial factors, so patients with severe malocclusions ought to be given extra consideration especially if a jaw surgery is planned. (3) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is fine with having the McHenry orthodontists determine this!

TOOTH ALIGNMENT WITH INVISALIGN AND POSTURE

But OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is fine when called upon to help with any posture issues that arise. A new study points out that clear, occlusal coverage aligners like Invisalign® may well influence body posture. The the upper and lower spine units are influenced. After 6 months of wearing these clear aligners, the Kyphosis Angle, the Upper Thoracic Inclination and Pelvic Inclination were modified.  It has been documented that these clear aligners alter a wearer’s vertical height due to the aligners placement over the teeth and, consequently, stimulate periodontal receptors obstructing the jaw closing muscles and, quite possibly, altering  mandibular posture. (4) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is as amazed as our McHenry chiropractic patients with all that is possible with these clear aligners! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is aware of this potential and keeps it in mind when examining McHenry chiropractic patients who wear these.

CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

Schedule a McHenry chiropractic visit at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic to test your posture whether you are wearing Invisalign® or not! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic deals with all kinds of pairs related to the spine and posture! McHenry chiropractic services cover all bases from the exam to the diagnosis to the treatment with spinal manipulation, diet, supplementation and exercise to the postural and rehabilitation tips to get your spine healthy and keep it that way.