Inman Aligner for straight teeth

The Inman aligner is an orthodontic appliance that has been around for many years to re-align front teeth.

At Belle Vue Mrs Gardiner, who is a certified practitioner in the system, can discuss how the Inman aligner could benefit you or advise on any alternatives which might be more suitable.

Examples of treatments carried out using the Inman Aligner

Below are some answers to frequently asked questions about the Inman Aligner:

As time goes by, your teeth may move causing your teeth to become crooked, some people have naturally crooked teeth. Most people believe that they would need fixed metal braces to correct this, however the Inman Aligner can be used to move your front teeth to an ideal position quickly and effectively in a matter of weeks. When compared to the invisible braces such as the clear braces system, the Inman Aligner is faster and more cost effective.

• They are an alternative to Invisible Braces
• Only one appliance is required - no need to change every 2 weeks
• Results are usually faster than fixed or invisible braces
• They can be easily removed to eat and clean your teeth

The Inman Aligner is a removable appliance used to move the teeth over time. It relies on forces created by a coiled spring on the lingual (tongue) side of the aligner, and a bar that sits across the front of the teeth to "squeeze" the teeth into position by "pushing" and "pulling" them into position.

The diagram (right) illustrates the forces involved in the movement.

Treatment times are generally shorter than the clear braces system, with treatment times varying from six to 16 weeks. The speed of the results is highly dependent on how long you wear the appliance for each day. With the Inman Aligner you can take the appliance off; however, the longer you wear it, the quicker you'll see results. It is recommended that you wear the aligner for around 20 hours a day, every day, if possible.

It will take about one week of wearing the Inman Aligner to become acclimatised. Like anything foreign to your mouth, it may cause you to salivate more than usual for 24 to 48 hours and could affect your speech for 7 to 10 days, this would be the same for the clear braces or any other orthodontic appliance. Any appliance can be uncomfortable for the first few days of use and some patients take a mild pain killer such as ibuprofen or paracetamol at this time.

The Inman Aligner is a much faster system but only works on the front teeth. The slower working clear braces system is much less visible. clear braces is also more expensive but can treat more than just the front teeth.

The cost of treatment with the Inman Aligner can be less than with comparable treatment with invisible braces; however, the exact costs will depend on how complicated the treatment is, the amount of movement required and the length of treatment.

In many cases the re-alignment of the teeth will be the end of the treatment. However Mrs Gardiner will reassess your teeth at this stage and, if the tips of teeth are uneven or a small triangular space has appeared at the gum margin, (this may happen if the teeth are really crossed over) discuss ways of restoring them.

We also offer a discounted Teeth Whitening treatment to complete your smile makeover.

Retention (using or wearing an orthodontic retainer) is a very important part of any orthodontic treatment as your teeth have a natural tendency to move back to their natural position over time. At Belle Vue we give you the choice of a removable or fixed retainer. A removable retainer is worn overnight for 4-5 nights a week and then phased down over time to 2-3 nights a week. A fixed retainer can be bonded to the back of the front teeth to retain the result. This orthodontic wire is very thin and cannot be seen from the front.

Click here to be re-directed to the Inman Aligner website: www.inmanaligner.com