If your orthodontist mentions "attachments" or "buttons" for your Invisalign treatment, don't be alarmed. These small, tooth-colored bumps are not a complication; they are a key feature of the SmartForce® technology, designed to make your treatment more effective and predictable.
What Exactly Are Invisalign Attachments?
An Invisalign button or attachment is a tiny dot of composite resin, the same durable, tooth-colored material used for modern fillings. They are temporarily bonded to specific teeth and are custom-shaped (e.g., square, rectangular, circular) to facilitate a precise, targeted movement for that tooth.
What Is Their Purpose?
Think of attachments as small handles that give your aligners extra grip. This enhanced grip is crucial for performing complex tooth movements that an aligner couldn't achieve on its own against a smooth tooth surface. Their essential role includes:
- Executing difficult rotations on teeth that are poorly oriented.
- Achieving extrusions and intrusions (moving a tooth up or down in the jaw).
- Controlling the movement of the tooth's root, not just the visible crown.
- Optimizing the force applied by the aligner for faster, more predictable results.
How Are Attachments Put On?
The process of applying attachments is quick, simple, and entirely painless. It follows a few precise steps:
- The provider first prepares the tooth surface for bonding.
- A template, which is a special aligner with reservoirs for the attachments, is placed over your teeth.
- The provider fills these reservoirs with the liquid composite material.
- A special curing light is used to harden the composite in seconds.
- The template is removed, leaving the precisely shaped attachments bonded to your teeth.
Common Questions About Attachments
Are they visible?
Attachments are designed for discretion. Being tooth-colored, they blend in well. While you can feel them, they are significantly less noticeable than the brackets used in a traditional Invisalign and braces comparison.
What if one falls off?
It can happen, but don't panic. It’s not an emergency. Continue wearing your aligner and call your orthodontist to schedule a quick appointment to have it re-bonded.
How are they removed?
Attachments are taken off at the end of your treatment, before you get your final Vivera retainers. Your provider will gently buff the composite material off and polish the tooth, leaving the enamel completely undamaged.
Ultimately, Invisalign attachments are a powerful advantage. They are a sign that your treatment is highly customized to deliver the best possible results. It is because of these innovations that the answer to "how does Invisalign align teeth?" now includes even the most challenging orthodontic cases.