Flashback: summer 2002, it was the world premiere of Minority Report, by Steven Spielberg. Tom Cruise, headliner, smiles with all his teeth to the photographers, and unveils… a brace, to everyone’s surprise! A thousand leagues from other Hollywood stars with a (mysteriously) ultrabright and perfectly aligned smile, the handsome Tom had the courage to go through the dental appliance box – certainly with transparent rings, but with a thick wire all the same. Up and down ! Treatment that he will keep for many months.
But today, past adolescence, no need to go through unsightly rings to correct his teeth. From now on, what is popular among adults whose teeth are a source of complex, are dental aligners, these transparent gutters that promise a perfect smile in all discretion.
aligners for dummies
“These are transparent gutters placed without the mouth to correct the alignment of the teeth, explains Dr. Gérard Motto, orthodontist and president of the French Union of Specialists in Orthodontics (SFSO). Beforehand, we make 3D optical impressions of the mouth and dental arches, to make the most precise gutters possible. Then, the patient wears not just one but a whole series of gutters, from ten to sixty depending on the case. All different, to wear 18 to 20 hours a day, in a specific order and to change every ten days, details Dr. Motto. The principle of orthodontics, whether the treatment is carried out by gutter or with bands glued to the teeth, is the same: forces are applied to the teeth which gradually lead to a modification of the bone structure, and the tooth moves in the bone “.
Once the treatment is finished, “the orthodontist fixes the result with a retainer, a kind of small wire embedded in a composite that is fixed to the back of the teeth to prevent them from moving. He takes care of the dental comfort of the patient, while monitoring the treatment,” adds Dr. Motto.
The precautions to take
“It is important to consult a healthcare professional and learn about this practitioner to find out if patients are satisfied with their treatment, advises Dr. Motto. Then, the essential step for the orthodontist will be to first take a panoramic X-ray and X-rays of the head, to see the axis of the teeth and check that there is no impacted canine, for example; as well as a clinical examination of the mouth. There, he will be able to establish his treatment plan”.
On the patient side, in order for their teeth to remain healthy during treatment, “you have to remove the gutters to eat and drink a colored drink, indicates the orthodontist. And it’s important to brush your teeth after every meal, he insists: if you trap dental debris in the aligners, plaque forms, which can cause bad breath, attack enamel and accelerate the development of caries.
What not to do
In recent months, whether on large billboards or in the stories of influencers, advertising around dental aligners is exploding. And many online companies offer alignment kits at prices that seem attractive, less than 1,600 euros. To the chagrin of orthodontists, who warn of the dangers of these devices beyond any medical control. “You would not buy your rings on the Internet, you have to be a health professional for that, notes Dr. Motto. This is the pitfall: gutters are not classified as medical devices in their own right. So anyone can make and sell them. Commercial companies have taken them over and are offering kits sent by post to patients. Finally, to the patients… rather to the clients, invited to take their own dental impression. The danger is that there are people for whom orthodontic treatment is contraindicated: in the event of a bone cyst, gum disease or periodontal problem. If we do a treatment without assessment or prior care, we risk disaster. Not to mention the risk of receiving unsuitable aligners right from the start because the impression – to be taken yourself – has not been carried out correctly. This will necessarily influence the result, which is moreover ensured by no follow-up, deplores the orthodontist. The public is attracted by attractive prices compared to those of a practitioner, but it is a decoy”.
you tested
After wearing “rings and a night brace from 12 to 15 years old”, Cécile, 44, saw her teeth move when her wisdom teeth erupted. “At the beginning, it wasn’t too visible, but over time, one of my front teeth really moved forward, which made me feel complex for a long time, I didn’t want to smile anymore”. However, there is no question of going through the Internet. “Five years ago, I consulted my dentist, who offered me transparent aligners. The treatment lasted eleven months, I have absolutely no regrets. I really feel better”.