The probability of needing a dental filling during the middle of your Invisalign treatment is actually quite low. Having said that, it's not entirely impossible to develop a cavity that needs attention during your orthodontic work. But what actually happens if you need a dental filling while you're still wearing your Invisalign aligner trays?
Cavity Formation
For starters, it can be helpful to know that the odds of developing a cavity during your treatment aren't high. But why is this? It's because cavities don't usually form too quickly. They can take a number of months (or even years) to actually develop. During your initial orthodontic assessment, the health of your teeth and gums would have been thoroughly checked, both visually and with diagnostic tools (such as an x-ray).
Cavity Treatment
If any existing cavities or cavities in their primary stage of formation (known as microcavities) were noted, your orthodontist would have referred you back to your dentist for treatment before proceeding with your Invisalign aligner trays.
Invisalign Timeframe
Your own experience may differ, and some patients only need a relatively brief treatment time, whereas others may need a longer course of Invisalign treatment. However, the average treatment time for clear aligners is 13.5 months. It's certainly possible to develop a cavity within this timeframe, which underlines the importance of oral hygiene during your Invisalign treatment.
Oral Hygiene
You must be sure to comprehensively clean your teeth after eating since you don't want to trap any food beneath your aligner trays. You mustn't skip any dental checkups during your orthodontic treatment either. A dentist can generally spot a cavity long before you can, allowing immediate action to be taken.
Cavities During Invisalign
So what really happens if a cavity forms during your Invisalign treatment? It must be filled as quickly as possible. This is necessary to preserve your tooth, but it may create a small hurdle for your orthodontic progress. Your Invisalign trays are completely customised for your teeth — they won't fit anyone else. And of course, you need a full series of trays, regularly changing one tray for the next in the series for the duration of your treatment.
Aligner Trays
Even if a dental filling raises the surface of the tooth by a fraction of a millimetre, your trays may no longer fit as well as they previously did. The fit of your trays will be considered if a filling is added during Invisalign treatment. Ideally, the difference will be so minor that your orthodontic treatment won't be disrupted, but in a worst-case scenario, you may need new Invisalign trays.
Cavities during Invisalign aren't all that likely, and there are measures in place to deal with them. For more information about Invisalign, reach out to a local service.
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