What is Invisalign

I found this video on the invisalign website. It's quite an useful video to watch as a patient (not sure why it's on the dentist side of the website!) as it goes through all the stages of the treatment; from treatment plan to 3D computer model to Clincheck to aligner manufacturing to final results! It's a really interesting video as you can see how the aligners are being made.

History background of Invisalign
Invisalign technology was founded in 1997 and has treated (and still growing daily!) 500,000 patients. The aligners are made of clear medical grade plastic that is nearly invisible when worn.

Invisalign vs traditional braces
Invisalign aligners are practically clear. No one may even notice that you’re wearing these virtually invisible “braces,” making Invisalign a seamless fit with your lifestyle and day-to-day interactions with others.

Invisalign is removable. Unlike braces, you have the flexibility to eat and drink what you want during treatment by simply removing the aligners. And you can also remove the aligners to brush and floss as you normally would for fresh breath and good oral hygiene.

Unlike braces, there are no metal brackets or wires with the Invisalign system that could cause irritation to your mouth. Plus since your office visits during treatment don’t involve metal or wire adjustments, you’ll likely spend less time in the doctor's chair.

And finally, Invisalign allows you to view your virtual results and treatment plan before you start so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.

Invisalign vs ClearStep
I've been trying to find some information about the comparison between two products- but it seems quite difficult even with the almighty Google! I guess it's because ClearStep is only being sold in the UK and according to some dentists, the success rate is higher with Invisalign than Clearstep! That's why Clearstep is a lot cheaper- I guess you get what you pay!

On Clearstep's website it says:
ClearStep and Invisalign® are both part of the invisible orthodontics category, so there are similarities between the two products and they are used to treat similar types of cases. However, one of the key difference between the two systems is the appearance of the ClearStep aligner. ClearStep positioners are smooth and have no ridges, making them more hygienic and very easy to clean.

So perhaps it's because ClearStep has no ridges, which makes them less effective?

Oh well, I've chosen Invisalign now- so lets just conclude here that Invisalign is the best! :)