Clear teeth aligners and posture!? Now there is a
pair. Not necessarily a pair you would put together though! Oxford
teeth aligners are standard nowadays.
Satterwhite Chiropractic meets many Oxford chiropractic patients
who have decided to use these new devices to adjust
teeth. They are nearly invisible.
They are bendable. They come out when the clear aligner wearer needs
to take them out. Wearers obtain some
control of the process. All is good, and yet the treatment planning
like that of Invisalign® is newer technology. Everyone is learning more about it. Satterwhite Chiropractic had not thought
that orthodontic and Oxford chiropractic treatment plans might cross
paths. Surprise!
TOOTH ALIGNMENT TREATMENT AND PLANNING
Most Oxford chiropractic patients remember
(too well for some!) the classic fixed
appliances (braces) used by orthodontists to straighten
teeth. Many Oxford orthodontic patients lived with them! Research writes that in
using Invisalign® technology, tooth type and movement are key
issues to ponder when the
treatment plan is set. Invisalign® technology permits
clinicians to forecast tooth positions with high
accuracy when done in nonextraction cases, but some of the real
outcomes may vary from those calculations.
Most variances were not clinically relevant though. (1) Malocclusion
(a misalignment or incorrect relationship between
the teeth of the top and bottom teeth when they near each other as the jaws close) influences
teeth straightening treatment planning. When comparing Invisalign aligners to conventional fixed appliances for
mild to moderate malocclusion issues, they both addressed
the condition. Invisalign® wearers completed their care faster
(by 5.7 months!). Invisalign® improvement was not as “great” in efficacy
as fixed appliances. (2) One
study set out to determine correlations
between body posture in the sagittal profile and sagittal jaw position. The
mandible (lower jaw) has a greater effect
on body posture than other craniofacial parameters, so patients
with severe malocclusions need to be extended extra attention
especially if a jaw surgery is being proposed. (3)
Satterwhite Chiropractic is in line with having the Oxford
orthodontists determine this!
TOOTH ALIGNMENT WITH INVISALIGN AND POSTURE
But Satterwhite Chiropractic is fine when called upon to help with any posture
issues that arise. A recent study reports that clear,
occlusal coverage aligners like Invisalign® may well influence
body posture. The upper spine and lower spine sections are influenced. When clear aligner wearers were examined after 6
months of use, the Kyphosis Angle, the Upper Thoracic Inclination and
Pelvic Inclination were modified. It has been documented
that these clear aligners modify a wearer’s vertical
height due to the occlusal coverage over the teeth and,
consequently, stimulate periodontal receptors inhibiting
the jaw closing muscles and, quite possibly, changing
mandibular posture. (4)
Satterwhite Chiropractic is as amazed as our Oxford chiropractic
patients with all that is possible with these clear aligners!
Satterwhite Chiropractic is aware of this potential and keeps it in
mind when examining Oxford chiropractic patients who wear
these.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Schedule
a Oxford chiropractic visit at Satterwhite Chiropractic to examine
your posture whether you are wearing Invisalign® or not! Satterwhite Chiropractic works
with all kinds of pairs related to the spine and posture! Oxford
chiropractic services cover all bases from the exam to the diagnosis to the treatment
with spinal manipulation, diet, supplementation and exercise to the postural
and rehabilitation tips to get your spine healthy and keep it that way.