Invisalign has quickly become one of the most exciting ways of straightening crooked and misaligned teeth—but one question that many patients have before kicking off treatment is “Can I just get Invisalign on my top teeth?” Sure enough, some patients only have crooked teeth on their upper arch, but does this mean that Invisalign on just the top is a viable option? Here’s what you need to know.
Can Invisalign Be Used Only on the Top Teeth?
In some cases, Invisalign treatment can be limited to just the upper arch. For example, if you only have mild crowding or spacing issues in your top teeth, and your bite is already healthy, your orthodontist may design a treatment plan that focuses solely on your upper arch.
Since your bite involves your upper and lower arches fitting together in perfect harmony, if you move only the upper teeth without considering how they align with the bottom ones, problems can arise, such as:
- Bite misalignment – Treating only one arch might cause bite issues such as an overbite, underbite, open bite, or crossbite.
- Uneven wear – When teeth don’t fit together properly, they may wear down unevenly or cause jaw discomfort and strain on the jaw joints.
- Relapse risk – Without balanced treatment, your teeth could shift back into their incorrect positions over time, undoing all you and your orthodontist’s hard work!
How to Minimize the Risks
While correcting just the upper teeth might look good in the short term, it could cause functional issues down the road. This is why your orthodontist will want to work closely with you, so that you’re ensuring that your smile is being improved with your long-term oral wellness in mind.
Before beginning treatment, your orthodontist will examine your upper teeth in addition to your bite, jaw position, and lower teeth. This ensures your treatment plan doesn’t just address the appearance of your crooked teeth but also promotes your smile’s health in the future. From there, they’ll come up with a customized treatment plan that involves creating aligners tailor-made for your specific needs, which could involve treating just the upper arch or possibly both arches.
You’ll also want to be sure you attend your orthodontic check-ins so that your provider can closely monitor your teeth movement; they can make any necessary adjustments to ensure beautiful, functional results.
The bottom line is, while Invisalign for only the top teeth is possible, it’s not always recommended—and the best way to know if you can benefit from this approach is by scheduling a consultation with your orthodontist!
About the Practice
Here at Simply Orthodontics of Worcester, we’ve proudly served patients in the area for several years, offering a wide variety of orthodontic services for patients of all ages, including Invisalign clear aligners. If you have concerns about your crooked teeth and are wondering if getting Invisalign on just your top arch is a viable option, we’d be more than happy to speak with you and kick off your journey to a straighter smile. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment for yourself or a loved one, please reach out online or call today for more information or assistance. Telephone: (508) 757-3173.