Invisalign SmartForce attachments or buttons are small, tooth-coloured shapes (a few millimetres) made from the same material as composite fillings, which Invisalign dentists will bond to the surface of certain teeth during your treatment.
Our orthodontists will typically use Invisalign attachments as grips to give the aligners more control, helping them to rotate, lift and guide teeth into place more precisely.
Not every Invisalign patient will require them, as aligners can move without them, but they can be common in cases where we need to apply pressure where it is most needed. For example, in cases where a tooth needs to be rotated or guided into a tougher position.
What Invisalign attachments are and how they work
- Invisible bumps are placed on teeth.
- Custom-made to fit your teeth.
- Guide the movement of teeth better.
- They work like handles, giving the clear aligners something to gently push.
- Orthodontists use them to apply extra pressure when aligners need assistance.
- Can be applied to a few teeth or a whole mouth.
- Take 30 minutes to apply.
Using Invisalign attachments, orthodontists, like us, can treat a lot more complex cases. Discover if Invisalign will work for you.
When we'll recommend attachments
Historically, Invisalign can treat a wide variety of cases, but struggles to rotate teeth or move them vertically up and down. But modern solutions like attachments mean that we can still use Invisalign to fix these common issues.
Therefore, an Invisalign dentist and orthodontist, Dr Neil Woodhouse, might recommend attachments in these types of situations where the aligners require a little extra help.
Rotating a tooth
Sometimes canines or premolars can be stubborn to turn, which is why Dr Woodhouse might recommend an attachment as a simple fix to give the aligner a better gripping point to rotate the tooth more precisely and without a hitch.
Pulling a tooth up or down
Attachments can apply vertical pressure to help move teeth that are too high or too low into their correct position.
To help difficult movement
Sometimes, parts of your smile may be more stubborn, so to ensure you still meet your time goals, we can use attachments to tip a tooth at a specific angle or close small gaps.
Keep the aligners more secure
In other situations, attachments can be used to stop trays from slipping out of positive, making the fit more secure and comfortable.
Without using attachments in scenarios like above, your treatment might take longer or simply not be possible. Only an orthodontist can say for sure if you’ll need a SmartForce attachment. Book a consultation in Sussex.
Types of attachments
Different types, shapes and sizes of attachments are used depending on the particular type of movement our orthodontist needs to achieve. Some common types include:
- Rectangular/square attachments to tilt teeth and move them up and down.
- Elliptical/oval attachments to rotate rounded teeth like canines.
- Bevelled attachments are shaped at an angle to guide teeth in a specific direction in complex adjustments.
- Invisalign buttons, which are small hooks fixed onto teeth to be used in conjunction with elastic bands.
- Bite ramps built into the aligners to help correct how the top and bottom teeth meet.
Are the attachments visible? Do they cause damage?
The point of Invisalign is for discreet, less visible treatment. So, it’s natural to feel concern that attachments might make treatment more obvious.
But they’re tooth-coloured and very small, so you’ll only be able to notice them if someone is looking closely and carefully.
They’re also not invasive to your smile and do not cause any damage. They’re designed to be temporary, so once your Invis journey is over, they’ll be removed carefully with a polishing that smooths away any leftover material.
