Which teeth are the most difficult to move during the Invisalign® treatment? (2024)

FAQs

Which teeth are the most difficult to move during the Invisalign® treatment? ›

Molars, the large teeth at the back of your mouth, are often the hardest to move with Invisalign®. This is primarily due to their size and the fact that they have multiple roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the jawbone, making movement more complex.

Molars and Wisdom Teeth

Molars, especially the third molars or wisdom teeth, can be more challenging to move during Invisalign treatment. Wisdom teeth are typically the last to emerge, often in early adulthood. Their location at the back of the mouth and the potential for impaction can make them resistant to movement.

Typically, the lateral incisors or the teeth next to your front teeth are the most challenging to move with Invisalign aligners and traditional braces. Invisalign trays have to be switched out every couple of weeks during the treatment period to accommodate moving teeth.

This includes your front teeth, lower incisors, and upper canines. Those teeth are typically seen in a smile, so they usually move first as part of the overall alignment process. Other teeth may also need to move early in treatment, depending on the patient's unique orthodontic needs.

In summary, lingual-labial movements are the easiest movements with Invisalign. Rotations and extrusions are the most difficult.

Molars, the large teeth at the back of your mouth, are often the hardest to move with Invisalign®. This is primarily due to their size and the fact that they have multiple roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the jawbone, making movement more complex.

For example, teeth at the front of the mouth, such as the incisors and canines, are often easier to move compared to molars or premolars located at the back of the mouth.

In most cases, patients see prominent teeth movement around the sixth or seventh month of the treatment. During the sixth and seventh months, your Invisalign moves the most, and you will see a significant change in your teeth' position.

Pain in the first week

Any pain or discomfort you feel from Invisalign tends to be temporary, with the greatest risk being within the first week of using your new aligners. In fact, one small 2005 study found that 83 percent of invisible aligner users grew accustomed to the dental aligners within a week.

If teeth are moved too quickly or with excessive force, this can trigger an irreversible condition known as root resorption. This condition is marked by the roots of the teeth becoming shorter. Some people are inherently more at risk for root resorption, even if teeth are moved at a safe rate and with optimal pressure.

Are canine teeth hard to move with Invisalign? ›

Invisalign cannot predictably rotate cylindrical teeth (such as canines and premolars) because it lacks predictable “friction grip”, but invisalign can readily rotate angular teeth, such as incisors, because this does not require grip…. it only requires point force at a distance away from the center of the tooth.

With Invisalign, the Mandibular Advancement appliance can bring the lower jaw forward and correct certain types of overbites.

Molars are the teeth located at the rear end of the jaw. Therefore, these teeth are made to grind and chew food and are broader and more prominent than others. Molars are more difficult to extract because of their position and function, which warrants them to have many roots that firmly anchor them into the jawbone.

The third molar, also termed the wisdom tooth, is the most difficult tooth to extract. Because of their location and anatomy, lower molars are typically the most difficult to extract. Lower molars have multiple roots, making removal from the jawbone more difficult.

Your molars are next to your premolars. They are your widest, flattest teeth and are the strongest, most powerful teeth. Generally, adults have twelve teeth in total – six on top and six on the bottom. The molars cluster into four groups of three at the back of your mouth.

Location of the tooth: Extracting wisdom teeth or teeth located near nerves can be more sensitive due to the proximity of nerves in these areas. Infection: If the tooth is infected before the extraction, the procedure itself might be more uncomfortable, and healing might require additional pain management.