Dental Articles - Edmonton

Elastics and Invisalign

Wondering if clear aligners can fix underbites? Dr. Chersa in Edmonton explains how combining Invisalign with orthodontic elastics corrects complex bite issues.

While clear aligners are highly effective at guiding teeth into proper alignment, correcting the relationship between the upper and lower jaws often requires additional biomechanical force. Orthodontic elastics (rubber bands) provide this intermaxillary force, allowing Invisalign to correct complex bite issues predictably.

At Laurel Dental and Copperwood Dental in Edmonton, Dr. Taha Chersa and the clinical team utilize advanced clear aligner protocols to treat both functional malocclusions and aesthetic concerns.

Myth & Reassurance: Can Clear Aligners Fix Bite Issues?

Claim: Invisalign can only straighten teeth, but it cannot fix overbites or underbites; you need metal braces for that.

Reality: No, this is incorrect.

Evidence: While early iterations of clear aligner technology were restricted to correcting mild anterior crowding, modern Invisalign treatments routinely resolve complex anterior-posterior discrepancies. By integrating orthodontic elastics with the aligner system, providers can apply continuous intermaxillary force to retract the upper dentition or advance the lower jaw. This achieves the same orthopedic and orthodontic bite corrections traditionally reserved for wire-and-bracket systems.

Cost & Coverage: Transparent Invisalign Pricing

Addressing malocclusion should not involve unpredictable financial barriers. Laurel Dental and Copperwood Dental serve as experienced, affordable alternatives in Edmonton, offering transparent, fixed-fee pricing for clear aligner therapy.

  • Invisalign Comprehensive (Youth & Adults): $4,999. This flat rate covers the complete clinical scope, including orthodontic records, all Invisalign aligners, required attachments (including elastics hooks), mid-course corrections (refinements), and the final clear retainers. Case complexity does not increase this fee.
  • Invisalign First (Ages 7–12): $2,499 at the commencement of treatment. This Phase 1 treatment guides jaw development and early tooth alignment.
  • Invisalign Teen (Ages 13+): $2,499 at the start of the second phase of treatment.

Our clinical teams assist in sending accurate estimates directly to your insurance provider to maximize your coverage eligibility.

Decision-Making: Clinical Indicators for Elastics

A comprehensive clinical evaluation dictates the necessity of orthodontic elastics. We do not apply elastics arbitrarily; they are prescribed based on exact clinical indicators identified during your 3D digital scan and bite assessment. Underbite can be fixed with Invisalign with elastics.

Elastics are clinically indicated when:

  • Class II Malocclusion (Overbite/Overjet): The maxillary (upper) teeth protrude too far forward. Class II elastics are anchored from the upper canines to the lower molars to retract the upper arch and advance the lower arch.
  • Class III Malocclusion (Underbite): The mandibular (lower) teeth sit in front of the upper teeth. Class III elastics are attached from the lower canines to the upper molars.
  • Anterior Open Bite: The upper and lower front teeth do not meet when the back teeth are closed. Vertical elastics are utilized to extrude the anterior teeth into proper occlusion.
  • Posterior Crossbite: The upper back teeth bite inside the lower back teeth. Cross elastics are applied using buttons on the palatal (tongue) side of the upper teeth and the buccal (cheek) side of the lower teeth.

Technology: How Invisalign Accommodates Elastics with orthodontics

Invisalign integrates elastic wear through highly engineered material and physical attachment points, blending proprietary manufacturer design with customized clinical planning:

  • Precision Cuts: Invisalign utilizes SmartTrack™ material, a multilayer polyurethane plastic designed for predictable force application. The aligners are manufactured with precision "slits" or cutouts, allowing the elastic to hook directly onto the aligner tray.
  • Bonded Buttons: In cases requiring heavier biomechanical force, your dentist will attach small tooth-colored composite or metal buttons directly to the enamel. The elastics hook onto these buttons rather than the plastic aligner, preventing aligner displacement and ensuring direct force application to the root.

Timeline & Process: Executing the orthodontic Elastics Protocol

Patient compliance is the primary driver of successful elastics therapy. Follow these step-by-step instructions for placing your Invisalign elastics accurately.

Application Instructions

  1. Sanitize: Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap.
  2. Seat the Aligners: Insert both your upper and lower Invisalign aligners. Ensure they are fully snapped into place over your attachments. (Use an aligner "chewie" to properly seat them if needed).
  3. Hook the Primary Anchor: Grasp the elastic using your thumb and index finger, or use an orthodontic elastic puller tool. Hook the rubber band onto the designated upper precision cut or bonded button (typically near the canine).
  4. Stretch and Secure: Carefully stretch the elastic down and secure it onto the corresponding lower button or aligner hook (typically near the molars).
  5. Verify the Vector: Look in the mirror to confirm the elastic forms the correct diagonal line prescribed by your dentist. Repeat on the opposite side.

Timeline and Wear Schedule

The duration of elastic wear ranges chronologically from 3 to 12 months. Total treatment time for comprehensive Invisalign averages 6 to 15 months.

Variations in these timelines are explicitly caused by the following clinical factors:

  • Patient Compliance: Elastics must be worn for 20 to 22 hours per day, removed only for eating, brushing, and flossing. Failure to maintain this hours-per-day threshold prevents osteoclasts and osteoblasts from remodeling the jaw bone, stalling tooth movement completely.
  • Elastic Replacement Frequency: Elastics undergo force degradation in the mouth due to stretching and saliva. They must be replaced with fresh bands 3 to 4 times a day (e.g., after each meal and before bed) to maintain continuous tension.
  • Severity of the Discrepancy: A 2-millimeter overjet will resolve faster than a 5-millimeter overjet, simply due to the biological limits of safe tooth movement (approximately 0.2 to 0.3 millimeters per aligner stage).
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