Invisalign Glossary

A

Aligner
A custom-made, nearly invisible dental device designed, patented, and manufactured by Align Technology. Advanced imaging technology is used to transform plaster models of a patient’s teeth into a highly accurate 3-D digital image. This image is then used to create a series of aligners that a doctor will use over the course of treatment to correct the positioning of a patient’s teeth.
Attachments
Forms bonded onto front or back surfaces of teeth to help achieve certain types of tooth movement with Invisalign®.

B

Braces
Dental appliances used to exert pressure to straighten misaligned teeth.

C

CareCredit
CareCredit is a third-party flexible patient financing program, specifically designed for healthcare expenses, that makes it easier for you to get the treatment or procedures you want and need.
ClinCheck®
Proprietary software that depicts the movement of a patient's teeth in a three-dimensional view from the beginning to the end of treatment. Also allows the patient and doctor to review the projected movement.
Cross Bite
When the upper back teeth fit inside the lower teeth.
Crown
A restoration covering or replacing a major part of a tooth.
Crowding
A state in which teeth are positioned very close together and, in some cases, overlapping.

D

Deep Bite
Excessive overbite in which the upper front teeth hide the lower teeth.

E

Extraction
The act of removing a tooth or tooth parts.

I

Invisalign Express
Invisalign Express is an orthodontic treatment designed to correct mild orthodontic problems such as minor crowding and spacing. Since it's designed for mild problems only, treatment time is generally less than six months. Ask your Invisalign certified doctor for more information on this new treatment.
Invisalign Premier Provider
An Invisalign Premier Provider has received special training in the Invisalign system and has successfully treated 50 or more patient cases.

L

Lingual
Lying near or next to the tongue.

M

Malocclusion
Improper alignment of the biting or chewing surfaces of the teeth.

O

Occlusion
The contact between the upper and lower teeth, more commonly known as the bite.
Open Bite
A condition in which the teeth don’t close or come together in the front, side or back of the mouth.
Orthodontist
A dentist specializing in the prevention or correction of misalignment of the teeth.
Overbite
When the upper jaw and teeth overlap the bottom jaw and teeth. Sometimes known as “buck teeth.”

P

Premier Doctor
Premier Provider is a designation that belongs to a select group of Invisalign-certified Doctors who have achieved an exceptional level of Invisalign experience.

S

Spacing
A state in which there is distance between teeth.

T

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
The joint between the head of the lower jawbone and the temporal bone that connects the lower jaw to the skull. Only the lower jaw moves when a person talks, chews or breathes. The upper jaw is stationary. A TMJ misalignment can result in the entire lower set of teeth being out of alignment. The result is commonly known as "overbite" when the lower jaw extends past the upper jaw, or "underbite" when the lower jaw rests behind the upper jaw. Misalignment of the TMJ can result in serious pain in the joint, headaches, and resistance when opening and closing the mouth.

U

Underbite
When the lower jaw and teeth protrude beyond the upper teeth.

V

Veneers
Porcelain or plastic material that is bonded to teeth.