“Does Invisalign Cause Weight Loss?”
On the surface, that may appear as a silly question. How could Invisalign clear retainers cause weight loss? It certainly isn’t through the direct intervention of weight procedures, like surgery. Furthermore, Invisalign never claims to produce any sort of nutritional enzyme to aid in the digestion of food or otherwise. However, the question really isn’t as silly as you think. In fact, many patients report a significant loss in weight from using Invisalign – due to the restrictions of wearing the aligners, themselves.
Not The Intention
The purpose of Invisalign is not to cause weight loss in orthodontic patients. These clear aligners replace the uncomfortable traditional metal brackets and wires from braces. In addition, the “invisible” nature of the material used in Invisalign creates a massive aesthetic appeal to anyone required to give public speeches or smile frequently. For example, the lisps, hisses, and splurts of saliva that are so present with metal braces are nearly negligible in Invisalign clear aligners.
Invisalign works by gently shifting the position of your teeth simultaneously. Rotating through a set of custom-fitted clear aligners you wear. To elaborate, patients typically go through 20-30 Invisalign clear aligners for the whole treatment plan. Also worthy of note is the timeline; patients can expect to utilize their clear aligners for approximately 12-18 months, depending on the person.
Here’s Why Invisalign Causes Some Patients To Experience Weight Loss
The ultimate culprit in this whole debacle is the amount of time required for patients to keep their aligners in place. Patients must wear their Invisalign clear aligners for a minimum of 20-22 hours per day. However, retainers are removable. We encourage all of our patients at Lasley Ortho to always remove their aligners for eating, speaking at important events, or engaging in any activities that may compromise the aligners themselves. However, the simple fact that these aligners must be worn at least 20 hours per day creates a dynamic where patients often find themselves eating less as a result. This marginal psychological change can create large habitual changes – like eating less.
To schedule your first free initial consultation for Invisalign today, simply click here! We’ll take care of the rest.