What is the recommended amount of enamel you can remove from a tooth for Invisalign treatment?

Q.
Dr Hughes,

Could you please tell me what is recognised as the safe maximum amount of IPR per tooth?
I am getting Invisalign next month and to due to the fact that my teeth are protruding and I have crowding issues, to get the required result it appears I need to have .5mm taken off each side of my top teeth and .3mm off each side of my bottom teeth. Is there any risk to the long term health of my teeth?
Thanks

A.
Hi and thank you for your question.

The answer really depends on an assessment of each individual tooth and it’s age (as enamel naturally wears in between teeth as we age) and the relative amount of enamel available in each one (as some teeth have more enamel thickness than others) but 0.6mm is generally considered at the top end of the amount considered to be safe. Reduction of 0.5mm and 0.3mm is fairly common, however this is usually the total amount between the teeth and not on each tooth. Have you discussed other options to achieve space, including choosing an alternative orthodontic system?

If you think you’d like a second opinion than please seek one out, ideally from a specialist orthodontist or someone that can advise you from a wealth of experience, not only on Invisalign, but also on alternative orthodontic appliances

I would be more than happy to advise you further following a consultation

I hope my answers were helpful

best wishes

Mark

Dr Mark Hughes Harley Street Dental Studio 52 Harley Street, London W1G 9PY Web: www.harleystreetdentalstudio.com Tel: 020 7636 5981 View My Profile Dr Hughes

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