Expat Living City Guide – June 2018

Clear Progress

For its practical and aesthetic

advantages, almost every one of

orthodontist DR CATHERINE LEE’s

adult patients opts for Invisalign

clear aligners. Then came the

innovative Invisalign Teen – and now,

ground-breaking new Invisalign

with mandibular advancement

promises to correct jaw growth

issues in tweens and teens.

Remind us – how does the
Invisalign system work?
Instead of wires and brackets, Invisalign
straightens the teeth with a series
of perfectly clear, virtually invisible,
custom-made and removable appliances
called aligners.

Tell us about the brand new
Invisalign with mandibular
advancement.
It’s a breakthrough for Class II correction of
a slow-growing lower jaw, a problem that
many children have – especially Anglo-
Saxon ones. In traditional orthodontic
correction, we would have to use bulky
and uncomfortable devices, for example
an arch expander and headgear.
This new technology is based on
the way the conventional Twin Block
device works to expand the arches so
as to help correct a bad bite. Each new
Invisalign aligner, top and bottom, has
two interlocking “precision wings”. When
the child bites down, the wings will

engage in order to hold the lower jaw in a forward position,

gently correcting the bite over time.

Any other advantages over the Twin Block?

They’re virtually invisible, much thinner and a lot easier to

wear. Also, they allow the child to talk clearly and normally,

which Twin Block tends not to do.

Best of all, we can now straighten the teeth at the same

time, instead of having to wait until after we’ve fixed the

growth issue. This can shorten the treatment period by

around six months, saving time and reducing costs.

Who does it here?

It’s still very new. In Singapore, it’s only available from

a few orthodontists, who had to have first been familiar

with dental-facial orthopaedics. As the Invisalign Clinical

and Key Opinion Leader in Singapore, I was involved in

the global pilot study, so I was fortunate enough to have

a head start!

Dr Catherine Lee Orthodontics

Level 36 (Penthouse),

Income @ Raffles (Office Tower)

16 Collyer Quay

6835 9571 | drcatherineleeorthodontics.com

CITY GUIDE 2018 189

HAPPY & HEALTHY