For the most part, bite ramps in Invisalign and other clear aligners are similar to bite ramps in braces. You will see bite ramps and bite turbos used in both methods of aligning teeth and correcting bites. Overall, the concepts are the same with both braces and aligners, but there are some differences.

The main goal of using these tools is to help take pressure off of the back teeth! So, let’s discuss some of those key differences between how you use bite turbos in braces versus clear Invisalign aligners.

In braces, they can be used to help patients who bite down or clench their teeth in order to help adjust the bite. While in aligners, this isn’t exactly a need due to the thickness of the plastic from the aligners. In this example, you would rarely or never use bite ramps to help with anterior or posterior crossbite in aligners.

While you do not need to help to jump the crossbite with bite ramps for aligners, they can still be used in some cases. In aligners, you can put anterior bite turbos to help prevent the intrusive effect of the plastic on the teeth. Using bite turbos in this way can help to prevent a posterior open bite due to the Invisalign. Because this isn’t an issue with braces, you won’t see bite ramps or bite turbos used in this way.

These differences come from the fundamental differences between braces and aligners. While braces are extrusive in nature, aligners are intrusive. Braces work better for lower-angle cases and deep bite cases, while aligners are better for high-angle cases. When using bite ramps in both aligners and braces, it is important to remember the differences between these two methods of correction.