An Overview of Invisalign®

Invisalign refers to an orthodontic treatment that aids in straightening your teeth with the use of customized aligners. The process enables your teeth to gradually shift into the right position facilitating better alignment of the teeth. The Invisalign system is more aesthetic and tends to be more comfortable when compared to the use of metal braces.

Why is Invisalign Recommended?

Orthodontics is typically recommended for patients who have misaligned, crowded, or crooked teeth. This process improves the aesthetics of your smile by straightening your teeth. Invisalign also improves how your teeth function by improving overall alignment and eliminating or minimising para functional relationships.

How Does Invisalign Work?

Invisalign uses a series of custom-fit clear aligners that gradually move your teeth into the correct position. Once you decide to proceed with Invisalign, photo records and impressions or digital scans of the teeth are taken. These are sent to Invisalign for processing. Invisalign then creates a rendering of what the final result will be as well how many trays will be needed. From there, Dr. James will usually tweak the rendering a bit to make sure that your aesthetic goals are achieved. Dr. James emergency dentist near you
then shows her patients what the final result will look like either via email or an in-person visit. Once you approve the final look, the trays are ordered from Invisalign and delivered to the office. You will have visits typically once a month for Dr. James to monitor the progression your teeth and make sure that your teeth and gums stay healthy throughout the process.

What are my Responsibilities if I choose to have Invisalign treatment?

During Invisalign treatment there are a few things that we ask patients to agree to in order to achieve the desired results. This includes:

• Wearing each Invisalign aligner for the prescribed timed. Typically, Dr. James will recommend that each tray be worn for either 7, 10 or 14 days. This will depend on the degree of overall movement needed as well as how the case is progressing.
• Wearing each tray for a minimum of 20 hours a day. Each clear aligner should be worn throughout the day and at night while sleeping. Trays should ideally be taken out for only when eating or drinking.
• Notifying Trinity Dental Loft if any of the attachments or “buttons” come off. These buttons help to move the teeth into their final position. So, if the buttons come off, the teeth may not move where we want them to. For this reason, we ask that if patients notice a missing button, they let us know, ASPA, so that we can replace it.
• Maintaining regular Invisalign check appointments. These appointments are necessary so that the doctor and the dental team can check the progress of the case, make sure the teeth are in the expected position, make sure that all of the attachments are present, and answer any questions that our patients may have.

What are the advantages of Invisalign over Traditional Braces?

• Invisalign aligners are very aesthetic compared to braces. There are no metal brackets or wires which most patients find unsightly. Therefore, many adults choose to go the Invisalign route to avoid having that typical braces look associated with adolescence.
• The plastic aligners are smooth and friendly to your gum. Unlike traditional metallic braces, there are no hard edges since the clear aligners are customised to fit your mouth and capture the shape of your teeth.
• Invisalign tends to be less painful as the movements are very gradual. With traditional braces, patients typically have an appointment each month or every other month during which the wires are tightened. This can create significant discomfort. With Invisalign, you change out the trays on your own roughly every week or 2 weeks, so this “tightening” or the change in force applied to each tooth changes more gradually than with traditional braces.
• One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is that you can still brush and floss your teeth the way your normally would. Many patients in traditional braces have difficulty keeping their teeth and gums healthy throughout orthodontic treatment because it is difficult to brush around the brackets, and you cannot floss without the help of a floss threader or some other kind of specialised floss. With Invisalign, because the trays are removable, patients can floss in the traditional manner, and it is much easier to brush because there are few attachments and they are much easier to brush around.

If Invisalign sounds like it might be for you, please call us for a complimentary Invisalign consultation!