Invisible braces procedure:
After
a careful diagnosis, the dentist will take detailed impressions of your
teeth, and these impressions will then be scanned by computer. Using the
computer, tooth movements will be planned and a series of 12 to 48 clear
aligners will be manufactured and delivered to your Invisalign® dentist. He’ll
give you the first set, and you will snap it in.
The first thing you will notice is that it doesn’t quite
fit. The reason for that is that this aligner is made to fit a new position for
your teeth. For the next few days, your teeth will
gradually move to this new position and the aligner will become loose.
Then there is a few days' rest while your teeth stabilize in
their new position. After two weeks, you
snap in a new aligner, which again won’t quite fit. This process is repeated
until the teeth are moved into the desired positions.
During this process, you
visit the office every four weeks or so to monitor the treatment
and make slight corrections.
For a list of the advantages and disadvantages of
invisible braces, or for more information, visit our
Invisalign page.
Invisible braces questions and answers:
6. How do I know if Invisalign® invisible braces will work for my case?
Make an appointment with an Invisalign dentist for a free orthodontic consultation, and
he or she will let you know
if you are a suitable candidate for invisible braces.
7. Is the treatment painful?
No, Invisalign® is relatively painless. There is less mouth irritation than with
conventional braces. However, there is some tenderness and tooth sensitivity to biting for
a few days after each change of aligners.
8. Are there restrictions on what I can eat while in treatment?
No. This is a big advantage of wearing aligners rather than conventional braces. You
remove the aligners for eating, and then put them in again. It is important, however, that
you brush your teeth after eating before putting the aligners back in.
9. How much does Invisalign® cost?
Maybe a little more than regular braces cost. The actual cost depends on the complexity of your case.
Fees generally start at around $5000 or $6000, plus a few incidentals. For additional information about
Invisalign® costs, please see our page on the
costs of cosmetic dentistry.
10. Will the aligners affect my speech?
Some temporary effect on speech is normal as you begin treatment, until you get used to
wearing aligners. This usually lasts a few days.
11. Can I smoke while wearing the aligners?
Smoking can stain the aligners. Each aligner only stays in for two weeks, but that's
enough time to get them looking pretty stained.
12. How about chewing gum?
Gum will stick to the aligners. Remember to remove them for all meals and snacks.
13. How often must I wear my aligners?
Wear them all day and night, except while eating, brushing, or flossing. Leave them out for no more than a few minutes each day, during these activities, or you will have your teeth moving back and forth a lot, and this isn't good for them.
14. Can I use the aligners while bleaching my teeth?
Yes, actually, the aligner can double as a bleaching tray, enabling you to whiten and
straighten at the same time. Some offices offer a reduced fee
for bleaching if you use the aligners as your bleaching trays.
15. What is "reproximation?"
The usual problem patients are seeking
to correct with invisible braces is crowding – the teeth are too big for the
space available. With conventional braces, this space is usually obtained by
extracting some teeth. With invisible braces, however, we tend to lean toward
shaving just a tiny bit off each of several teeth to make extra room.
This shaving is called reproximation. Besides making
treatment go faster, the end result tends to be more stable with that
approach.
16. What are "attachments?"
Some teeth are kind of round-shaped and are hard for the invisible braces to
"grab" in order to move them. In these cases, we bond a nearly invisible
"attachment" to the tooth – made of composite filling material that is
color-matched to your tooth, which enables the aligner to hold onto the tooth
and apply a gentle moving force to it. This happens often with lower premolars and canines.
This attachment is then removed at the end of treatment.
