Invisalign treatment has revolutionized the process of teeth straightening by halving the time of traditional braces and making it more discreet.
Invisalign treatment has been a popular choice amongst all ages, correcting gaps, overbites, underbites, and other issues that people may have with the positioning of their teeth to achieve the perfect smile makeover.
As adults, people are less likely to be comfortable with the visual aspect of metal braces. Invisalign treatment is exactly the opposite – virtually invisible. If you’re not familiar with how the Invisalign treatment process works, let’s take a look at what the steps include.
Step 1: The Consultation
During your first consultation with your orthodontist, your teeth will be examined and x-rayed. This is done to determine if you are a candidate for the Invisalign treatment or if a stronger treatment is needed. If for some reason you need an alternative treatment plan, this will be discussed.
Step 2: Treatment Planning
Once the decision has been made as to what Invisalign treatment you will be going forward with, impressions of your teeth will be taken in the form of moulds. We will also take scans of your teeth for comparison later in the treatment progress.
Step 3: Aligners Preparation
In some cases, we will need to carry out various treatments to prepare your teeth for the Invisalign. This is referred to as preliminary treatment. It is done to ensure that with teeth movement, the desired result is attained. This may include a few fillings on various teeth.
Barring any preliminary treatments, we would have taken digital impressions of your teeth and mapped out the proposed movement of your teeth, this information will be sent off to the labs to have your aligners created. This process will take about 1-2 weeks to be made.
Step 4: Start Wearing Your Aligners
You will be given your aligners in a sequence of how you are supposed to wear them. These aligners will be easily distinguishable for you to know which one to wear at which point of the treatment process. Depending on your treatment plan, each aligner should be worn for around 2 weeks at a time. It is recommended that you wear your aligners for the majority of the day, only taking them out to eat and drink liquids other than water, and of course when brushing your teeth. It is also important that you clean your aligners when brushing your teeth.
Step 5: Progress Check
Your orthodontist will give you enough retainers to last you the span of your treatment progress, however, it may be necessary to return to your dentist for a progress check to ensure that everything is going according to plan. This will be around the 6-week mark. During this consultation, the next steps will be decided – whether the plan needs to be slightly altered or whether your teeth are moving accordingly.
Step 6: Maintaining Your New Teeth
In order to maintain your results, you will need to wear your retainers as directed by your orthodontist. Depending on your plan, you may need to wear your retainers every night for the first year and thereafter, only every few nights of the week. This will be discussed at your final appointment. From here, an oral care program will be created for you in order to maintain that perfect smile.
Get Your Perfect Smile Today
If this sounds like something you feel you are ready to embark on, get in contact with Eriks Dental Group at 561-733-4004 for your Invisalign Consultation with one of our experienced orthodontists. Let’s get you that perfect smile!