Invisalign Process

Invisalign in Brooklyn is a terrific way to straighten teeth, which is why it is one of the most popular orthodontic systems worldwide. The treatment uses clear BPA free plastic aligners that look a bit like teeth whitening trays. They are designed to fit tightly over teeth and to gradually move them into new positions identified in the treatment plan.

One aspect that makes this procedure unique is the treatment process for Invisalign. Often, when planning any form of dental treatment, a high degree of trust and confidence in your dentist is needed. While they might have a clear idea as to how your teeth will look once straightened, it is not easy for them to communicate that image to you. Invisalign solves this problem by using advanced diagnostic and computerized technology and is one treatment where you are involved in the entire process right from the start.

Investigating Invisalign Treatment

Initially, you will need to see a certified Invisalign provider, a dentist trained and experienced in designing and fitting these braces. They are skilled in identifying suitable Invisalign candidates and can quickly tell if you will benefit from treatment.

Who Can Have Invisalign?

Invisalign is useful for correcting many problems that include overbites, underbites, crossbites, and you can also use Invisalign for an uneven bite or to close unsightly gaps between teeth. Usually, Invisalign is suitable for anyone with teeth that are reasonably strong and healthy. You cannot have signs of active periodontal (gum) disease or teeth that are significantly weakened by large fillings or signs of decay.

What Happens Next?

After assessing your teeth and gum health, your dentist can discuss how Invisalign can help you achieve your aims for treatment before they take digital dental x-rays, photos, and a digital scan of your teeth. Digital x-rays show them the position of the tooth roots that must move during treatment, but the digital scan is perhaps the most important detail. Digitally scanning your teeth creates a 3-D digital model that is extremely accurate. The digital scan replaces the need for a conventional dental impression using a mouth tray and impression material and is far more comfortable. It is completed using a small hand-held camera that is passed over your teeth, capturing thousands of images each second. Once the information is collected, Invisalign’s proprietary software is used to build your treatment plan.

Planning Treatment

Your Invisalign dentist can manipulate the 3-D model, determining how each tooth will move during your treatment and how it will look once straightened into the correct position. It’s an exciting part of the process because digital images are created that you can view, showing how your teeth will look at different stages throughout your treatment until it is complete. You can assess if treatment is right for you, and you can get involved with planning how your teeth will move. It’s up to you to decide if you like the final predicted results and to make any minor adjustments if needed. Also, at this stage, your dentist can provide a more accurate assessment as to the length of time needed to complete Invisalign treatment. Usually, most patients will need to wear Invisalign aligners for approximately a year, but the timeframe depends on your unique treatment plan. If you only require minor adjustments, treatment is likely to be considerably quicker, and of course, this affects the price. Once you give the go-ahead for treatment, your aligners are created, and you can begin to wear them.

What to Expect During Treatment?

One huge reason why Invisalign is so popular is the ease of the treatment process. Once you have your aligners, you simply wear them for at least 22 hours each day. Although the aligners are removable, it’s best only to take them out when you want to eat or drink or for brushing and flossing your teeth. Because you can remove the aligners, there is no need to change your everyday routine and Invisalign has very little impact on lifestyle.

You won’t need to avoid certain foods, which is the case with fixed braces that can be damaged or difficult to clean. There is no need to use special tools when brushing and flossing your teeth as you can use exactly the same routine as before. All you need do is to make sure you clean the aligners thoroughly each day, gently brushing them with a toothbrush and rinsing them with water before replacing them in your mouth. Every two weeks, you switch out your current set of aligners for a brand-new set and this continues until treatment is complete. The number of sets of aligners needed depends on your treatment plan.

Seeing Your Dentist During Treatment

You will need to see your dentist regularly during treatment, but these visits should be relatively short. Your dentist simply needs to check treatment is progressing as planned, and they can provide you with additional sets of aligners to continue tooth movements. It’s quite different compared with conventional braces where the wires must be tightened or adjusted periodically to continue tooth movements and where appointments are likely to be lengthier.

Completing Invisalign Treatment

Once your treatment is complete, and your teeth are moved into the correct positions, you should have a beautifully straight and more attractive smile. At this stage, your dentist can decide with you if any further treatment is needed to help perfect the appearance of your teeth, for example placing porcelain veneers on any teeth that are stained or which are too small or not quite the right shape. However, this isn’t the end of your orthodontic treatment as you must wear retainers.

Retainers

When your teeth initially move into their new positions, the tooth roots have moved through bone and need time to settle into their new locations. During this time, new bone growth around the tooth roots, helping to stabilize them and hold them firmly in place. This is why you must wear your retainers as directed by your dentist until your teeth become firmly rooted in place. Otherwise, there is a risk your teeth could begin to drift back to their original positions, wasting all that hard work and effort. Invisalign retainers are every bit as discreet as the aligners and are made from the same clear plastic that is virtually invisible once in the mouth.

Do you have any questions about Invisalign process in Brooklyn? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the best-in-class dentists? Please contact our dentistry office.