The Essentials of Invisalign

Approximately 4,000,000 Canadians and Americans have discovered just how effectively, comfortably and discreetly Invisalign can straighten crooked teeth. Is Invisalign right for you? That’s a question that only a dentist in St. Albert who is aware of the condition of your teeth can answer, but here are the factors to consider as you investigate the options.  

Who is a good candidate for Invisalign? 

Invisalign is an appropriate treatment option for people of all ages willing and able to commit with the requirements for success: wearing your aligners for 22 hours daily; brushing and flossing daily; cleaning your aligners after eating and every time you take them out of your mouth; following the schedule for switching from one aligner to the next; and attending and participating in follow-up checkups diligently.  

Invisalign is potentially as good an option for adults as it is for teenagers. The age of an adult or senior potential patient is not a disqualifying factor, though one’s age can require different considerations, investigations and steps.  

While Invisalign in St. Albert is not a good option for people with dentures, dental implants, dental bridges or untreated gum disease, Invisalign can resolve alignment issues affecting your teeth, including: crooked and crowded teeth; crossbites and underbites, open bites and overbite, gapped teeth and overjet.  

How does Invisalign work? 

Once a dentist near you confirms that you are a good candidate for Invisalign, your orthodontist will use Invisalign’s three-dimensional imaging technology to develop a treatment plan. The treatment plan will determine the number of aligners required to move your teeth from their current position to their final positions. Typically, a full Invisalign treatment plan involves 18 to 30 aligners that you’ll wear for two weeks at a time in succession. (Invisalign offers six different treatment plans, many of which use a smaller number of aligners for shorter treatment plans to address minor alignment issues.)  

The same imaging process will be used to produce simulations of progress along the course of your treatment plan and to predict the final position of your teeth. Your dentist will use those simulations to compare your actual progress with your planned progress and to confirm your final results. 

How is Invisalign different than traditional braces? 

Traditional metal and wire braces stay on your teeth for 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout your treatment plan. Traditional braces use brackets cemented onto your teeth connected by archwires that shift misaligned teeth into position by pressure controlled by adjusting and tightening those archwires. Invisalign’s aligners do not have to be adjusted. When you’ve worn your aligner for as long as is necessary for that aligner to do its work, you’ll simply switch to the next aligner in sequence. Unlike braces that remain in place 24 hours daily, you’ll remove your Invisalign aligners to eat, brush and floss without any interference by brackets and archwires.  

Invisalign’s aligners are made from a clear thermoplastic material developed by Invisalign’s parent company, Align Technology. As long as wearers maintain excellent daily hygiene habits and clean your aligners every time you take them out of your mouth, those aligners will be nearly invisible in your mouth. The discrete nature of the aligners is one of the main reasons that millions of people have chosen Invisalign over traditional braces. 

To find out whether you are a good candidate for Invisalign and to discover what an Invisalign treatment plan might look like to help you achieve your goals, get in touch with a dentist near you. The dentist will examine your teeth and jaw, take digital images to inform themselves of the steps required to achieve your goals, and answer any questions that you have about treatment with Invisalign in St. Albert.