Making the decision to straighten your teeth requires a considerable amount of research. Before you decide whether to invest in Invisalign treatment, you need to know what it will involve. We want to make sure you have all the information you need to make this decision, so we’ve spelled out all the steps involved in designing your new smile with Invisalign clear braces.
1. Find a Qualified Invisalign Provider
Selecting the right Invisalign doctor is an essential part of achieving the results you want. Only a certified Invisalign Preferred Provider is qualified to determine whether these clear aligners are right for you. Invisalign has been successful at treating all sorts of cases, from underbites and overbites to gapped teeth and crossbites. But there are certain types of movement that are best accomplished with traditional wire-and-bracket brace, and an experienced Invisalign provider will know the difference.
2. Design Your New Smile
At your initial visit, your dentist will use digital imaging technology and impressions to create a 3-D image of your teeth. This technology allows your doctor to map out a custom treatment plan, and you will even be able to see a simulation of how your teeth will move at each stage of your treatment process.
Using these images, the Invisalign lab will create a series of clear plastic aligners that you will use to progressively reposition your teeth.
3. Fix Your Smile
Straightening your teeth is easy with Invisalign clear braces. You simply wear each set of alignment trays 20 to 22 hours per day, removing them only to eat and brush your teeth. Every two weeks, you swap them out for the next set. You will feel some tightness with each new set of aligners, but this discomfort should be minor.
The Invisalign treatment process doesn’t require a ton of visits to the dentist, either. You’ll simply visit your dentist about once every six weeks or so for check-ups.
The length of treatment varies depending on the extent of corrections that must be made, but it generally ranges between one and two years. You should start seeing results much sooner, though, as your teeth gradually move into their ideal position.
Finding a qualified Invisalign provider is the first step in the treatment process. If you are in the Houston area, call 713-701-1783 to schedule your consultation with our top cosmetic dentists.