What to Expect from Invisalign®, from Start to Finish

Millions of Americans struggle with a variety of dental problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, tooth injury, and tooth erosion. Problems with misaligned teeth, also known as malocclusion, are also very common. Unlike most of the other issues, malocclusion is not generally a result of factors like bad dental hygiene. It often happens during childhood, and left untreated, it can lead to other problems.

If you live in the Frisco, Texas area and are looking for ways to align your teeth, Dr. Alecia Hardy and our skilled medical team at Frisco Dental Implant Center offer Invisalign®, which is a clear aligner that is popular for its advantages over braces. In this post, we explain more about it and what the entire process is like. 

Defining Invisalign

Braces and aligners fit tightly over your teeth, adjusting the position of your teeth over time through constant pressure. While braces use a bracket on each tooth and wires between them to exert the necessary pressure, Invisalign is a clear aligner tray made of plastic or acrylic that covers your teeth to help them shift into place. We make several trays during your treatment as your teeth progress into alignment. 

What separates Invisalign from braces

As mentioned earlier, braces use brackets and wires to exert pressure on misaligned teeth, but they are also quite visible when you open your mouth. This can make wearers feel nervous or suffer issues with self-esteem. By contrast, Invisalign is clear; often people won’t even realize you’re wearing them. 

Invisalign trays are also easily removable and easy to clean, while braces are not. With Invisalign, you’ll find it easier to both brush your teeth and keep particles and other materials from getting inside the device. 

The entire Invisalign process

Once you’ve had a consultation to cover the goals and what to expect, we begin the following process:

Making a mold of your teeth

We use a digital scanner to take a 3D image of the inside of your mouth. This creates a simulation of what your teeth will look like once the treatment is finished. 

First fitting

The information gathered from the 3D mold is then used to create your first Invisalign tray. The trays are made of thermoplastics like polyurethane and copolyester. Sometimes we use a composite to leave button-like attachments that help guide your teeth into place.

Follow-up fittings

We replace your tray either weekly or biweekly, depending on your needs. In a few weeks, you’ll return so we can see how well the tray fits, with regular appointments every four to six weeks.

Results from this process can be seen as early as 6 weeks in, and it generally takes about 12-18 months overall. Invisalign can be used to treat crowded teeth, mild problems with overbite, underbite, and crossbite, open bite, tooth gaps, and mildly crooked or protruding teeth.

Invisalign can do wonders for the health of your teeth, as well as make you more confident about showing them off to the world. If you’re ready to see what they can do for you, make an appointment with Dr. Hardy and the team at Frisco Dental Implant Center today.