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FAQ
Invisalign clear aligners have straightened the smiles of over 11 million people, including more than 3 million teens. Align technology is constantly researching and improving their product based on the experiences of their customers to make even complex cases treatable with Invisalign aligners.
To achieve a healthy, beautiful smile, the same orthodontic rules used to plan traditional braces are used for Invisalign. We send a very accurate 3D scan of all your teeth to the manufacturer. Afterwards, they send a simulated treatment result back to us.
At this stage, we use a software called ClinCheck to digitally design your treatment plan. Based on the different types of tooth movements your smile transformation might need and the severity of the malocclusion, a number of clear aligners will be made.
Every successive aligner in your treatment is a bit different from the last one and, in this way, a controlled gentle force system will be applied to the right spots of the teeth to make them move to their new desired position.
After manufacturing of aligners, you will start with the first pair of aligners and wear it for one or two weeks before switching to the next one. After finishing a few aligners, we will assess your smile, do some adjustments, and give you your next pair of aligners. Consequently, your smile will be gradually transformed to the new healthy smile.
Invisalign clear aligners are made of a patented thermoplastic material called SmartTrack. Both the clear plastic material and Invisalign aligners are FDA approved and contain no BPA, BPS, latex, or gluten.
They are thin, clear, meticulously-trimmed and polished. All these characteristics have made Invisalign a very tolerable and easy alternative to traditional braces.
According to the product specification, all Invisalign aligner and retainer materials are made of medically safe and FDA approved thermoplastic plastics.
Invisalign aligners are classified as Class II medical devices by FDA, and have received the necessary 510(k) clearance from the FDA in 1998.
Like other medical devices, you should consult your doctor to get advice to use any medical devices.
Align Technology, the manufacturer and founder of Invisalign aligners, was founded in 1997.
Invisalign aligners share the same quality and material, however; Invisalign might use different names based on the number of aligners you need. The most difficult cases could be managed with “ Invisalign Comprehensive,” which allows your doctor to order as many as aligners as required. This product is the most expensive Invisalign® product.
• Invisalign clear aligners are the esthetic alternative to metal braces. They are virtually invisible and people normally don’t notice that you are wearing aligners.
• They are removable and you can take them out to drink and eat. That means there are no limitations to your dietary habits. You don’t need to avoid hard or sticky foods, such as popcorn or steak.
• One of the most important benefits of Invisalign treatment is that your oral hygiene can be easily maintained compared to braces. You can take them off to brush and floss, which makes multiple cavities and discolorations a rare occurrence among Invisalign, especially when compared to braces.
• It is unlikely you will need to book an emergency appointment when you are undergoing an Invisalign treatment. Broken braces or wires and pokey wires frequently happen in orthodontic treatment with braces, which can cause a delay in treatment. Fixing braces is a waste of time and money for you and your doctor.
• In Invisalign treatments, all the teeth are able to move simultaneously. This feature, along with SmartTrack material, could make the treatment even faster than braces if you wear your retainers 20-22 hours a day.
Invisalign started in late 90s, and since then, it has been developing consistently. Now, Invisalign is the first choice of most dentists and orthodontists who offer clear aligners to their patients as it has treated over 6 million smiles, undergone decades of research and innovation, and is manufactured in the the most advanced facilities.
After one of their recent game-changing innovations in the clear aligner material, SmartTrack, Invisalign is now able to move the teeth faster and more predictably.
Another significant difference is the Invisalign optimized attachment system. Attachments are small temporary tooth-colored bumps placed on a few teeth. They act has handles that apply a very meticulous force system to the teeth. Invisalign uses customized attachments for every single smile. This technology empowers us to design a more efficient treatment for you.
Invisalign has been developed over two decades and substantial investment has been made for its research and development. These days, Invisalign treatment works for more than 60 percent of patients—from simple to complicated malocclusions.
Both teens and adults can benefit from Invisalign treatments. Book a complimentary consultation with us to discuss your treatment options.
Typically, there are no age limitations for Invisalign treatments as long as you have a good oral hygiene and healthy teeth and gums. Book a consultation with us to see if Invisalign is the right choice for you.
Every patient is unique. So is their body response to any type of medical or dental treatment. In the consultation appointment, you need to share your concerns about your teeth us, so we can determine whether Invisalign is the right choice for you. It should be noted that Invisalign treatment, like other treatment techniques, needs specific training and experience. All SmileBC dentists are certified Invisalign providers with many years of experience.
Yes, you can. However, in many cases, achieving a good functional bite requires movement of the top and button teeth with a good coordination. It could be a question to ask us during your consultation appointment.
This request can be determined during your consultation with us. In many cases, it is possible to use braces and Invisalign concurrently to correct malocclusions and benefit from the advantages of both systems. An example is having partial braces in a limited area of the mouth for few months and using Invisalign concurrently as the main treatment technique.
Removing all braces and starting again with Invisalign would be an option, however, it might not be a good choice for some cases. We need to first assess your treatment progress, type of needed tooth movement, etc., to determine the pros and cons of switching to Invisalign and giving you the information to make an informed decision.
Yes, Invisalign clear aligners are considered to be one of the best options in these cases. Patients usually cannot accept another treatment with braces years after their orthodontic treatment, while getting Invisalign clear aligners is an easy and more tolerable alternative to wearing braces again.
Your dentist will also add attachments (tooth-coloured bumps used to move your teeth), which are temporary and will be removed before you are done treatment. These attachments help to straighten your teeth.
In many cases, yes. To determine whether this is possible, we should meet for a consultation to assess and discuss your options before getting any new veneers or crowns. In many cases, a limited phase of Invisalign treatment could make the crown or veneer treatment results excellent. In theses case, we will first start a 3-6 month Invisalign treatment. Then, you can get your veneers or crowns done and a second phase of Invisalign after these restorations to guarantee the best results.
Regardless of technique, whether you have braces or Invisalign, orthodontic treatments are able to move teeth individually. Book a consultation with us if you have bridges. Sometimes creative treatment planning can lead to a good results without the need for moving the dental bridge(s).
If the bridge(s) is old and needs redoing, we can separate the bridge in a way that you can use it during the orthodontic treatment. After achieving desired tooth movement, you can get a new dental bridge done.
You’ll have appointments every 6-8 weeks, for minor adjustments like IPR and check-ups on your progress.
Many orthodontists and dentists are certified Invisalign providers, but not all are. SmileBC dentists have completed special trainings and continuing education seminars. Like other aspects of dental practice, our experience and knowledge will play an important role in a successful treatment.
We highly recommend coming with your other family members, parents, or someone with an opinion you value. You might have a list of questions. Bring them all! The below questions might be helpful:
• Is Invisalign® right for me?
• Could Invisalign® address my dental concerns?
• Does Invisalign® affect my speech and chewing function?
• Could Invisalign® improve my jaw joint function?
• How does Invisalign® affect my life style?
• How long does the treatment take?
• Do I need to wear retainers?
• How much will the treatment cost?
• Does the treatment cost include the records and first pair of aligners?
• How much is the down payment?
• Do you offer a monthly payment plan?
• Do you work with a third-party financing firm?
• Do you accept my insurance plan?
It is also helpful to bring your insurance card and any information you might have about your dental history.
During your consultation, we will ask about your main concerns and treatment goals first. It is very important to share all your concerns with us. Those might be cosmetic goals, functional concerns like TMJ issues, and difficulty in chewing or both.
At this stage, we need to examine your smile to find out and explain how your smile could be improved with Invisalign. In many cases, there would be more than one option to achieve the teeth straitening goals. Your doctor will discuss all these options and their pros and cons. Treatment time, cost, and payment options will be discussed as well.
Before starting the treatment, if you are not a regular patient of the office, we will recommend booking a dental cleaning and checkup with your own dentist to make sure that your gums and teeth are healthy.
After the orthodontic consultation, if you are a good candidate for Invisalign treatment, we will explain the treatment plan and other aspects of your treatment, including treatment time, costs, and payment plan.
Following your consent, an accurate impression or a digital 3D scan of your teeth will be submitted to Invisalign. In a 1-2 week process, we will work with the Invisalign® technicians to map out your final treatment plan.
Based on the type of tooth movements and the severity of the problem, your doctor will order fabrication of a number of aligners. That could be from 5 to even 50 pairs of aligners. It takes 4-6 weeks from scan or impression day to have all your aligners ready.
At the first appointment, we will put your attachments on. Attachments are one of advanced features of Invisalign, which makes Invisalign totally different from other aligners. They are small tooth colored bumps on few teeth that allow your doctor to design a very accurate 3D force system on the teeth. They do not show and are temporary. Dr. Shirvani usually delivers 4 aligners in the first appointment to wear each for 2 weeks. You will start with aligner number 1 (N01) and after 2 weeks you need to switch to the next pair of aligners.
Your next appointment would be after 8 week for a checkup and some adjustments, if needed. If you wear the aligners as prescribed, you will receive 8 more aligners to wear each successive week. These numbers are average and could vary from patient to patient.
You are supposed to wear aligners 20-22 hours a day, which means full-time wear, except when you eat, drink, brush, or floss your teeth. On special occasions like your birthday party or a wedding ceremony, you can take them off and leave them at home.
On average, the treatment takes 12-18 months; however, we will give you a better estimate when we evaluate your smile. If you don’t wear your aligners enough, the treatment takes longer, and, in poor compliant cases, the treatment goals might not be achieved.
Typically the first Invisalign start appointment is the longest one. It might take up to an hour. We will explain you how to use the aligners and how to take care of them.
In this appointment, we will add attachments on a few teeth. Attachments are small tooth-colored bumps that allow us to design a three-dimensional gentle force system on some of the teeth. They are temporary and will be removed before finishing the treatment.
Attachments are small tooth-colored temporary bumps that are attached to your teeth. They are designed to make your Invisalign aligners apply the right amount and direction of force to your teeth. A lot of research has gone into developing SmartForce attachments, rendering them one of the most sophisticated advantages of Invisalign aligners. If you need them, we will bond them to your teeth at the beginning or during your treatment and remove them when you don’t need them anymore. Your aligners fit well around the attachments and they are barely visible.
You need to see your doctor every 6 to 8 weeks. The regular appointments are for minor adjustments like IPR and to check if the treatment is on-track. In case of emergency, which is rare in Invisalign treatments, you will be asked to call the office and book an appointment to see your doctor.
Typically, you need to see us every 6-8 weeks; however different doctors have their own recall protocols. If you feel that the Invisalign aligners do not fit well and the treatment is off-track, you have to book an appointment ASAP. Do not wait until your next appointment.
In recall appointments, we will assess the treatment progress. we might need to do IPR or to do some adjustments. If you have some aligners left unworn, you have to bring them with you next time.
It is very important to share any obstacle you face that is affecting the aligner wear. If we do not know about your compliance, the treatment won’t be successful. It is a big investment on your healthy beautiful smile. Take advantage of it!
IPR stands for “Inter-Proximal Reduction.” Interproximal is the area where two neighboring teeth have contact with each other. IPR is a technique to shape this area with specific calibrated instruments.
There are different reasons for doing IPR:
• To have a better anatomy and tooth shape.
• To open up some space to make the teeth aligned.
• To make the black triangles smaller.
• To have more stable treatment results.
Using the specifically designed instruments, IPR is a safe procedure. It does not need any freezing and your doctor might use only some topical numbness gel for the gums only. Many studies showed that it is safe and does not hurt the teeth in the presence of good oral hygiene.
At your start day, we will talk to you about this. In many cases, you need to switch to the next aligner after one or two weeks. There are some devices that can be helpful to accelerate the treatment. For example, “Accelerated orthodontics” is using these devices or techniques like Propel to speed up the treatment course. These devices utilize a source of energy to stimulate the tooth movement. Acceledent (a vibrating device) and Orthopulse (a low power light therapy device) are also widely used in North America.
Best results can be achieved by wearing the aligners full-time, which means all day and night, except when you are eating, drinking, brushing, or flossing. In other words, you need to wear the aligners 20-22 hours a day to achieve the best results.
In some malocclusions, we will prescribe you rubber bands or elastics. If it is the case, your compliance will be very important to achieve the best results. Luckily, elastics are tooth colored and easy to wear.
Chewies are small 1.5-inch cylinders made of spongy plastic material that help make your aligners seat correctly on the teeth. When you put on your Invisalign aligners, you are supposed to bite on a chewie to make it fit. Biting directly on the aligners is not a good idea, as it can deform and break the aligners.
Chewie is an aligner seater. It is very important to know that if the aligner does not fit well it cannot apply desired forces on the teeth, and good results will not be achieved. There are electric vibrating aligner seaters on the market as well. VPro is a commercially available electric aligner seater. You can ask your doctor about VPro.
Yes. It is usually normal and a sign of tooth movement. It happens with braces or Invisalign aligners. After finishing the treatment, you will be in retention phase, and this minor mobility will go away and your teeth look normal very soon. If you have any concerns in this regard, come see us.
It depends on many factors, including the amount of tooth movement, body response, and patient’s compliance. We will give you an estimate based on the average time that a similar treatment might take. In many cases, treatment won’t take longer than 12-18 months if you wear your aligners approximately 20 hours a day.
It is very easy and straightforward. We will use safe burs to clean the teeth. These instruments cannot cut the enamel and they are designed to remove the composite dental fillers only. You don’t need to get freezing. If your teeth are sensitive to cold, you need to let your doctor know so they can use instruments without cool air for sensitive areas.
It is always recommended having a cleaning and dental checkup after finishing the Invisalign Treatment.
Don’t worry and let us know ASAP. There are a few solutions in this situation. We may ask you to wear the very last pair of aligners, switch to the next one, or order a replacement for you.
Consequently, it is recommended that you keep your very last used aligners. Clean the used aligners, make them dry, and keep them in their original package. In case of loosing aligners or if you feel that the current aligners do not fit well, we may advise you to step back and wear the first or second last pair of aligners for few days more. It could be very helpful if you can bring the few last aligners when you have an appointment for your Invisalign treatment.
Invisalign clear aligners are considered medical devices and should be ordered by your doctor only.
Invisalign treatment is a new alternative to wires and brackets for Phase I treatment available for many age groups, including kids. It costs from C$3000-4000 on average for Phase I treatment. With the new Invisalign pricing system, your doctor would be able to consider C$1000 discount on the Phase II Invisalign treatment for the final alignment of your teeth when all permanent teeth are erupted in at the age around 13 or 14.
Ask the treatment coordinator at the office about the payment options. You can usually pay for your Invisalign treatment by installments with zero interest rate. If you want to pay for your treatment by very small installments, third party financing companies will do that for you. It is easy and you can apply online at the office and get your approval in few minutes.
In Canada, Invisalign treatment typically costs from C$4000 to C$7000. Typically, insurance companies pay similarly as they do for braces. There are usually different payment options that you can choose from.
Invisalign treatment usually costs about the same as braces. In your consultation appointment, the treatment coordinator will talk about it in details.
Almost all Canadian dental insurance plans cover Invisalign treatment the same way they cover braces.
Your insurance may pay for a certain portion of your Invisalign treatment, or it may pay a certain fee regardless of the total fee of the treatment. Having your insurance information ready at your consultation appointment will help us to figure it out and explain it to you.
One of the distinct advantages of Invisalign clear aligners over traditional braces is that it has the least impact on your personal life.
Invisalign aligners are removable appliances that allow you to take them out when you want to eat, drink, floss, or brush your teeth. On top of that, they are virtually invisible and easy to use in an active social life. In special occasions likes job interview, wedding photo shooting, etc., you can take them off and leave it at home for few hours.
Yes. You need to take them off when you are eating, drinking, brushing, or flossing. For best results, you should wear the aligners 20-22 hours a day, including when you sleep.
For special events like birthday parties, job interview, playing some of the wind musical instruments, or contact sports, you can take your aligners off for few hours.
You can enjoy any food you like with Invisalign clear aligners. Invisalign aligners are removable and you need to take them off for eating. Therefore, you are not going to have any food restrictions. This is one the advantage of Invisalign aligners over braces. With braces, you need to avoid hard, sticky foods, such as carrot, apple, popcorn, etc.
Invisalign treatment planning software allows us to design a very well controlled and gentle force system to apply to the teeth. This minimizes the pain and discomfort of the treatment.
However, when you start wearing a new aligner, you might experience a mild pressure sense during chewing. That pain will typically last for a day or two and is a sign of tooth movement.
Continued pain and discomfort is unusual, and if you have such pain or discomfort you need to see your doctor.
It might or might not. They don’t work well if you don’t wear them less than full-time (20-22 hours a day). If, for any reason, you are not wearing the aligners as much, you have to inform us ASAP as we may need to change the timing of treatment. We strongly recommend wearing the aligners full-time, as the treatment failure is quite likely in case of poor compliance.
Invisalign clear aligners might affect speech for a few days. The tongue is very well adapted to these changes. If you want to get rid of any impact to your speech faster, try reading a book aloud for few hours.
A slight lisp is usually normal and is anticipated for 2-3 days in the beginning of treatment, but will disappear quickly. Excessive saliva is another temporary side effect of clear aligners that will not take longer than 2-3 days.
Yes. Smoking can discolor you aligners and we recommend avoiding smoking when you have aligners in.
No. You should avoid chewing with aligners. Gum will stick to your aligners.
Aligners fit very well around your teeth and it is unlikely that they come out when you are sleeping, talking, or laughing.
It might or might not. You need to see is to make sure that the aligners are still on-track. We recommend keeping the last three to four last worn aligners. Sometimes they might fit if you step back. You should see us anyway to ensure your treatment is not going to be affected.
You can use the Invisalign cleaning system, available to purchase online at http://www.invisalignaccessories.com (http://www.invisalignaccessories.com)or from us.
Using a hard brush like a “Denture Brush” with liquid dish soap could also clean the aligners efficiently. You need to rinse the aligners copiously with tap water afterwards.
Never use hot water as the aligners are made of thermoplastic material and they will be deformed in hot water. For the same reason, soaking into hot water or putting them in the dishwasher machine could warp the aligners.
Yes. You have to brush your teeth and the aligners right after eating or even after snacking (that can help you to avoid frequent snacking—an added bonus). The aligners could be easily discolored if you don’t brush after eating. It may also cause tooth decay.
It is very important to ensure that your aligners are clean. In this situation, you can use Invisalign Cleaning Crystals. You can order crystals online at http://www.invisalignaccessories.com or buy the from us. If you are not sure that the aligners are clean enough to place them in your mouth, consult us to see if you can switch to the next aligner or order a replacement. You need to take your next aligners with you if you are going to our office for a consultation. Never soak the aligners in hot water as they can be easily deformed.
Accelerated Orthodontics uses a series of devices or surgical techniques to speed up tooth movement. AcceleDent and VPro use vibrating stimulation, while Orthopulse uses LED light energy. Aveo is another accelerating device which applies ultrasonic waves to the jaw and the tissues surrounding your tooth.
There are also some surgical or micro surgical techniques that can speed up the orthodontics treatments. Propel (MOP) is being widely used in North America.
AcceleDent is a vibrating device that applies vibrating pulses to the teeth. The patient needs to gently bite on its U-shaped plastic mouthpiece. The vibrating energy transmits to the surrounding tissues of the teeth and stimulates the bone-remodeling process. Bone remodeling is the mechanism of tooth movement in the jaw. Therefore, this stimulation could make the tooth movement faster. It has also been reported that using AcceleDent can reduce the mild soreness or discomfort of the Invisalign aligners after switching to new aligner. Patients need to use AcceleDent once a day for 20 minutes.
VPro is another vibrating device that could be used with Invisalign treatments. This device uses a higher frequency than AcceleDent and the manufacturer recommends using the VPro 5 minutes a day. This device is cheaper than AcceleDent. After a long trial, Propel Company, the manufacturer of VPro, has been condemned for advertising VPro as an accelerating orthodontic device in the United States. They have been advised to call their product an “Aligner Seater,” which means that the vibrating energy of device can make the aligner fit well, subsequently helping the aligner to stay on-track.
OrthoPulse is another FDA cleared device which uses near Infrared light waves (nIR) to encourage bone cells metabolism. In this way, the nIR energy will increase the remodeling activity of the surrounding bone and soft tissues around the root of the tooth, which leads to a faster tooth movement. It is also said that the device can reduce the mild soreness after wearing a new aligner.
Propel, or MOP (Micro-Osteo-Perforation), is another accelerated orthodontic technique. In this technique, tiny screws are used to create small dimples on the surface jawbones. This stimulation can trigger body response and increases bone cells and mediators that are involved in bone remodeling and tooth movement.
The procedure is fast and needs no or minimal freezing. Typically, patients will not experience pain or discomfort after the procedure. In rare cases, patient may need to take a pain killer for one day. In such cases, Tylenol (and not Advil) will be prescribed. Advil can interfere with the mechanism of the technique.
Almost all orthodontic patients need to wear retainers after finishing an active phase of treatment. Regardless of technique, whether it is braces or Invisalign clear aligner, retention is a crucial phase of treatment.
Teeth tend to shift to their original position, necessitating retainers. The risk of relapse or shifting toward initial position is significant in the first year after orthodontic treatment.
The need for long-term retention has been a controversial issue in orthodontics. We will consult with you about our retention protocol.
There are a few types of retainers. Fixed bonded wire and clear retainers are the most popular ones these days.
Fixed bonded wire is a thin wire or metal chain that will be glued to the back of the front teeth. They do not show when you are talking or laughing. In some type of malocclusions, we might recommend bonded wire.
Clear retainers looks like clear aligners. They could be made in a dental lab. Align Technology offers a high quality clear retainer called “Vivera”. In terms of material, they are more durable and normally come in 4 pairs so they could be enough for years.
We need to order your Vivera retainers as they are considered medical devices; therefore, you could not order them directly.
You need to wear the retainers full-time for a period unique to your Invisalign treatment plan. Over time, we will taper the time down to 14 to 16 hours a day, and, finally, only during night.
We will discuss these topics in the consultation appointment and also before finishing your Invisalign treatment. The type and severity of the malocclusion could affect the retention phase in different ways, which is why we will give you specific instructions instead of a general procedure used by all patients.
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