If you are thinking about straightening your teeth with clear aligners, you might be curious about the road in front of you. How does Invisalign work, and what can you expect during each step of the treatment process? While the details can vary a bit from case to case, this blog post aims to give you a general overview of the journey that awaits you.
Step One: Consultation and Treatment Planning
To get things started, your orthodontist will need to learn about your unique situation. They will examine your teeth, take some X-rays, and determine whether your dental misalignment can be corrected with Invisalign. It can address most cases of mild to moderate misalignment, but some severe or complex cases might require traditional braces.
If it looks like Invisalign is a good fit for you, your care team will use a digital impression scanner to capture images of your teeth. Your orthodontist can then use that impression to map out your tooth movements.
Step Two: Wearing Your Aligners
After your treatment plan is ready, your orthodontist will order your custom aligners from Invisalign. After they have been fabricated, they will get sent back to your orthodontist’s office. You will receive some instructions on how to use them, and then you can officially get started with moving your teeth. You should wear your aligners for 20 – 22 hours each day in order for them to be effective, and you may transition to new aligners every two weeks or so.
Step Three: Follow-Up Appointments
Periodically throughout your treatment, you will visit your orthodontist so they can check on your progress and address any questions or concerns that you have. These appointments are usually quite brief (15 – 30 minutes). You may also be provided with additional aligners so you can continue with your treatment.
Step Four: Final Refinements
After you work your way through your aligners, your orthodontist will examine your teeth and determine if any final adjustments need to be made to their positioning. If necessary, your orthodontist will order additional aligners for you.
Step Five: Maintaining Your Results
Once your teeth are in their new positions, your care team will take another impression of your teeth so they can provide you with a custom retainer. A retainer’s job is to prevent your teeth from drifting back out of place, so it is vital that you use it as instructed. At first, you may need to wear it full-time. Eventually, though, you may need to use it just a few nights each week.
Are you eager to learn more details of the Invisalign process? Schedule a consultation so you can get answers to all your questions!
Meet the Practice
Under the leadership of board-certified orthodontist Dr. Amin Mason, our team provides Invisalign and a range of other orthodontic treatment options. If you are curious about the process of straightening your teeth, we would be happy to speak with you. Contact Polaris Orthodontic Center in Columbus at 614-781-6990.
