What is Invisalign treatment?

Invisalign treatment is the process of wearing a series of clear, removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth. Unlike traditional braces, there are no brackets and wires, nor are there the same restrictions that usually come with fixed metal braces.

What are Invisalign aligners made of and what do they look like?

Invisalign clear aligners are made of flexible plastic — specifically, a patented thermoplastic material called SmartTrack® created exclusively for Invisalign treatment. They are FDA-approved and contain no BPA, BPS, latex, or gluten. They are thin, clear, and fit snugly over your teeth, making them virtually invisible.

How does the straightening process work?

I’ll create a unique, digital treatment plan that maps out the exact movements of your teeth. Your Invisalign clear aligners are then designed to apply the right amount of force to the right place at the right time based on your plan. We’ll check in every 8 weeks or so to monitor your progress and ensure your aligners are fitting as they should be.

How long does it take to straighten teeth using Invisalign aligners?

The length of your treatment plan depends on your requirements and will be discussed in your consultation. The average treatment is around 10-12 months, but could be anywhere from three months to two years. As your treatment progresses, you’ll need to replace your aligners every couple of weeks, and every 8 weeks we’ll catch up to review how your teeth are moving.

Who is Invisalign for?

Invisalign treatment can be a great solution for both adults and teens, and can be used to fix nearly all common teeth-straightening and bite issues.

What should I expect during my first consultation?

Your first consultation with me is free. Make a time to come in and see me at either the central Auckland Lumino clinic. There’s no need to bring anything with you. We’ll chat through whether Invisalign will be the right choice for you, your treatment options, limitations, the process and the costs involved. This is also your chance to ask any questions you may have.

How often will I change aligners?

I’ll tell you how often you should change to new aligners (this can vary based on your individual treatment plan). For the majority of patients, you’ll change your Invisalign clear aligners weekly or every other week.

How many hours per day do I need to wear my aligners?

Your Invisalign aligners should be worn 20 to 22 hours a day. You can remove them for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing.

How much does Invisalign treatment cost?

I offer two price options - Invisalign Lite which is $4995 and Invisalign Full which is $7995. Payment plans are available, including 24 months interest free terms with Q Card.

Since having my braces removed, my teeth have shifted. Can Invisalign treatment fix this?

Yes, they can. I see many patients who have had braces previously who now choose Invisalign treatment as the discreet solution to improve their smile when they find that their teeth have shifted back.

I have veneers or crowns, will Invisalign work for me?

I’ll need to evaluate this on a case-by-case basis. Get in touch and we can discuss your individual requirements.

How do I get started?

Find out what’s involved, and whether Invisalign is the right choice for you with a FREE no-obligation consultation. Get in touch with us to book.

Marina's Invisalign Journey

Marina's Complaint

Marina came to see me to discuss Invisalign because she was unhappy with the spacing between her upper and lower teeth – In addition, she also felt the teeth protruded too much.

Invisalign works amazingly well in many situations where there is spacing and so I was quite confident we could get a very nice result but without the need for braces.

The Invisalign Plan

When treating spacing the very first thing we look at is what the lower teeth are doing. We often find that their position is going to prevent us closing the spacing in the top jaw. Maybe they are little far forward or perhaps too high. In Marina’s case, the lower front teeth were also tilting outwards (proclined) so up righting the lower teeth was key to getting the top teeth into line.

The only real complication was that Marina still had a baby molar tooth present (the adult tooth had never formed). This can create issues because you cant move baby teeth and baby molars tend to use up more room than the adult teeth that replace them. In these situations we generally prefer removing the tooth, however Marina wasn’t too keen on that idea so after discussing the pros and cons we decided to leave it in place.

Marina's Results with Invisalign

All up treatment took 14months for Marina however that was using an older version of Invisalign so these days I would usually expect treatment to take around 10-12months.

We got quite a nice result and Marina was very happy. For my part I would have loved to make a few more aligners as I felt that there was a tiny bit of residual spacing between the two front teeth that I wanted to close up. It is fair to say the space bothered me more than Marina and she was keen to finish treatment! Oh and yes, no baby teeth were harmed in the making of this smile….