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.

Invisalign: The First Week

Its exciting to get started but....

Ok, so you have finally got your new Invisalign aligners and you are ready to begin moving towards your new smile. Congratulations!

While it can be exciting to get started, there is no doubt that there is definitely a learning curve when it comes to wearing your aligners for the first time. There will be times, particularly when you first start out, where things can be uncomfortable. In this post I’ll go through the types of challenges you might experience and how best to manage them.

First things first......

I warn all of my patients that chances are they will struggle for the first 48hours or so – and it will often take a good week to get used to wearing aligners.

The biggest challenge? Getting used to wearing something in your mouth all the time. Initially you will be very conscious of your aligners – you will probably play with them constantly with your tongue. Persevere! at some point in the second week your brain will give up trying to remind you of the fact that you have something in your mouth and they will fade into the back ground.

In a very short time you will get to the point where you aren’t even aware that the aligners are in (and eventually it will feel strange when you don’t have them in!).

What if your aligners hurt?

Whenever you start wearing a new set of aligners it is not uncommon for the teeth to be sore or achy – especially when starting out for he first time. For most people, this will reduce within a few hours and be gone completely within 48hours.

If the initial discomfort that you are experiencing is disturbing your sleep or concentration at work you can of course consider taking some pain relief. If you do want to take some painkillers try to stick with paracetamol. When we are moving teeth we are trying to create mild pressure which activates the inflammatory process that is needed for the teeth to move. Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen (eg. Nurofen) stop this process, so although it will relieve your discomfort it will also reduce the ability of the aligners to move your teeth!

If there is an area of localised discomfort, check that the aligners are fully seated – using one of your chewies can help ensure that the aligners are seated properly and some of my patients report that using the chewies can provide short term relief if the teeth are aching. If the aligners are not inserting or seating properly, especially it is in the area of an attachment, you need to let your dentist know asap. Using your Dental Monitoring app to upload a new scan means that your dentist can check the fit remotely for you and provide advice.

Once underway, I recommend that you put in any new sets of aligners immediately before going to bed so you can sleep through any initial discomfort. In addition, the 6-8hours of continuous wear helps you get a bit of momentum going with the movements planned during this new set of aligners.

Sore spots and ulcers

When starting out it is not uncommon to get the odd sore spot or ulcer where the skin of your mouth is rubbing either against the edge of the aligner or one of your attachments.

Generally this will resolve within the first week, however there are some things you can do to help:

Sharp aligner edge? If you notice that one particular edge of an aligner is rubbing or causing discomfort you can try gently polishing the edge with a nail file. Often this will alleviate the rubbing.

Sharp attachment? Generally this will improve but if you are struggling or if a particular attachment has caused an ulcer, contact your dentist as sometimes a light polish of the attachment can help immensely!

If you have any sore spots using a numbing gel such as bonjella can help alleviate discomfort while you are waiting for things to settle down. Every now and then I will come across a patient who really struggles with ulcers in the first week or two of treatment. In these situations I will occasionally prescribe Kenalog or Oracort which can also help (both of these medications are available without prescription from the pharmacy but need to be dispensed by the pharmacist so wont be on the shelves.)

Talking

About 1 in 5 patients develop a lisp when starting out with their aligners.

So your job in the first few days after starting treatment is to talk. Talk to yourself in the car. Sing in the shower. Read aloud from a book or magazine. Talk, talk, talk.

The more you talk, the quicker you will get used to your aligners. Most lisps resolve within a day or so but for an unlucky few it can take a few days. Regardless, the key is to practice!