Invisalign Dentist

Have you been thinking about getting your malocclusion treated? There are quite a few orthodontic appliances that are used to treat misalignment of teeth, among which Invisalign is the most popular one at the moment. As the name suggests, Invisalign is a near-invisible orthodontic aligner made from a clear, dental-grade plastic material. It stays under disguise due to its transparent nature, thereby helping you keep your orthodontic treatment discreet.

How is Invisalign better than its alternatives?

• Invisalign is a removable aligner. You can take it off when you have to consume food, brush and floss your teeth, or during certain occasions when absolutely necessary.
• Invisalign aligners are metal-free. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting injured due to brackets, wires, or sharp edges, such as in the case of dental braces.
• The aligners are pretty comfortable to wear. They gently apply pressure on the teeth to move them to their orthodontically right positions.
• You will not have to make any changes to your diet during the treatment phase. You can simply take the aligners off, eat anything you want, and put them back on after thoroughly cleaning the teeth.
• Invisalign is backed by a highly-advanced technology that allows the dentist to scan the teeth, simulate their movement, fabricate the aligners with high precision, and monitor the progress of the treatment.

How is the treatment carried out?

When you visit us for the initial consultation, we will visually examine the teeth and scan them to understand the severity of the malocclusion. A hand-held scanning tool is used to scan the teeth and produce a 3D simulation of their movement on a chairside high-definition screen. It is used by the dentist to view the teeth from multiple angles and draw out a suitable treatment plan. The data from the scans will be shared with a dental laboratory where the aligners will be fabricated. It may take a few days for them to be ready to use.

Once the dentist hands you your first set of aligners, they will take you through the usage. For instance, you will have to wear the aligners for a minimum of 22 hours every day. Meaning, you can only remove them when you have to eat food, drink beverages, or brush your teeth. Before putting them back on, ensure no food particles are left on the teeth as they can negatively affect the treatment. The dentist will provide a new set of aligners once every two weeks. They may feel slightly weird on the teeth and gums during the first few days, but it will wear off gradually.

Please schedule an appointment online or call us at (703) 670-7071 to have a consultation with our dentists, and we will be happy to help.