Answers to Common Questions about Invisalign

Montgomery Dental Care in Woodbury, MN is an Invisalign-trained and experienced dental practice.

We are familiar with the many great questions that our dental patients ask and provide many answers in this article.

How does Invisalign technology work?

Invisalign aligners are nearly totally invisible; few onlookers can spot them. They include no glaring metal and are custom fit to the teeth of each dental patient. They work by using a series of trays that slowly and progressively shift your teeth into better alignment. Each tray in sequence is crafted so that the teeth are slightly straighter than the previous tray.

Invisalign attachments are small lumps of dental bonding material placed directly on teeth to help direct the aligners. The virtually invisible aligners are comprised made of a sturdy medical grade thermoplastic material. It was uniquely developed to meet the high specification of the Invisalign System.

Do I need a dental specialist to provide my treatment?

It is best to have a dental specialist who fully understands the process managing and applying your treatment plan. While Invisalign aligners maybe used with virtually any treatment concept, special training is not only best but needed. All orthodontists and dentists choosing to treat patients with Invisalign must first attend training to become qualified and proficient. Just as everyone is uniquely made, so also the various requirements of treating patients are unique and vast.

What is the average cost of Invisalign in 2020?

Only your dentist can determine the actual cost of treatment because it will be based a personal assessment. Each individual has specific oral health needs, beginning with how extensive the need for straighter teeth is. Some teeth require more time to gradually move into an ideal position. This is one factor that influences both how long your treatment will last and the end price. Given its advantages over regular braces, a person should anticipate that their price of Invisalign braces will be a bit higher. The average cost, according to the manufacturer, typically ranges between $3,500 and $8,000. Taking clues from the Consumer Guide for Dentistry, the US national average for Invisalign is $3,000–$5,000.

How does the cost of Invisalign compare to traditional braces?

In most cases, traditional metal bracket braces run between $2,000–$6,000. Again, the cost of straightening your teeth will depend on your individual case. Very crooked teeth, a mouth with a severe overbite, and even jaw structure will influence what it takes to fix crooked teeth – regardless of your choice between Invisalign and traditional braces. Our Woodbury, Minnesota dental care office provides our patients with the Invisalign aligner option.

Do Invisalign aligners take longer or a shorter time compared to traditional braces?

Patients may experience results faster with traditional braces because the wires and brackets use force on all teeth simultaneously. This often shifts even straight teeth a little.

With Invisalign, each individual tooth’s movement is planned both before and during treatment. Small tweaks may be made during the treatment process and sometimes larger ones if the need indicates it. Your existing straight teeth have no need to be moved. The benefit is that since Invisalign clear trays work on individual teeth, you have a custom plan.

What all this means is that people often see movement with traditional braces sooner than they do with Invisalign. But Invisalign treatment actually takes less time overall to achieve correct alignment. While initial results may come in slower, it is best to leave naturally straight teeth in place.

What happens if I miss a day of wearing Invisalign?

Each individual Invisalign tray is intended to wear for at least 14 days. Shouldone day happen to be missed, simple add a day on to your schedule. Remember that consistency will give you better results and help you gain the smile that you want faster.

Can Invisalign affect the shape of my face?

In addition to straighten your teeth, Invisalign may be helpful for remodeling some face shapes, appearance and side profiles. Severely crooked teeth are known to influence the shape of a person’s face; one example is an overbite that is forcing a person’s upper lip to protrude forward. A positive benefit of Invisalign aligners that many don’t think of is when it helps in improving one’s overall appearance when the teeth relax into their proper place.

How long until I can enjoy results from Invisalign?

For premium smile design results, Invisalign gradually re-aligns your teeth. Once you make the decision to invest in clear aligners for your smile transformation, you’re probably eager to see visibleresults. Some dental patients obtain noticeable improvements in their smile as early as six weeks into their treatment.

It is unrealistic to expect immediate benefits. The Invisalign Company states, “Typically treatment can last between 9 and 18 months”.

What happens if you move teeth too fast when straightening them?

If you move a tooth into a better alignment too fast, it is possible to actually incur harm to your mouth’s bone and gums. Montgomery Dental Care ensures that a tooth is encouraged to move into the right position at an ideal pace. The end goal of gaining an ideal bite with Invisalign includes careful thought about the speed of moving your teeth and providing you with guidance that protects the wear on your teeth.

Does Invisalign hurt?

Yes. Anytime you are moving teeth, you should expect it to hurt some.  In general, Invisalign involves less pain than traditional metal braces. Similar to all types of orthodontic treatment, this pain fades quickly for most people after the teeth adjust to wearing the aligners.  The best advice is to have new aligners swapped in and out when needed.

Research studies with a broad dental patient base indicate that Invisalign is significantly less painful than metal braces.

Is anyone in-eligible for Invisalign treatment?

Some patients, who feel like they cannot make the commitment to wearing their aligners for at least twenty-two hours every day, will find it hard. Invisalign is a partnership between the process and your daily diligence at home.  Should life be too busy just now, we recommend waiting till you can make the time schedule work to keep track of the aligners, clean them, and wear them.

Are Invisalign aligners more comfortable to wear than other options?

Yes. We believe so.  The treatment offers the latest materials for comfort and results; it uses SmartTrack^® material. No other straightening product is made from SmartTrack material. This means that you can go through the treatment feeling more comfortable and finding them easier to put on, take offand/or replace.

Your Invisalign dentist can use Invisalign to treat overbites for the majority of adults and adolescents. The process begins by having your preferred Provider do an initial assessment to determine whether Invisalign is the best solution for you.

Can a dentist use Invisalign to close gap between my teeth?

Yes. The process is actually ideal for that. Spaces between a person’s teeth are typically a stress-free and easy process with Invisalign. Small gaps in front teeth, say 2mm in size, may be treated by using a tooth colored fillings; you dentist will offer you the best options. Should a gap in front teeth be the result of an accident or a missing tooth, a bridge or an implant might be the preferred way to close this gap.

How can I make my Invisalign attachments less noticeable?

• Limit strong beverages that stain teeth – Many teas, coffee and red wines are known to stain Invisalign attachments. While your treatment is underway, try limiting the amount of stain-inducing foods and drinks you consume daily. Strong colorants used in some lipsticks may also become an issue for the ladies. Try natural shades while in treatment for daily use.
• Brush your teeth often – Basic oral hygiene is foundational to a great smile; for the time being, teeth whitening is not an option until your successful Invisalign treatment completion. During this time, regularly brushing well helps to avoid unwanted stains. By limiting stain-causing drinks, you’ll find it easier to maintain sparkling teeth and make your attachments less noticeable.
• Remember Flossing – As with any device in our mouth, food tends to get caught more easily between attachments. When it does, it makes your aligners more recognizable. Dental floss is compact and easy to carry with you for a quick clean-up after eating.

What key things do I need to remember for Invisalign to work?

1. Wear your trays for the recommended time frame. You should wear your trays a minimum of 22 hours each day to see the best results in the shortest length of time.
2. Be sure to change trays on a timely bases. Updating trays is like tightening braces: keeping the discipline of your recommended routine will ensure your Invisalign continues working to move your teeth – in the right direction and at the right pace. Avoid permitting a change-over getting missed, and definitely never skip a tray!
3. Be patient. Giving up halfway through never produces the best results. This is an example of when patience really pays off. To see what the final result should look like; ask to see the time-lapse of your Invisalign 3D images.

Dr. Marc L. Montgomery can help you see what your new smile will look like. We can take a fast and precise 3D digital scan of your teeth and accurately map out a custom treatment plan to straighten your teeth. You may click here to check out the new smile that you can have.

Invisalign FAQs SUMMARY

In summary, you can transform your smile with the worlds most recognized and advanced clear aligner system on today’s market. Fell free to call us and ask any additional questions that you may have.

Call and we’ll make it easy for you to obtain the smile that you want to be proud of. (651) 738-1880

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