If you’re considering straightening your teeth with the help of Invisalign, you may be wondering what the process entails, but don’t get overwhelmed with the details. Here’s what you can expect from start to finish during your treatment.
Step One: Consultation
Your first step towards a straighter smile is the Invisalign consultation with your dentist. At your appointment, your dentist will examine your teeth and give you an estimate of timeline, cost, and any other important information you might need for a successful outcome.
Step Two: Imaging
Images of your mouth will be taken to get more information about the alignment of your teeth, and impressions may also be made so that your aligners can be created.
Step Three: Receiving Your Aligners
It may take a few weeks for your new aligners to arrive. Once they are available, your dentist will schedule you to be fitted. You may need “buttons” installed on your teeth to help hold your aligners in place. These composite resin bumps are tooth colored so nobody will know you have them, and when your treatment is complete your dentist will remove them.
Step Four: Follow Ups
Before you leave your fitting, you will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment so that your dentist can closely monitor your progress. These periodic check-ins will likely be necessary every month or so for the duration of your treatment.
Step Five: Refinements
If your treatment requires a little more time to complete or if any of your teeth don’t move according to plan, you might require a refinement. If so, your dentist will have refinement aligners created with new images taken of your teeth.
Step Six: Retainers, etc.
Once your refinements are complete, your dentist will be able to remove the buttons from your teeth and get you fitted for a retainer. Once you have your retainers, you will be given a schedule to wear them, but eventually you will only need to wear them at night. If you don’t, you run the risk of your teeth moving back to their original positions!
Remember, there’s no reason to feel overwhelmed about your Invisalign treatment. It has been proven to be a safe, effective way to straighten the teeth and correct a bad bite. Just take your treatment one day at a time, and your smile will be ready to show off before you know it!
About Dr. Henry
Dr. Tavi Henry started off his career working with his hands, but he knew that to feel fulfilled, he needed to help people, too. Thankfully, dentistry solved both problems, and today he’s proud to provide high quality care that makes patients feel good about themselves.
To schedule an appointment for Invisalign with Dedicated Dentistry, please visit our website or call us today at 303-984-1400.