Your Port Moody Invisalign® Provider
If you are considering Invisalign as a treatment option for gapped, crooked or misaligned teeth, then you may be wondering about what you can expect from this treatment. Here, our Port Moody dentists explain exactly what you can expect from your Invisalign journey so there are few surprises if you do decide to go forward with treatment.
The Consultation
You will begin your journey by scheduling an Invisalign consultation with your dentist. At the consultation, your dentist will complete an exam that will include digital X-rays, a bite registration (how your upper and lower teeth fit together), dental impressions, and photos of your teeth.
Once all of your information has been collected and recorded, you and your dentist will walk through your diagnosis and discuss your treatment options. Your dentist will then write a prescription that describes and documents the current state of your smile, how you will be treated and what changes to expect from the realignment of your smile.
The Decision
If you and your dentist together decide that Invisalign is a suitable treatment option for your smile, your dentist will send your information alongside dental impression to Align Technology where Invisalign technicians will create a digital 3D model of your teeth.
They will also create an animation to show what your teeth look like at the beginning of your journey and how you may expect them to look at the end. Once you approve the animation, production on your custom Invisalign trays will begin, which may take up to four weeks.
The Aligners
Once your clear aligners are ready for you to pick up, you can visit your dentist's office to collect them. Your dentist will check to make sure that the aligners fit properly at this time, before you begin your treatment.
Although your Invisalign aligners are removable, our Port Moody dentists recommend you wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day, and only remove them for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing.
You will exchange one set of custom-made aligners for the next in the series every 2 weeks until the treatment has been completed. You will also attend appointments with your dentist every 6 weeks or so to monitor your progress and check that treatment is going as planned.
The Results
Provided you have followed your dentist's instructions during treatment you should be able to enjoy a straighter smile at the end of the Invisalign process.
Your dentist may recommend a retainer to maintain your new smile and to make sure that your teeth don't shift from their new positions.