Invisalign®

What is Invisalign®?

The Invisalign® System involves a series of clear and removable aligners that gently and gradually shift your teeth into position.

Your aligners are custom-made for you using cutting-edge technology and has been specifically designed to optimise tooth movement control and aligner-patient fit.

Why have straighter teeth?

40% of people felt that straightening teeth was the most attractive improvement one could make to the look of the mouth.*

Straighter teeth can do more than give you a beautiful smile, they make brushing and flossing easier, helping you to maintain a good oral hygiene routine.

Having straighter teeth will also mean if any dental work is needed on your teeth, then it can be performed with minimal reduction to the tooth structure as possible, preserving the overall health of the teeth.

(*) Results from a survey of 300 respondents (50% male, 50% female) from across the UK, conducted on Tuesday 13th January 2015 by Positive Communications on behalf of Invisalign®.

Why have Invisalign®?

Invisalign® aligners are virtually invisible and lifestyle friendly. Most people won’t even notice you are wearing them and you will potentially have fewer visits to the dentist than some types of braces.

The aligners are convenient as they are removable, which means you can continue to eat the foods you enjoy, with no special diet required. You can remove them briefly for special occasions such as weddings or big meetings.

We recommend wearing them for 22 hours a day to stay on track for your treatment plan and continue your oral health routine to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

If we are moving just the front 8-10 teeth then treatment times can be significantly reduced compared to conventional braces.

Invisalign® can be used to correct a number of orthodontic issues such as crowding, crookedness, gaps between the teeth, cross or underbites.

Treatment Process

A detailed treatment plan will be developed using ClinCheck®, a virtual 3D treatment plan.

ClinCheck shows the series of movements your teeth are projected to go through over the course of the treatment so you can see how your teeth are expected to look at the end of your Invisalign® treatment before it even begins.

If you decide that Invisalign® is right for you then these are the steps to expect:

1. Dental records are taken (e.g. photos, X-rays, intra-oral scans, and/or impressions).
2. Your individual 3D treatment plan is created using your records, treatment strategy and treatment prescription submitted by us.
3. A series of custom-made aligners are made using advanced 3D computer imaging printing technology. Your aligners are shipped to the dental practice, and we will contact you to make your first aligner-fitting appointment.
4. You will be fitted with your aligners and given 4 sets to take home. At this visit, we will have to put small tooth coloured attachments on some of the teeth to ensure they move as we want. You will wear each set of aligners for 1 week, and then move to the next set.
5. At checkups every 4 weeks, we will monitor if your treatment is progressing as planned, and will give you the next 4 set of aligners in the series.
6. When your treatment has finished, you will be fitted for retainers, which will help you protect your new smile by holding your teeth in their new position.

Whitening – this may be carried out during or after the teeth have been straightened.

You may wish to finish your smile with some composite bonding/veneers and this can be discussed with me.

For more information regarding this treatment