Invisalign® Open Day

You should wear your aligners for at least 22 hours per day, only removing them to brush and floss your teeth and to eat and drink.

The length of your treatment will depend on your specific needs and will be determined by your Invisalign-trained dentist. Some Invisalign® treatments can be completed in as little as 2 months but depending on the complexity of your case your Invisalign® treatment could take longer, with treatment times often ranging between 12 and 18 months.

We have recently introduced the Vpro™ Orthodontic Accelerator into our Practice. When used for 5 minutes a day, this device allows for faster and more stable teeth movements so that treatment can be completed in half the time as aligners are changed every 5-7 days instead of every 2 weeks.

Most patients are suitable for Invisalign®. It is vital that you check your suitability with your dentist. Cases that are difficult or unsuitable for Invisalign® may include:
• Up-righting severely tipped teeth
• Not all the permanent teeth have erupted - you're still growing!
• Multiple missing teeth
• Unsuitable periodontal (gum) condition
• Patients wanting to change their facial profile

While Invisalign® treatment is usually covered, it may be considered as "major dental." We highly recommend that you ask your fund directly. Invisalign® treatment is claimed under number 881 - orthodontic treatment. This is for the entire treatment course.

While Invisalign® treatment may move your teeth without the pain and anxiety of other straightening methods, some people might experience temporary, minor discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is normal and is typically described as a feeling of pressure. It's a sign that the Invisalign® aligners are sequentially moving your teeth to their final positions. This discomfort usually goes away a couple of days after you insert the new aligner in the series. If you notice a sharp pain or have significant discomfort, please contact us immediately.

No, you can usually eat what you want while in treatment because the Invisalign® aligners are removed when eating or drinking. Thus, there’s no need to refrain from your favourite foods and drinks. Except for cool water, we recommend that you don’t drink any other beverages while wearing the aligners. This is to avoid cavities and stains forming on your teeth or warping your aligners with hot beverages.
It’s recommended that you floss and brush your teeth after each meal and prior to re-inserting your aligners to maintain proper oral hygiene.

No. It’s important that you follow the treatment plan developed by your dentist to ensure the best outcome. Your dentist will determine the recommended treatment duration for you depending on several considerations, including the spacing between your teeth and the need for retention.

You will usually change your aligners every 2 weeks. However, if you are using the V-pro™ you can change every 5-7 days.

Like other orthodontic treatments, the Invisalign® aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people for a day or two. However, as your tongue gets used to having aligners in your mouth, any misarticulation or minor speech impediment caused by the aligners should disappear. Please speak to your dentist about ways to help you get used to your aligners more quickly.

Depending on your specific treatment, some of the movements may require either “attachments” or “ridges” to help the aligner grip the teeth. These bumps or wells are where the aligner grips the attachment the doctor places on your teeth. The attachments are small pieces of composite the doctor affixes to your teeth that are then gripped by bumps on your aligners. The ridges are slim indentations in your aligners. Your Invisalign-trained doctor will use one or both features to achieve the desired movement.

Invisalign® fixtures are transparent, making them virtually invisible. They are bonded to the teeth using attachments, which are small, tooth-coloured attachments of dental bonding material. Depending on where these attachments need to be placed, they’re usually noticeable - though not dramatically so, thanks to their tooth colour. You can make Invisalign® attachments less noticeable by avoiding staining food and drinks and remembering to brush and floss often.

Invisalign® can close and fix most types of tooth gaps, whether they are on the top row or the bottom. However, keep in mind that larger gaps may take longer to correct. In these instances, patients may need to wear the Invisalign® aligner for up to two years.

Yes! Invisalign® aligners are incredibly effective and will straighten teeth perfectly. While Invisalign® aligners aren’t right for every orthodontic situation, they are a great choice for most smiles. For more severe cases that Invisalign® aligners cannot be used for, we will recommend braces.

We are seeing an increasing number of children choosing Invisalign® as their teeth-straightening solution. Determining whether Invisalign® is suitable for your child will depend on a range of variables. The most important of these are the age of your child, their level of compliance with the process, their teeth positioning, their current teeth health and how much more development the mouth and jaw must go through. Older children and teens are generally more suitable for Invisalign® due to compliance. Invisalign® must be worn for at least 22 hours each day to be effective.

Another point to consider is your child’s teeth positioning and whether their teeth are fully grown. Invisalign® is most suitable for children who have lost all of their baby teeth and now only have permanent teeth.

The developmental stage of the jaws is an important factor that we will consider. Certain teeth and jaw misalignments are best treated early on while others will require adjunctive treatment, such as elastics. In some cases, we might opt to wait until development has further matured before starting Invisalign® treatment.