Step-by-Step Procedures to Get Invisalign® Clear Aligners

Step-by-Step Procedures to Get Invisalign® Clear Aligners – From Start to Finish Clear Aligners – What are They?

Clear aligners have proven to be the breakthrough orthodontic treatment device, being an ultimate advancement on traditional braces. Clear aligners are plastic replication of teeth that combine the efficiency of traditional braces in straightening teeth alongside complete inconspicuousness which makes it head and shoulders above other type of braces.

Plastic made, virtually invisible, comfortability, highly effective and better hygiene are some advantages of the clear aligners which has increasingly made them popular. They are made by a wide range of companies, of which Invisalign® is the most popular. Each Invisalign® treatment comes in packs and a tray is usually worn for one or two weeks. After that, the tray is switched and this series continues until the treatment is complete. If you are interested in getting Invisalign® clear aligners for yourself or your child, below are the step-by-step procedure to get it

1.Consulting the Orthodontist – the first step in getting your Invisalign® clear aligners is to consult with a certified orthodontist who will guide you through the whole process, book an appointment with Dr. Kalange HERE.

2.Diagnostics Report–after consulting with the orthodontist, and you are ready to proceed, reports on you will be carried out. Information like pictures of your face and an x-ray of your dentition will be taken. This x-ray will show both the inter-oral and extra-oral details of your teeth.

3. Pre-Orthodontic Dental Treatment – up next is the pre-orthodontic dental treatment. Here, cleaning of your teeth and restoration will be carried out in case of any decay. Treatment will be according to the result shown by the diagnostics report.

4. Scanning of the Teeth – a specialized scanner named iTero scanner is then used to generate the digital record of your dentition without any messy mouth impression. Then the ClinCheck software shows how your teeth will be at the end of the treatment. This means you get to preview your smile and the difference between pre & post Invisalign® treatment, what you see is exactly what you get.

5. Manufacturing of Your Aligners – After the ClinCheck software must have drafted a treatment plan for you, your Invisalign® clear aligners will be manufactures at a highly sophisticated manufacturing unit of Invisalign®. The turnaround time could take between 20 – 25 working days as the manufacturing facility of Invisalign® is not in India. Once your aligners have been delivered to your doctor’s clinic from the manufacturing facility of Invisalign®, you will get a call to schedule an appointment for fitting.

6. Fitting of Invisalign® Template–On the day you fixed your appointment for fitting, the orthodontist will check to see if the Invisalign® template fits well in your mouth. If your doctor had prescribed proximal stripping of your teeth before the first set of the aligners, then s/he will do it on the same day or as treatment progresses. This means the proximal stripping can be done according to the ClinCheck treatment planning schedule.

7. Teeth Extraction – Not all patients require teeth extraction, but if your Invisalign® treatment plan requires extraction of some teeth, then the doctor will extract the required teeth during the fitting. You don’t have to worry about the unesthetic extraction though as the doctor will place artificial teeth in the aligner to fill this gap. This is to ensure no one notices the missing teeth.

8. Fastening of Attachments – Once your teeth have been extracted or not (if not required), the doctor will then place attachments on your teeth. Attachments are little transparent, tooth-like composite bumps that are attached to your teeth to assist the Invisalign® braces in achieving the desired tooth movement. Once these attachments have been fixed, voila! you’re ready to receive your Invisalign® clear aligners.

9. Doctor’s Explanation – You’re ready to begin your treatment, but first the doctor has to explain some things to you. Here, you’ll be taught how to remove your Invisalign® clear aligners and put them back on, how to clean them and how to take care of the post operating procedure. After the explanation, your Invisalign® braces are handed over to you and your journey to straight teeth and a beautiful smile begins.

10. Congratulations on getting your aligners, you are now on your way to achieving that perfect smile and straight teeth you have always dreamt of. However, note that there are some things to expect when you start using your Invisalign® clear aligners, these include;
• Difficulty in removing aligners at first. This will loosen up as you continue to remove and fix it back.
• Soreness of the teeth. This typically wears off within the next two or three days.
• Your speech might be affected but will return to normal within the space of a week.

Ideally, these discomforts will wear off in no time as it is just a reaction to the new material attached to your teeth, hence you have nothing to fear. Also, note that you have to wear the braces for at least 20 – 22 hours daily till the end of your Invisalign® treatment.

11. Keep in Touch with Your Doctor – After getting your Invisalign® clear teeth aligners, it doesn’t end there, you need to keep in touch with your doctor and go for check-ups at almost every 6 weeks. This is for s/he to assess how your Invisalign® treatment is going. Also, you can discuss any extreme pain or discomfort with your doctor

12. Retainers – At the end of your Invisalign® treatment, you need to wear retainers to keep your new smile in shape and prevent the teeth from reverting to their old shape. Like the clear aligners, Invisalign® retainers are virtually invisible and can be removed at will. Your orthodontist will tell you how long you need to wear them.
Everyone deserves a beautiful smile and a straight set of teeth, Invisalign® clear aligners have been proven to take care of this and more. However, if you still have doubts or questions on how Invisalign® clear aligners work, why don’t you book an appointment with Dr. Kalange HERE and you will get your doubts cleared and your questions answered.