What is Invisalign, How Does it Work and How Long Does it Take?

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a digital orthodontic treatment that progressively shifts your teeth into proper alignment using clear, hygienic aligners.

Due to the thin clear plastic design, most people won’t even notice you are wearing them, so you can smile with confidence without impact on your lifestyle. Each set of clear aligners are made specifically to fit over the teeth for the individual, and are comfortable to wear.

They can be easily removed for eating, brushing and flossing so maintaining your oral health and cleaning your aligners is a simple process.

Invisalign can be used to correct many different cases of teeth misalignment, so you should never feel limited to the traditional options when consulting with your dentist.

How Does the Treatment Work?

Using x-ray imaging, scans, or impressions of your teeth, a personalised 3D treatment plan is created to map out your new smile. This plan maps out the planned sequence of tooth movements so you can see the intended result.

Invisalign will produce the clear aligners from your personal treatment plan and send them to your dentist for management of your progress.

The aligners apply a constant gentle pressure which gradually shape the position of your teeth. Over the course of your personalised treatment plan, the aligners are designed to progressively straighten your teeth into the desired alignment through changes in the shapes of the aligner.

You will typically change to the next set of clear Invisalign aligners every 1-2 weeks or as advised, to gradually move your teeth into the desired position.

The majority of your treatment can be self-managed at home with fewer requirements than traditional methods.

Your dentist will monitor your progress with visits at 6-8 week intervals and make refinements to your plan as required.

Although they should always be removed for eating and drinking, your aligners should be worn as much as possible. The recommended wear time is 22 hours per day.

How Long Will I Have To Wear Invisalign?

Treatment time varies between patients. A consultation is the way to find out how long an Invisalign treatment course is likely to be for you.

For adults with an average misalignment the average course of Invisalign treatment takes between 12 and 18 months, though some courses are shorter.

The treatment time for teenagers receiving Invisalign can vary greatly, so a consultation with our team will give the most accurate estimate.

At Maudsland Dental Care, we offer Invisalign as an alternative to traditional braces. Contact us today to book a consultation.