Your Lethbridge Invisalign® Provider
What are Invisalign clear aligners?
Invisalign clear aligners are a series of clear, custom-made aligners that are an alternative method of straightening your teeth without the use of traditional metal and wires. These clear aligners are also transparent allowing for a more discreet option compared to metal brackets.
You will wear each set of aligners for a set amount of time, usually a couple of weeks, during which your teeth with slowly move to the new positioning.
Not everyone's treatment is the same and the length of your treatment will depend on what your specific dental needs are.
During your treatment, you can remove your custom aligners for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing.
Before Treatment With Invisalign
Before you start your treatment, you may have crooked, misaligned, or gapped teeth. Invisalign can help treat any one of these issues or a combination of them.
After attending a consultation with your dentist, they will provide you with a custom treatment plan.
Your dentist can also use accurate digital scans and the Invisalign Outcome Simulator to show you how you can expect your teeth to look at the end of your treatment.
Regardless of your concerns or goal, you will need to follow the treatment plan as laid out by your dentist.
After Completing the Invisalign Treatment
Your results after Invisalign will depend on your individual treatment plan, but overall you can expect to see straighter teeth.
If you had any gaps between your teeth then you will also see some changes in that area.
Long-Term Expectations With Invisalign
Once you have completed your full orthodontic treatment with Invisalign clear aligners you will need to continue using a retainer until your teeth have set in their new places. It takes about 9 to 12 months for your body to build up enough bone to stabilize the teeth.
Once 12 months have passed, you should be able to relax a bit knowing that there is bone holding your teeth in their new location. For this reason, you won’t have to wear your orthodontic retainers as often to maintain your straight smile. Our dentists may recommend only wearing your retainers 3 to 5 times a week.
While your teeth won’t move as dramatically once the jawbone regains bone tissue, they may move forward and inward as you get older. This change isn’t something you notice overnight, but rather something that gradually happens over decades. This is one of the many reasons why ongoing care and examinations from the dentist are very important.
What should you do if you lose your retainer?
If you lose your retainer, make sure to contact our Lethbridge dental office to schedule an appointment. Whether you accidentally threw out your retainer on your lunch tray, the dog ate it, or it broke, we can get you fitted for a new retainer as soon as possible so you don’t lose the progress you made with orthodontic treatment. We will ask you to come in for a dental visit and exam and during this time we will take the impressions needed to design and build your new retainers.