What to Expect in Your First Visit for Invisalign Braces

Invisalign invisible braces are an increasingly popular option for many patients who wish to achieve straighter teeth and a more perfect smile. However, many patients are apprehensive about starting the process since they may have many questions or concerns about what’s involved and how it works. Fortunately, your orthodontist will provide a detailed consultation for you and help provide all the information you need to know to determine if Invisalign is right for you.

To kick things off, check out Invisalign’s Smile Assessment Tool here, and you’ll receive some general information on Invisalign and how it can work to help you achieve the results you want for your smile. This material will be a good primer for you to review before you meet with your orthodontist and can be a handy reference for you as you progress.

Getting to Know You

In your first visit, your orthodontist will want to learn a lot about you. Since orthodontic treatments take place over a stretch of time consisting of several months or more, it’s very important that your doctor has a good idea of any special factors that may influence the planning process. Lifestyle and personal hygiene habits have a big impact on orthodontic treatments, and your doctor needs to take these in to consideration in crafting a plan that will work best for you and your needs.

It’s best to be completely honest with your orthodontist when discussing how you manage your oral health, as the result you achieve from the treatment will be better if the plan is personally tailored to you. Everyone’s mouth is different, and therefore no two people will end up with identical orthodontic treatment plans. Your orthodontist will work with you to create a plan that not only meets your expectations for end results, but will also be easily manageable for you throughout the duration of the process.

Understanding Your Goals

One of the big topics of discussion, of course, will be what you want to achieve through the Invisalign treatments. As you can see in these before-and-after photos, the results are definitely encouraging. Indeed, while everyone will want the same end results, depending on the current state of your teeth the degree of change required to meet those goals will vary. It’s important to realize that while orthodontics can make significant improvements to the position and alignment of your teeth, there may be factors that you are not aware of that can impact your end results.

Working with your orthodontist, be sure to communicate what you would like to see in terms of results with Invisalign. Have an in-depth discussion with them on whether those expectations are achievable, as well as what other steps may need to be taken to reach your goal. It’s possible that the best approach to meeting your goals is a combination of orthodontic and other dental work that is able to address any factors that Invisalign alone may not be able to correct. Regardless of what the specific steps of the process may wind up being, it’s important to make sure you regularly communicate your goals to your orthodontist so that it is easier to consistently monitor your progress and adjust as needed.

Addressing Your Concerns

It’s likely that you may have some concerns about what the entire process will be like, and perhaps even a little bit of fear of the unknown. Rest assured, your orthodontist will take great care to ensure that your concerns are carefully addressed so that you feel comfortable with the process and that there is no uncertainty left unanswered.

If you are wondering if there will be pain or discomfort at any point during the treatment, make sure to voice your concerns to your orthodontist and they will inform you on what to expect in terms of discomfort, if any. They will also be able to recommend things you can do to ease any potential discomfort throughout the process and help you understand why you may feel certain ways as a result of adjustments to your treatment plan.

Learning About the Process

As part of your introduction to Invisalign, your orthodontist will help guide you through examples of what a typical treatment plan looks like, and how things usually progress for most patients. In addition, they will also take the time to explain what elements of the Invisalign treatment process may be customized to better meet your needs and treatment goals.

During your first consultation, your orthodontist will explain the different steps of using Invisalign, including what a typical checkup schedule looks like, what happens during these checkups, and how much time it will take from the start of the process to achieving the final results.

Examination and Review of Dental Health History

Before your orthodontist can make any specific recommendations or plan any treatment steps, they will need to conduct a thorough examination of your mouth. In addition, they will require detailed information on your oral health history. For example, if you’ve ever experienced any injury or oral health issues in the past, your orthodontist must be made aware of these instances in order to ensure that there will be no adverse effects on your orthodontic treatment. It’s possible that previous injury or illness may have changed key aspects of your mouth that will alter how best to approach achieving your goals for straighter teeth.

Putting a Plan Together

Once your goals have been determined, and your examinations completed, your orthodontist will then work closely with you to put together a plan of treatment specifically tailored to your needs and the results you would like to achieve. It’s important to keep an open mind to the recommendations of your orthodontist as they will use their extensive knowledge

Starting the Process

Once you’ve run through all the discussions, exams, and planning for Invisalign with your orthodontist, the next step will be to make detailed images and 3D renderings of your mouth in order to craft your aligners. These clear, plastic devices look very similar to molded mouth guards, but are extremely low-profile and fit snugly against your teeth. They can be removed by the patient at any time, making eating and dental hygiene much easier and comfortable than what you would experience with traditional metal braces.

They are made from a completely transparent material, making them virtually invisible while you wear them. Each set of aligners is worn for about a week at a time, and each set moves your teeth incrementally closer to their final position as determined by your orthodontist. Once your treatment is completed, your orthodontist will fit you with a specialized retainer that you will wear to ensure that your teeth remain in their new positions and do not shift out of alignment over time.

Book Your First Consult Today

Invisalign offers many advantages over traditional braces that make them an appealing option for those patients who may be apprehensive about undergoing orthodontic treatment. During your first consultation with your orthodontist, you will learn about the Invisalign process in great detail and have all your questions and concerns answered thoroughly.

If you feel that Invisalign may be the right option for you to obtain the smile you’ve always wanted, contact us today and book your free no-obligation consultation. We are happy to walk you through the entire process and provide you an overview of what you can achieve by using the Invisalign system.