Patient Information
Invisalign is new esthetic manner to straighten teeth and correct bites without braces. This innovative technique allows correction of misaligned teeth by using a series of removable clear aligners that the patient is to wear for about 2 weeks each. As the patient progresses from one aligner to the next, the teeth gradually move into the ideal position as designated by Dr Dustin and Dr Henry. During Invisalign treatment the patient is to wear the aligners during all daily activities except when eating and cleaning teeth. Patients visit the Ortho 360 office about every 4-8 weeks during the course of treatment to receive new trays and have the doctors evaluate the progression.
Treatment time may range from 6 months (for the simplest of corrections) to 24 months (for the more complicated situations). Patients can also expect a varying number of Invisalign aligners depending on the severity of the needs (10 – 45).
What is an Invisalign Premier Provider Elite?
This means that that the doctors have successfully treated hundreds of patients with Invisalign and is an honor held by only a few Orthodontists in Texas.
Is Invisalign covered by dental insurance?
Yes, any insurance plans that cover orthodontics will also cover Invisalign treatment.
What do the Invisalign aligners look like?
They appear like the clear trays that are used for teeth whitening and are not usually detectable at normal speaking distances.
How effective is Invisalign?
Invisalign has been proven to be very effective as a means to correct bites and misalignment in the hand of a skilled orthodontist and a motivated patient. As with any type of treatment, the success of the outcome depends heavily on the ability of the orthodontist to develop a successful treatment plan that can be executed by the patient in a reasonable amount of time. In certain situations other appliances such as elastics and other bite correcting device are needed to aid the aligners into developing a perfect smile and bite.
Does the treatment Hurt?
All tooth movement does involve some temporary discomfort. However, because Invisalign does not involves braces or wires, it tends to be more comfortable than traditional orthodontics.
How does Invisalign treatment work?
The 1st step to starting Invisalign treatment is to have impressions taken of the teeth. This impression is then converted to a digital 3D image that is evaluated by the doctors and the teeth are programmed to move in a specific order over a specific period of time until the virtual models are corrected of all misalignment. Once the virtual movements are completed a series of aligners is fabricated with the desired movements assigned to each one. These aligners are then sent back to Ortho 360 and then delivered to the patient in a timely manner.
Do the aligners make patients have altered speech?
Some patients do experience changes in speech during the 1st few days. Most patients are able to accommodate to the aligners with the 1st week and do not usually have any other speech issues during the subsequent progression through the aligners.
How many hours per day do I need to wear the aligners?
Invisalign aligners should be worn for 20 – 22 hours per day and should only be removed when eating or cleaning teeth.
What does Invisalign treatment cost?
The cost of Invisalign treatment like any other type of orthodontic treatment can vary greatly depending upon the needs of the patient. The range of cost is $3000 to $7000 depending upon time needed to make the correction and the use of auxiliary appliances.
