11 Things to know about invisalign treatment
Dr Patel has been providing invisalign treatment at his practice; Dental & Skin Islington for the last 5 years. The experience of the treating clinician is of the greatest importance. After all, you will be working closely with them for several months, so confidence in the clinician and the team at large is super important! Just like any other form of treatment dental or otherwise, we have FAQ’s, check out our list of 11 things you should know about Invisalign treatment!
- The fees
The fees will vary depending on each individual case and needs; whilst other practices in Islington tend to charge £2000 upwards; our starting price is £1500, this can go up to £4000. Some cases are a little trickier than others, the price can thus be greater in these instances. Fear not though; you need not put to rest your hopes of that perfect smile; here at Dental & Skin Islington, we can provide 0% interest finance plans, allowing you to spread the cost at no extra cost!
- Will Invisalign work for me?
If you; like many of our invisalign patients have previously had orthodontic work done, you will know that a change in lifestyle is paramount to achieve the greatest results. You will also know what the damage biting into an apple can do, or trying to pick popcorn kernels out of your brackets – not fun. Aligners also require a change in lifestyle; Your aligners must be worn for no less than 22 hours per day and you must remove them when you eat or drink anything other than cold water (the last thing you want to do is have a popcorn kernel ruin your aligners!) treatment can take longer if you do or can result in an underwhelming overall result. Dr Patel has found that most people are a great fit for invisalign treatment, however there have been cases where fixed braces prove a better choice. The best thing about invisalign is that you can actually see the results of what your teeth will look like using a super futuristic 3d simulation called a ‘Clincheck’!
- How long should each aligner be worn for?
You should wear your aligners for 2 weeks before switching to a new set. Moving teeth should happen at a slow gentle pace as moving teeth to quickly can cause shrinkage of the roots! Patience is a virtue guys!
- What do the aligners feel like in the mouth?
As a teen I had fixed braces, I will never forget the pain of having them tightened; the great news is that invisalign is virtually pain free! This is due to the slow pace at which treatment moves. Whilst you might experience slight tenderness this should subside over the few days following your appointment; as you adapt to your new routine! Funnily enough, many patients actually miss their aligners once treatment is complete!
- Will people notice them?
Aligners are pretty much invisible, with loved ones and friends failing to even notice that the patient is wearing them! Aligners can make your teeth look a little shinier than usual, and may discolour ever so slightly when the time is nearing for an aligner change.
- Will Invisalign cause me to speak differently?
There’s no need to worry about sounding as if you are speaking in gibberish when wearing aligners. You might notice a little lisp but this should pass as you get used to them being there. Your friends and family will still be able to understand you!
- How to keep your aligners clean?
The best way to clean your aligners is with a very soft toothbrush and a small amount of your daily toothpaste. You can also purchase cleaning tablets that dissolve in water to use occasionally if you feel that your aligners need freshening up.
- What are Invisalign attachments?
Invisalign attachments are used to get more grip in certain areas where teeth may need more complex movement. Attachments are a crucial part of treatment. We use tooth coloured composite that is removed after your treatment and as long as you are wearing your aligners as instructed, they are just as invisible as the aligners themselves!
- What is Interproximal Reduction?
You may have heard of patients needing an extraction prior to having orthodontic treatment, in this day and age you won’t need to worry about losing any teeth! We use a modern innovative method called ‘interproximal reduction’ Dr Patel will use a careful technique to remove a fraction of a millimetre from your enamel. It is neither harmful nor painful.
- How often will I need to visit the clinic?
You will need to come in and see us around every 2-8 weeks to check your progress and be given more aligners. You may also require interproximal reduction at some point during your treatment, Dr Patel will let you know!
- Will I need to wear retainers
As with any orthodontic treatment, you can expect to have a fixed retainer, this will prevent all your hard work from becoming undone! Dr Patel might also give you a bedtime retainer.
