The Low Down

You no longer have to straighten your teeth the old-fashioned way, with metal braces. The Invisalign Teen™ system lets you do it the modern, hygienic way. Your new smile is created with the most innovative technology – a series of clear aligners that are custom-fit to your teeth.

The first thing you should know is that an average treatment takes about a year. Plus your treatment can begin even if you don’t have all of your permanent teeth. Invisalign Teen was designed to meet your needs.

The Aligners

snap on your teeth easily.
are comfortable and practically invisible.
allow for your growing permanent teeth.
gently and continuously move your teeth in small increments.
are worn for about two weeks. Then you swap them for a new pair.
have a Blue Dot Wear Indicator, designed to show an estimation of wear-time. The dot is designed to fade to clear over a two-week period if you wear (20 to 22 hours everyday) your aligners properly.
can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing, or going to a special event.
are replaceable if lost. That’s right, you get up to six free individual aligners.

How Treatment Works

Here’s a quick look at the main steps of your treatment:

You’ll meet with a designated Invisalign Teen provider for a consultation and find out:
is it for you?
Your provider will take pictures and impressions of your teeth.
Those pictures and impressions are digitized. Then, your provider can use the 3D renderings to precisely plan your tooth movements from the beginning to the end of your treatment, in order to fix your orthodontic issue(s).
Based on the precise treatment plan, aligners will be made to custom-fit your teeth. The number of aligners changes for each person.
You’ll wear your aligners about 20 to 22 hours everyday, except to eat, brush, and floss, or go to a special event.
Approximately every two weeks, you’ll swap your old aligners for new ones. The aligners will gently and continuously move your teeth until they are in their final prescribed position, all without the usual hassle of metal braces

Invisalign Teen Fact Pack

1 Based on initial Invisalign Teen treatment plans prescribed by doctor at two weeks of wear per aligner stage. The actual length of treatment depends on the complexity of your case and can only be determined by your doctor; however, most Invisalign Teen cases are expected to take about one year.
2 Get up to six individual arch replacement-aligners, at no cost.

More information here

Invisalign Braces are also used by Dentist for Treatment

Invisalign is used by both orthodontists as well as dentists as a substitute for traditional dental braces which were made of metal. It is a product of Santa Clara-based medical-device Company Align Technology. It consists of series of transparent and removable teeth aligners. It provides a complete treatment plan (including initial position as well as final position of the teeth), as it works using 3-D Computer Imaging System.

It helps users to get their teeth straightened without anyone noticing it, and thus is considered to be safe and effective alternative. These aligners of Invisalign are customized as per customer’s requirement. The best part is these aligners are removable which gives its users the freedom of eating and drinking as per their choice. During treatment also patients can brush their teeth normally which makes it the best option for teeth and gums, as compared to traditional dental braces which were made of metal wires. The aligners of Invisalign help with crowded teeth as well as with teeth structure in which there are lot amount of spaces. It helps with a crossbite, an overbite and even with an underbite. Invisalign has gifted its users a healthy and beautiful smile.

Advantages
The Invisalign is more in demand among adults who get an option to get their teeth straightened without getting noticed, as the aligners are completely transparent. They are more comfortable than traditional metallic dental braces, as they give the option of eating and drinking as per your own choice without caring of the side effects. One can remove the appliance while eating, so there is no restriction on any food. It is also safe for gums and supporting tissues, as aligners do not exert extra pressure. Even before undergoing treatment, one can see how his or her teeth structure will look once treatment is over. Normally Invisalign treatment is considered to be quicker as compared to treatment of traditional metallic braces. A survey done on various patients has shown that while traditional treatment takes 35.92 months, Invisalign treatment takes time around 12-18 months. The best part is the aligners of Invisalign can be customized as per the user’s requirement. Even when someone is undergoing treatment, one can brush his teeth in a normal manner so there is no hygiene issue. Invisalign is suitable for every type of teeth structure, including crowded teeth as well as wide-spaced teeth.

Disadvantages:
It is often said when freedom is given, people often start misusing it. The same story sometimes repeats in this case as well. People sometimes start taking it out very frequently. So its successful treatment is actually realized when patients co-operate and are committed to wearing it at least 20-22 hours in a day, and removing it only when it is really required. Moreover, Invisalign does not require a cephalometric radiograph. In terms of cost, it is expensive as compared to traditional metallic braces as well as bracket systems. It has to be ensured by the users that are cleaning the Invisalign as well as their teeth before reinserting it. There are certain teeth that do not allow Invisalign to rotate. For example there are certain premolars that have a round shape, and it becomes difficult for aligners to apply rotational force. In certain cases, there can be allergic and toxic sensitivity reactions such as sore throat, cough and nausea to Invisalign, as the aligners are made of implantable-grade polyurethane. In case the patients fail to keep aligners for the required duration, the nest aligner in the series is likely to be unfit, which will again require a new set of aligners, and thus once again becoming a costly venture.

Scientific Studies
Scientific studies, as well as surveys, have shown that Invisalign meets it objectives. The patients were seen after using two sets of aligners, and the success rate was almost 94%. In the USA, Akhlaghi and colleagues concluded that traditional braces were more effective as compared to Invisalign when it came to the treatment of complex teeth structure. Even in larger studies, Dieu and other colleagues supported Akhlaghi and colleagues, as they concluded that Invisalign was not fit in the treatment of large anteroposterior discrepancies and occlusal contacts. They even talked about strengths saying that Invisalign helps to close spaces, and correct anterior rotations as well as anterior rotations and marginal ridge heights. It treats 4 months earlier as compared to traditional braces. As compared to traditional braces, Invisalign treatment is considered to be more effective for Marginal Ridges, Bucco-lingual Inclination, Occlusal Contacts and Overjet.

Pricing:
Normally Invisalign treatment price is more than traditional metallic dental braces. The treatment price is normally set by the dentist. The doctor fee is dependent on the complexity and length of treatment. In the US Region, treatment range in price from $3, 000 to $9, 000 and it depends on geographic location. In Europe, the treatment price varies from €3,000 to €7,800, and the cost is totally dependent on case complexity. In Australia, the price ranges from $5000 to $9000.

Treatment:
The treatment begins by taking dental impressions, x-rays and then photographs of the patient’s teeth. These are sent to Align Technology. CT Scan is done of these impressions and then the computer creates a three-dimensional model. The information which is collected is sent to Costa Rica which is then analyzed by non-dentist as well as non-orthodontist laypersons who individualize the teeth in the Computer Model after which they move it to the final position as the orthodontist prescribes. Then there is Custom software that analyzed the movement of teeth in different stages, and the orthodontist reviews it using Align Technology ClinCheck, after which he finally approves or makes changes in the treatment. Once everything is finalized, a plastic resin aligner is manufactured for every computer stimulated stage and is sent to the orthodontist. Then attachments are made which a patient can expect even up to fourteen in number. Then these Aligners are tooth-colored and are made of a glass-like substance. Elastic wear is also used to move the teeth forward and backward in respect to the jaw’s position, and this helps in anterior and posterior corrections. Sometimes Reproximation is also done for a better fit. Normally Average Treatment takes a time period of one year. However minor cases might take a timeline of twenty weeks. One should wear aligners at least 20-22 hours per day. Once Regular aligners and braces treatment is over, retainers composed of similar plastic material is required to be worn at night time.

Thank you for visiting How much does invisalign cost, please read our other articles on Invisalign and braces.

Invisalign is it a great Choice

…my Invisalign Blog. I know you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to improve your Invisalign success. You are doing your patients a great service and your practice a great service by educating yourselves on this amazing orthodontic system. My intention for this blog is to leave you with several gems that will make your practice of Invisalign orthodontics better and more profitable.

Aligntech’s Invisalign has provided us gp’s a quantum leap in the ease of delivery of orthodontics to our patients. Before Invisalign, GP’s providing orthodontics with brackets and wires was a rarity. A gp knowing how to place brackets, when to change wires and overcoming edgewise treatment hurdles was too much for 99% of GP’s. Therefore it wasn’t offered to their patients in-office and was consequently referred out. (ask Jason how many of the 1.7million plus cases done are done by gp’s) Many of us GP’s have mastered other specialties in dentistry like oral surgery, perio, endo, implants and cosmetic dentistry and are offering these services in their offices. How many of you do endo- implants- perio-cosmetic dentistry. I took to cosmetic dentistry 10+ years ago and have invested over $100k and >500 continuing education hours to be the best I can be which resulted in my Accreditation by the AACD in cosmetic dentistry. It changed the way I treated patients in my general practice and forever the way enjoy my profession. Conventional orthodontics was and is the least incorporated dental specialty due the its’ complexity of brackets and wires but now with the advent of the Invisalign system and a small learning curve (compared to the above) you can provide and prosper from doing orthodontics in your office. More here @ https://cochranorthodontics.com/

Why is Invisalign orthodontics such a great opportunity? There is a vast “sunken treasure” of Invisalign cases in your office right now. 75% of adults in your practice have malocclusion: meaning their teeth are not aligned properly. Not only are these patients left unhealthy in your practice but hundreds of thousands of dollars are there for you to produce right under the surface of your patient base. This “sunken treasure” is not reachable by just dipping your hand under the water but you just need to learn as simple as to do “holding your breath” for a few seconds to reach it.

Invisalign is like your scuba tank for this process that allows us GP’s to reach these treasures within your offices. Invisalign makes ortho simple for you via its clincheck software and clear aligner therapy. There is no need to stock brackets, bands, wires or your team to be trained in the complexity of conventional ortho. All you have to do with Invisalign are 10 steps: 1-10. Invisalign is a simpler system than conventional orthodontics but gets similar results in the hands of GP’s. Invisalign should be part of every gp’s office just like period, endo, oral surgery, implants and crown and bridge. Invisalign in my office is as big a part of my enjoyment and profitability as cosmetic dentistry. 20 years ago cosmetic dentistry change the profession. We finally had a product so to speak that had patients coming in asking for treatment like veneers and smile makeovers. Patients left our office smiling instead of dreading the filling and drilling. I am here telling you Invisalign is a product like cosmetic dentistry was 20 years ago and with a small effort on your part will have your patients leaving your office smiling and singing your praises!!

By offering your patients Invisalign you not only be helping but also “tapping” into a large population of your patients that doesn’t have an acceptable option enhancing their smiles. They either wear brackets and wires for 2+ years and pay $6k, grind down their teeth for a smile makeover or do nothing. If wires/2yrs/$6k doesn’t motivate them to DO NOTHING, the $10k and grinding on their teeth will. There are thousands of patients “stuck” with an unattractive smile and would rather do nothing than suffer from wires or the expense. You can help or “save” these ‘stuck” patients with Invisalign clear aligners in often less than a year all with them staying in your office. Your office is like “Cheers” where everyone knows their name. They won’t say no to you and your friendly team. The idea of straight teeth with “invisible treatment” gives these dental patients hope when they previously had none.

Now is time for you to take this opportunity and make it a big part of your office and success. Look at the other topics in this Blog to fine-tune your Invisalign treatments and promotions.