At Quayside Orthodontics we are specialists in Invisalign orthodontic treatment.
The Invisalign system moves the teeth into place using a series of virtually invisible, removable aligners which are worn by the patient at all times except when eating, drinking and brushing their teeth. 6 million patients have been successfully treated with Invisalign braces across America since the year 2000 and we are proud to have the vastly experienced Dr James Davies as our resident expert in Invisalign technology here at Quayside Orthodontics.
Here’s a little on what to expect on your Invisalign journey.
Assessment and treatment plan
Before treatment, every patient has a full case assessment and x-ray. We then talk about the different options available.
If you want to go ahead with Invisalign treatment, we create very accurate silicon moulds which get sent to the USA to be digitally scanned using ClinCheck software.
This software allows us to create a treatment plan digitally. Using the software we experiment moving your teeth into different positions virtually to see how they would look at each stage and plan the course of treatment accordingly.
The Invisalign technology allows us to see where the teeth started, where the teeth will end up, and how many aligners will be needed to get to the desired endpoint before we begin any treatment.
Once you decide on your desired endpoint and a treatment plan for this is confirmed, it takes 6 weeks for your Invisalign aligners to be manufactured.
Fitting Invisalign aligners
Although the aligners are invisible, little attachments are fixed on your teeth. These are tiny pimples made of white filling material to allow the aligners to grip to your teeth and rotate to get your teeth to their end result.
These are far from the metal or ceramic brackets associated with fixed braces. From a patient’s perspective, it is a much friendlier way to move your teeth – there are no sharp wires to dig in or breakages like can happen with fixed braces.
During treatment
You receive an aligner for every movement to be made during treatment and change aligners every two weeks.
Aligners are removed for eating, drinking & brushing teeth but otherwise need to be worn at all times. If worn as prescribed, 20-22 hours per day, you will get the results you are looking for.
Multiple aligners are provided in advance. This means that after the initial flurry of appointments we may not see you for 4 to 5 months providing you keep following your plan.
We value our trust relationships with each patient. We trust that you are following your plan as instructed and are here for you for any support or advice you might need between appointments.
Once your chosen endpoint is achieved, the little attachments are removed from your teeth and you are left with your confident new smile. A retainer is then created to be worn at night to keep your teeth straight for life.
Fitting in with your lifestyle
Invisalign’s virtual invisibility means you can carry on with your life without anyone realising you have a brace. For this reason, Invisalign is very popular with public speakers, musicians and singers, etc. They are also popular with people who are away for extended periods of time as several months of aligners can be provided in advance and regular appointments aren’t required.
Invisalign fits with your lifestyle rather than being a hindrance. Despite the fact aligners should usually be changed every two weeks, if a patient knows they have a special event one weekend where they won’t be wearing their aligner, they can wear it instead for a further couple of days at the end of that fortnight before changing to a new aligner.
Aside from its invisibility and flexibility, another main advantage of the Invisalign system is that you can eat & drink whatever you want. Aligners are removed for eating and drinking so you don’t have to avoid certain foods like you do with a fixed brace. Removing them to brush your teeth also allows you to maintain excellent oral hygiene throughout treatment.
5 year guarantee
For peace of mind, Invisalign covers you for 5 years of treatment.
If for any reason you are not happy when you reach your end point, e.g. a tooth is still slightly off, we take a refinement impression, and provide you with the appropriate aligners to fine tune it.
You can keep having refinements for up to 5 years at no extra cost. This covers you whether you have 5 years of continuous treatment or if you have 1 year’s initial treatment and come back after 4 years because something isn’t right.
Between Quayside Orthodontics exceptional customer service and Invisalign’s cutting edge technology, you are only a few steps away from a confident, satisfied smile. Get in touch today to book your initial consultation and discuss the options available to you.