Getting Started with Invisalign: Your Step-by-Step Guide

There’s a lot to love about Invisalign®. It was approved by the FDA for clinical use in 1998 as an alternative to metal bracket-and-wire braces for mild-to-moderate alignment issues.

Instead of the traditional metal, Invisalign uses a series of removable, clear aligner trays to move your teeth into their correct positions. Since its approval, it’s been a game-changer in the orthodontic industry, and by 2017, over 5 million Americans had had their teeth straightened using the Invisalign system.

At Manteca Dental Care in Manteca, California, Dr. Rick Van Tran and our team rely on Invisalign to help straighten and align your teeth. If you’re looking to have orthodontic work but don’t want a “metal mouth,” Invisalign might be just the system for you. Here’s what you need to know.

Getting started with Invisalign

Invisalign was the first of the clear aligner systems to hit the market. It uses a series of custom-molded trays made from the strong, flexible thermoplastic SmartTrack®. The aligners are so clear that they’re practically invisible; unless someone looks very closely, no one will be able to tell you’re having work done.

The trays are purposely designed to be easily removable, so you can eat and drink what you want without staining or breaking them, and you can brush and floss your teeth (and clean your aligners) easily.

If Dr. Tran determines you’re a good candidate for Invisalign treatment, he starts by taking a digital scan of your entire mouth. He uploads the information to the Invisalign software, which constructs a personalized treatment plan for moving your teeth into the proper positions. 

The information is then sent to the Invisalign lab, which manufactures the aligners themselves and sends them back to us when they’re ready.

At your next appointment, Dr. Tran fits your first set of trays, smoothing any rough edges that could irritate your gums. He also adds tooth-colored attachments to your teeth to assist the aligners with their work. These attachments are removed once your treatment is finished.

You wear each set of trays for about two weeks and then swap out your current set for the next in the series. Each subsequent set fits a little tighter than the one before it, applying a little more pressure on your teeth to ensure they keep moving in the right direction.

To get the best results, you need to wear the trays for about 22 hours a day; you should only take them out to eat and to clean them. However, your total treatment time will be only about one-half that for traditional braces, which usually require 1-3 years.

Invisalign benefits

Other than their near-invisibility, Invisalign offers a number of benefits:

1. Lets you brush and floss normally

With traditional braces, food can easily become trapped in the brackets, and regular brushing and flossing may not remove all the debris. This could potentially lead to plaque build-up and tooth decay. Since you take your Invisalign trays out when you brush and floss, you can clean your teeth and aligners easily, improving your oral health.

2. Lets you eat what you want

A major restriction of metal braces is that the wires and brackets can easily snap, so you can’t eat anything hard, chewy, or sticky. Because you take your aligners out when you eat, you don’t have a list of restricted foods. Just make sure you clean your teeth and aligners after you eat to avoid plaque build-up.

3. Restores your self-confidence

Because Invisalign aligners are clear, they’re not obvious to casual onlookers. This means no one will be fixated on your crooked teeth or your “metal mouth,” and you can smile with confidence.

Do you need orthodontia but don’t want the time, restrictions, or encumbrance of metal braces? Invisalign may be right for you. To learn more or to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Tran, give us a call at 209-823-9218 or book an appointment online today.