Invisalign – Pasadena, TX

How Invisalign Works

The first step of the Invisalign process is determining if you’re a candidate and, if you are, taking impressions of your teeth. These are used to create your custom series of aligners. Each one is worn for 1-2 weeks, ensuring your teeth are gently and gradually guided into their properly aligned positions. Throughout the process, you will come to our office periodically so we can monitor the movement of your teeth and make sure they are tracking as anticipated.

Who Invisalign Can Help

At your initial consultation, one of our talented dentists will sit down with you one-on-one to learn about your dental history, the complexity of your case, and your smile goals. Then, they will determine if Invisalign is the best solution for you. Fortunately, the clear aligners are quite versatile; they have proven to be effective at addressing a wide range of orthodontic issues, including:

Crowded Teeth

Sadly, crowded teeth can lead to several issues – from low self-esteem to tooth decay. That’s why we encourage our patients to schedule an Invisalign consultation sooner rather than later. If you’re a candidate for Invisalign, we can improve the look, health, and function of your smile without metal brackets and wires!

Gaps Between Teeth

Gapped teeth also can take a toll on your oral health. So, even if you are happy with the appearance of your smile, it’s important to explore your orthodontic treatment options. If we determine that Invisalign is an option, then we can gradually close the gaps with a custom-made series of aligners (usually in just 12-18 months too!).

Bite Alignment

Of course, we aren’t just concerned with the alignment of your teeth; we’re concerned about the alignment of your bite. The good news is that mild to moderate cases of overbites, crossbites, underbites, and open bites can often be corrected with clear aligners, ensuring no unwanted attention is drawn to your smile during your orthodontic treatment.

Living with Invisalign Aligners

If you had traditional orthodontics in the past (or someone close to you did), you may remember that the transition into life with braces was a bit rough. Fortunately, Invisalign clear aligners are metal-free and removable, which makes them considerably less of a hassle. That said, there are a few things you should know upfront to set yourself up for success, including how to ensure you wear your trays for a minimum of 20 hours a day.

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Wearing Your Trays

Although every Invisalign treatment plan is unique, there are some things that are universal, including the fact that the aligners need to be worn for a minimum of 20 hours each day. We recommend creating a routine with the help of the stopwatch on your phone when you officially begin the teeth-straightening process. That way, with time, meeting the daily wear time requirement will become second nature.

Tip: Multi-task where you can, like drinking your coffee while eating breakfast instead of separately.

Cleaning Your Aligners

While how you brush and floss won’t change, you do need to adjust your oral hygiene regimen slightly to include taking care of your aligners. Otherwise, stubborn stains will quickly surface, bringing unwanted attention to your smile. So, do your best to adopt good habits, like rinsing them with clean water each time you take them off.

Tip: Don’t use hot water since the high temperature can cause the aligners to warp!

Eating & Drinking

Unlike traditional braces, which come with all kinds of dietary restrictions, you can eat all of your favorite foods throughout your teeth-straightening journey with Invisalign. All we ask is that you don’t over-indulge on foods that increase your risk of dental damage, like hard pretzels, ice cream, and potato chips. Instead, eat lots of nutrient-dense foods, like seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Tip: Drink lots of water throughout the day to prevent dry mouth.

Losing or Damaging a Tray

If you can’t find your aligners or one of them has a considerable crack, don’t hesitate to contact our Pasadena dental team right away. The sooner you do, the sooner we can determine if you can move onto the next set of aligners in the series or if you need to wear your previous pair until a replacement is made.

Tip: Always place your aligners in their designated storage case to prevent them from getting lost or damaged.

Attending Check-In Visits

Throughout your orthodontic treatment, you’ll need to come to our office so we can monitor the movement of your teeth. This is crucial because, if you fall off-track with your treatment plan, we need to catch that ASAP and make the necessary adjustments in order to avoid significant delays.

Tip: Wear your aligners to your appointments to help prevent your teeth from shifting!

The Benefits of Invisalign

Millions of patients have chosen Invisalign because:

• The aligners are see-through, making them basically invisible
• The average treatment timeline is shorter
• There are fewer check-in visits
• There aren’t any dietary restrictions
• The trays are removable, so brushing and flossing are easy

How Much Does Invisalign Cost?

In order to provide you with an accurate estimate of the cost of Invisalign, we need to conduct an oral exam and learn about your dental history and needs. For example, have you had braces in the past? Is single-arch treatment possible? Are any orthodontic accessories, like rubber bands, needed? How many aligners need to be made? Once we have this information, we can create your custom treatment plan, provide you with an estimate of the cost, and review the financial solutions available.

Invisalign FAQs