Burke, Fairfax and Fairfax Station, VA
Until recently, if anyone wanted to straighten their teeth, they knew it meant getting braces with metal brackets and wires that are notorious for poking the tongue, cheeks and lips. Braces limit patients’ diet and require frequent adjustments that leave the mouth feeling sore for a few days. For these reasons, many people have simply elected to live with crooked teeth or a bad bite.
But all of this changed with the introduction of plastic aligner therapy, known as Invisalign, to the dental world. Embarking on the journey to straighten your teeth with Invisalign is a little daunting but mostly exciting! Our Invisalign provider in Burke, Dr. Pam Marzban, is taking a look today at what you can expect throughout your Invisalign journey.
Step 1: Consultation and exam
Let’s start at the beginning. We will conduct a comprehensive exam in our Fairfax cosmetic dentist office to evaluate the current condition of your teeth and mouth. Dr. Marzban will want to know about your dental history and what your goals are with Invisalign. With all this information, we can determine if you are a perfect candidate for Invisalign clear aligner therapy.
Step 2: Preparations
Once we’ve decided if you’re a viable Invisalign candidate, our cosmetic dentist in Burke will go over your treatment plan, including costs. As long as you’re still on board for treatment, our team of Invisalign professionals will take X-rays and digital scans of your teeth and mouth to start custom-fabricating your unique set of aligners.
Step 3: Aligner production
Invisalign uses the impressions from our office and detailed instructions from Dr. Marzban about how the teeth alignment will be adjusted. In turn, Invisalign creates a 3D model of your teeth that serves as the basis for your first set of aligners.
Step 4: Treatment
Invisalign’s clear aligner trays are designed to stay ahead of your teeth straightening by about two weeks. This may make the trays feel like they don’t fit correctly when you change them every two weeks. This is how Invisalign works. As a result, you may experience some discomfort in the first few days when moving to the next aligner trays. Treatment is expected to take 12-18 months, on average, to complete, but it requires wearing the trays as instructed: 22 hours a day, removing them only to eat, brush and floss.
Step 5: Upkeep
Oral hygiene during Invisalign is basically the same as it is without wearing the clear aligner trays. But when you remove your aligners to brush your teeth after meals, you should also take a couple minutes to clean the aligners, using your toothbrush for added ease.
Step 6: Maintenance
After completing your custom Invisalign treatment, we will create custom retainers for you to maintain your new, straight smile. These retainers keep the teeth from shifting back into their original position. You may need to wear the retainers full-time initially, but eventually you should be able to transition to nighttime wear only.
Invisalign dentist in Burke, Fairfax, and Fairfax Station, Virginia
Invisalign is a discreet, convenient way to achieve a straighter smile. If you’re considering orthodontic dentistry, call Dr. Marzban’s office at 703-323-8200 to schedule a consultation today.
