Congratulations! You have made the decision to invest in your smile and your health by starting Invisalign treatment! Here is what to expect throughout the duration of your treatment:
At the delivery appointment, you will be given a series of clear trays. In order for Invisalign to work, these must be worn approximately 22 hours per day. Essentially, you will wear them full time, except while eating and drinking, or cleaning the trays. This is critical in order for the trays to be able to do their job!
Also at the delivery appointment, we usually attach small tooth-coloured “buttons” to the teeth. These buttons help the trays apply ideal forces to get those teeth to move where we want.
You will notice the trays feel tight when they first go in. This means they are working! You may find that you have to eat softer foods on days that you put in a new tray. Some people find that taking Tylenol keeps them even more comfortable.
Some people find it a bit awkward to have these new pieces of plastic in their mouth. Don’t worry - our brains are very good at adapting to this very quickly!
You will continue to change out trays every 1-2 weeks until the end of your treatment. Once we are happy with the final result, all of the buttons are removed, and your retainers are ordered.
A common question we get is, “How long do I have to wear my retainers for?”. Teeth have a tendency to want to go back to where they were before. We recommend wearing the retainers for as long as you want to keep your teeth in their new position!
A perk of clear retainers - they can be used as custom at-home whitening trays! When you are finished with treatment, our office will provide you with complimentary whitening gel, to help you reach your smile's full potential!
Of course, if you have any questions about this process, let any of our team members know, and we will guide you in the right direction. Happy smiling :) -- Dr. Cheyanne Olsen, BMSc, DDS
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