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You may have heard of invisalign St Albans but let’s get on to the details of how to carry out aligner based orthodontics in our clinic.
Aligners are a different way of performing orthodontics than you may have been used to. Unlike the use of a traditional brace which has to be hardy enough to survive the entire treatment schedule (sometimes up to a year) aligners are used sequentially, each one for about 2-weeks, with many aligners making up the total treatment schedule. This allows each one to be much lighter and thinner as it simply does not have to be as robust.
By being thinner, lighter and entirely translucent, they are also far less likely to be noticed than a brace, freeing our patients of the social stigma that is associated with traditional metal braces. This has made them very popular with working professionals who are conscious that their appearance may affect meetings or personal relationships.
Initial assessment
Naturally, all treatment starts with an initial assessment to ascertain if the treatment would be practical. It is the providers of the aligners who will carry out the assessment and all aspects of the treatment. Unlike online providers who will post products out to you, our clinic will insist that you attend the clinic for every step of the treatment. But with invisalign St Albans we take the middle road option, happy to engage in a sort of pre-assessment online!
All we require is that you send off a smiling selfie and a brief description of what your dental goals are. Then you’ll be able to discuss with one of our staff if an aligner is the best option, or if a similar orthodontic treatment would be helpful before booking an appointment. This saves everyone time and effort. As good as clear aligners are, they are not a silver bullet and if you require more substantial orthodontic treatment, we are happy to advise you of your options so you can make an informed decision.
Assessment
If you do choose to proceed with Invisalign St Albans, you’ll be invited into the clinic for a full assessment. We will check to make sure there are no other issues like active gum disease or cavities that need to be addressed before orthodontic work can proceed.
At this point, we would take X-rays, assessing your root health and then a 3D scan of the inside of your mouth. The 3D scans are used as the template for your aligners because they are much faster and more convenient than traditional dental molds, as well as being easier to transport and less error-prone.
Completion of 3D scanning will be able to give you a rough outline of the treatment schedule and will allow us to make a prediction of how long the treatment will take. It will also show you a glimpse of what your future smile will look like!
Once the aligners are manufactured and shipped to the clinic, we will contact you to pick them up and begin your treatment. We recommend you visit the clinic every 6 to 8-weeks simply to check on progress and to ensure that the aligners are performing correctly.