Treatment Guide
All the information you will ever need. How much it costs, how to choose a provider and self diagnosis
Yes. In both clinical research and in dental practices around the world, Invisalign has been proven effective at straightening teeth. Over a million patients have either been treated, or are in treatment, and over 44,000 dental professionals have been trained on how to use Invisalign.
Aligners are made of clear, strong medical grade non-toxic plastic that is virtually invisible when worn.
Aligners are nearly invisible and look similar to clear tooth-whitening trays, but are custom made for a better fit to move teeth. Some dentists have referred to them as “contact lenses for teeth”.
The length of treatment is dependent on the severity of the individual case. Treatment may vary from anywhere between 6 months to two years, with an average treatment taking around 12 to 14 months.
Like brackets and arch wires, the Invisalign aligner moves teeth through the appropriate placement of controlled force on the teeth. The principal difference is that Invisalign not only controls forces, but also controls the timing of the force application. At each stage, only certain teeth are allowed to move, and these movements are determined by the orthodontic treatment plan for that particular stage. This results in an efficient force delivery system.
As is typical of medical product introductions, Invisalign conducted extensive testing prior to commercially releasing the product. Various US universities have conducted clinical studies and numerous clinical articles have been published by US and Australian dentists.
Most likely, there is a government rebate that is available to a taxpayer whose eligible net medical expenses in the year of income exceed $1,500. The amount of the rebate is 20% of the excess over $1,500 but cannot exceed the amount of the tax otherwise paid. The rebate is claimed when the patients lodges their annual income tax return. Invisalign may also be claimable through your Private Health Insurance fund. It is best to seek advice from your accountant to check if you are eligible.
Cases that are difficult or unsuitable for Invisalign may include up-righting severely tipped teeth, multiple missing teeth, cases where teeth have not erupted, cases with multiple missing teeth, patients with poor periodontal conditions or patients that want to change their facial profile.
The process will take approximately 6 weeks (from the time the moulds are taken of your teeth).
It has been reported that the pain is nothing like the pain experienced in normal fixed braces, most people experience temporary, minor discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is normal and typically described as the feeling of pressure. It is a sign that the aligners are working – sequentially moving your teeth to their final destination. This discomfort typically goes away a couple of days after you insert the new aligner in the series.
Like all orthodontic appliances, aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people, and you may have a slight lisp for a day or two. However, as your tongue gets used to having the aligners in your mouth, any lisp or minor speech impediment caused by the aligners should disappear.