Getting Started with Invisalign

Your Invisalign experience begins with your first phone call to our office. If you are interested or open to discussing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign we will make note to be prepared during your in-person examination. As a courtesy, we will check your insurance benefits to be prepared to give you a range of financial options. We will do as much as we can prior to your arrival to make your visit as seamless and efficient as possible.

Your Visit to Murray Orthodontics

When you arrive in the office you will be greeted by our treatment coordinator who will host you during your time with us. Your treatment coordinator will talk with Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby and with you to iron out any and all details as you prepare to begin Invisalign treatment. You will also meet a records technician. To prepare for your exam we will need several digital images. Your records technician will obtain digital x-rays, digital photographs of your teeth and face, and a digital scan of your teeth. Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby review these images with your treatment coordinator prior to meeting with you in order to better understand your situation, needs, and wishes.

Preparing for your Custom Invisalign Treatment

Dr. Murray or Dr. Libby and your treatment coordinator will then greet you for an in-person examination to get to know you better and understand what options might be best for you. We will be evaluating jaw function, jaw relationships, any dental issues, bite and alignment of your teeth, among other things. You will be presented with a treatment plan, or options for treatment plans. We will then allow you to consider your options. Your treatment coordinator will review and answer any questions that you may have.

You may have the option to see a digitized treatment simulation. This automated, computer-generated simulation is simple and quick. So, while not an exact representation of your finished result, it will allow you to visualize your finished smile. Depending on the complexity of your plan Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby may want to evaluate and customize your treatment simulations. If multiple options are available for you, then reviewing multiple treatment simulations will help determine your best plan.

Once we reach a decision about the plan we are pursuing and complete the necessary paperwork, the digital scan of your teeth will be uploaded to Align. Accompanying your scan will be detailed instructions from Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby as to what our goals are and how to move your teeth. Dr. Murray and Libby work through several revisions of your plan with the Align software called ClinCheck, collaborating with an Align technician to personalize and optimize your treatment plan. The details of how to move your teeth, attachment design, number and staging of aligners, etc. are all done behind the scenes, while you are away from the office.

VIDEO: The Benefits of iTero Scanning Technology

We scan your smile using iTero technology to make a custom plan for your Invisalign treatment.

Your Invisalign Treatment Takes Shape

Once we are happy with your plan, we approve it. At that point, the digital design process takes physical shape: Align begins the physical manufacturing and packaging of your aligners. The timing from your in-person examination until your aligners arrive in the office is typically no more than one month.

Once your aligners arrive in the office, we prepare them for delivery to you in order to minimize the amount of time you need to spend in the office. This means getting attachments ready to bond to your teeth. When you arrive in the office to receive your aligners your teeth are prepared by our orthodontic technicians and attachments are bonded to the teeth. The attachments help the plastic aligners move your teeth more efficiently. It takes some time to get used to feeling the attachments on your teeth. We will orient you to wearing your aligners. We may discuss using Dental Monitoring while wearing your aligners.

Wearing Aligners and Retainers for a Successful Invisalign Treatment

Successful treatment with aligners requires 20-22 hours of aligner wear per day. Unless instructed otherwise, you will change your aligners every week. You will receive detailed instructions for aligner success the day you receive your aligners.

You will notice that the number of aligners you receive does not match the estimated number of months of treatment. When you finish your first series of aligners, Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby will scan your teeth again, carefully assess what needs to be done, and order additional aligners to continue your treatment. This “refinement scan” or reset is perfectly normal and is a planned part of the treatment process. It typically happens once or twice during the normal course of treatment. Don’t expect to be finished with treatment when you are done with your first series of aligners.

As you finish your Invisalign treatment, retainers are essential to keep your teeth straight. We will scan your teeth and order retainers which you will receive on the same day that your attachments are removed. Retainers should be worn every night during sleeping or as instructed by Dr. Murray or Dr. Libby. Enjoy the lifetime benefits of a healthy smile!

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Warren Libby, DDS