INVISALIGN

Clear Plastic Aligners

Invisalign is a revolutionary teeth straightening process where a
series of 18 – 30 custom made mouthguard-like clear, soft plastic
aligners are created to precisely and very gently, gradually move
your teeth into the right place over the course of the treatment plan.
The aligners are easily removable and replaced every 1 – 2 weeks
to facilitate the gradual movement.

ADVANTAGES
 Almost invisible
 Easily removable at any time
 Less painful
 Does not irritate gums or cheeks
 Can eat and drink whatever you like
 Eating, cleaning, brushing, flossing not
a problem at all
 Physically see how changes occur over
time
 Checkups every 6 weeks
 Minimal disruption to lifestyle
 Similar cost to traditional braces
DISADVANTAGES
 Wear for minimum 22 hours a day
 Longer treatment plan than braces
 No extra dental work may be done during
treatment eg tooth extraction Not for serious
dental issues
 Not suitable for patients with dental bridges or
certain dental treatments eg veneers
 Only for teens & adults – not children
 Expensive to replace if lost

TREATMENT PROCESS
Fitting
Your dentist will take and send a 3D digital scan or physical impression of your teeth to the main
Invisalign Lab, who will then in turn create a series of clear aligner trays and send that right back
to your dentist or orthodontist. These plastic aligners are made of Invisalign‟s proprietery
SmartTrack® material

Adjustments
You will need to replace the aligner with a new one every 1 – 2 weeks so that just the right amount
of pressure is applied that gently force your teeth to move ever so slightly in the right direction. For
optimal results, these must be worn 20 – 22 hours daily, day in and day out until your treatment
plan has been completed.

COMPLIANCE
As the success of the treatment heavily depends on you wearing your Invisalign Aligners for a
minimum of 22 hours every day, it is important that your dentist can trust you to do so. If you do
not have the motivation, ability or discipline to do it exactly as is requiired, then you might need to
look at an alternate option such as Inman Aligners or Ceramic or Lingual braces. Non-compliance
can either mean that your treatment plan takes longer than expected or that you you lose all your
progress due to orthodontic relapse.
RETAINERS
To keep your teeth in place, you can order your custom made Vivera retainer
when you are nearing the completion of your Invisalign treatment plan. As teeth
tend to always be on the move, this will ensure that they remain in place for
many years to come.

EATING & CLEANING

With Invisalign aligners you can eat just about anything you like as they are easily removable and
there no risk of food getting stuck. However, bacteria and tartar can still develop and cleaning your
aligners properly is essential as there is an increased risk of dental decay and cavities forming if
you are at all lazy about keeping them clean.

YOU CAN USE  DO NOT USE 

 Invisaligns expensive cleaning range  Mouthwash: As they do not always remove

OR ECONOMICAL OPTIONS OF: all the bacteria and can even discolor the
aligners
 General denture or retainer cleaners widely  Toothpaste: As it can be abrasive, causing
available small scratches resulting in ull looking
 DIY White Vinegar: Soak in 50:50 tap aligners
water for short period – removes  Your toothbrush: As even a little bit of
accumulated tartar toothpaste residue can damage your
 DIY Bleach (Clorox): Soak 10 min in 1:10 Invisalign Aligners.
parts water – kills microorganisms and  Hot water: As it can damage or distort /
removes staining. To remove tartar, add warp the plastic aligners
bleach to 1 tsp Calgon (calcium chelator)
per 1 glass water.
 DIY Hydrogen Peroxide: Soak in 50:50 tap
water - antibecterial / antimicrobial – does
not remove tartar
 Small, soft childs toothbrush with mild
dishwashing detergent
 Q-tips
 Vibratory Bath: Dislodges particles that
sometimes brushing can‟t

Thoroughly rinse each set before putting in your mouth again. Also test cleaning products or
methods on your old plastic aligners to see if they dullen or scratch them before trying them out on
your current or new sets.

PRIOR DENTAL WORK

It is very important that you any dental work that needs to be done is completed prior to going for
Invisalign treatment as it cannot be done during the treatment period as even a single tooth
extraction will affect the desired outcome. Your dentist would have to “reset” the plan or start all
over again, which might end up being a costly exercise.

NOT SUITABLE FOR

Invisalign can treat a variety of simple to complex dental issues such as gapped teeth, overbite,
underbite, open bite, overly crowded and cross bite. However, even in these instances, as it
cannot address severe dental complications your dentist will most likely refer you to an
orthodontist for a more suitable option.

Another challenge is that patients with certain types of dental work eg porcelain veneers or crowns
might not be suitable for this treatment as Invisalign‟s „attachments‟ and „buttons‟ cannot adhere to
these dental surfaces. Patients with dental bridges might not be able to wear clear plastic aligners

COSTS
Costs range between $3,000 - $8,000 and is dependant upon insurance coverage, location, case
difficulty and how long your treatment plan will be. Chat to your dentist about the possibility of
taking advantage of a reasonable payment plan option for your Invisalign journey. Depending on
what you can comfortably afford, payment plans can be for 12, 24 or 48 months.