Does Invisalign Work?

As a dental professional, Invisalign is a topic that I frequently receive questions about. Does it work as well as traditional braces? How long will it take before I notice a difference?  I always answer those questions and offer as much insight as I can, but I think there’s something to be said for hearing about the Invisalign experience directly from someone who’s gone through the process. We’ve explored what life is like while wearing Invisalign trays before, but one of our patients was kind enough to sit down and chat with us about their decision to get Invisalign, and I think it offers a deep look at what it’s like going through the procedure as an adult.

An Invisalign Testimonial

I am a 21 year old office manager. Growing up I never really paid much attention to my teeth since I’ve never had any serious issues. I’ve always wanted my smile to be a perfect 10, healthy straight and white teeth. At my age, already out of high school, I didn’t want to wear traditional braces but now I am in the stage of my life where I can afford to fix my teeth. The treatment for traditional braces would take 2 ½ years but luckily I was introduced to Invisalign which I was really thrilled, since my case would only take about 6 months to complete. The cost of Invisalign was less than the cost of traditional braces and also seemed to be the most comfortable option for me. If I was to rate my smile in a scale of 1 to 10, I would give my smile a 9. My teeth were pretty straight and white before the treatment; it was just this one tooth on my top arch that was kind of rotated and it really bothered me. I was assigned 10 trays for both top and bottom. My dentist explained to me the designated wear time which was 22 hours a day. I was given 3 trays at a time, so I would see my dentist every 6 weeks. For me, there are many advantages of using Invisalign rather traditional braces. People wouldn’t notice I was in orthodontic treatment unless I chose to tell them. I was able to brush and floss as usual and I was able to eat anything I want, and not worry about food being stuck on my braces. I could smile and laugh out loud all I want without someone staring at my teeth and metal braces. The disadvantage of Invisalign is not being able to have fillings or dental work done during treatment because the trays are precisely made. The trays were a bit uncomfortable on the first few days since I could feel the pressure of movement on my teeth.  I also missed having snacks all the time, I wouldn’t say that was a big sacrifice at all, it actually helped me get back into shape. I would definitely recommended Invisalign, I had a fantastic experience. A piece of advice that I would share with someone is get ALL your dental work done before starting your treatment since it would be impossible to do once you get your impressions taken. Invisalign is 90% less visible then traditional braces. You WILL feel the movement of your teeth, especially in the first few days of wearing your new set of trays. I would highly recommend for you to wear your new set right before you go to sleep since it will make it easier to remove. It is very important to wear your trays 22 hours a day like you are told by your dentist/orthodontics because you will find difficulty during your treatment if you don’t, for example your trays will become tighter or sometimes won’t fit, and so on. Do not settle for a cheap dentist if you don’t get the care that you deserve. A good dentist will listen to you, give you great advice and won’t try to lie to you. I’d rather pay $500 dollars more and have a great Invisalign dental experience than pay less and have a disappointing experience with a careless dentist.

Have more questions? We’re here to help.

As you might expect, procedures like Invisalign are a little bit different for each person. But hopefully by hearing about someone else’s experience with Invisalign, and their journey from having a crooked teeth to having a perfect, healthy smile, you’ll have more insight into what you can expect and whether Invisalign is right for you. If you have more questions about Invisalign and whether it’d be a good choice for improving your smile, our team is ready to lend a hand. Book a consultation today, and we’ll guide you through all your options for getting the bright, beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.