STAGE 1: THE CONSULTATION: During the first appointment, a comprehensive examination will be done to ensure that we fully understand the patient's concerns and needs. With the use of intraoral 3D scans and photography, the following will be discussed to formulate a treatment plan tailored for the patient:
- Your Dental Condition
- Whether Invisalign's aligners are suitable for you
- Other Teeth Straightening Options (E.g. traditional or other invisible braces)
- The Pros and Cons of each treatment choice (braces/Invisalign comparison)
- Treatment Plan and Duration
- If Tooth Extraction is necessary
- The stages involved to achieve straight teeth
- Discuss concerns you may have with orthodontic or Invisalign treatment
- Digital 3-D Scanning of the teeth: With our Invisalign iTero scanner, a quick scan that usually takes less than 5 minutes will be done to capture the position of your teeth and how you are biting. This will allow the creation of aligners that will be ideal for a successful treatment.
STAGE 2: INVISALIGN SIMULATION + CLINCHECK: An Invisalign Clincheck is the computer simulation which shows how your teeth are expected to move and allows you to visualize the predicted result after the treatment. This plan is further refined by your dentist in the Invisalign Clincheck program to suit your specific treatment needs.
After your consultation, we will schedule a separate visit to discuss this Clincheck with you. Your dentist will explain how your teeth will move, how many sets of aligners it may take and what else is involved in the Invisalign treatment. This discussion will ensure that the planned teeth movement is in line with your expectations of the treatment before we start the treatment on your teeth.
As Invisalign is a custom treatment, Once the Clincheck is approved, it is not possible to change any aspect of it. If any changes are desired, a new plan will need to be done up and remake of all the sets of Invisalign will be required.
The simulation is only a guide to what we can expect and not a guarantee of what will be achieved. There are differences in each individual's teeth and bones that can affect the treatment outcome.
STAGE 3: Receiving your aligners: After approving your Clincheck, the Invisalign aligners will be manufactured and shipped over. Invisalign coordinator will teach you how to wear and take care of your aligners. If indicated in the treatment plan, they may start with attachments and IPR. You will also receive an Invisalign retainer box and Bite-Seating Chewies.
STAGE 4: WEARING YOUR ALIGNERS: Once you have received your aligners, you will require regular appointments (every 1 to 2 months) to allow your dentist to check if your teeth are moving as planned.
STAGE 5: FINISHING INVISALIGN: Once both the patient and the dentist are happy with the teeth position, it is now time to remove your attachments. The dentist will carefully remove the attachments and will also polish the surface of the teeth. Photos of the teeth will be taken as records. The last step will be to scan your teeth digitally to fabricate your retainers which will be given to you a week later.
OCCLUSAL ADJUSTMENT: During this stage, occlusal adjustment may be done. This involves modification of the biting surfaces of a tooth, or teeth, to improve function or morphology. Professional reshaping of selected tooth surfaces can improve how the teeth contact together and is performed to remove tiny interferences that keep teeth from coming together properly.
RETENTION: At the end of the treatment, the use of retainers are necessary to hold the teeth in position. Without retainers, the teeth can shift and move of out alignment, which may result in crowding or spaces opening between your teeth. Retainers are typically worn throughout the night for 10-12 hours every night.
We provide a set of clear upper and lower retainers for free after your Invisalign treatment, which can last 1-2 years with normal wear. Retainers will soften and wear out with use and will need to be replaced periodically. In patients that grind their teeth, the clear retainers are not able to withstand the grinding forces and you will need to get a night guard to protect the teeth and retainer.
We offer a fixed wire retainer which holds your teeth together using a wire fixed to the back of your teeth. This is not easily visible to others. In some patients with problems such as a centerline spacing, prominent frenulum attachment, very crowded teeth, we recommend this to hold your teeth in place.
PATIENT COMMITMENT TO ALIGNER WEAR:
Tooth movement is a biological process stimulated by very light force (200 grams) However efficient tooth movement requires that the light force be as continuous as possible. We have learnt from our patients that full time wear is easier than episodic wear. There are several reasons for this:
- When aligners are worn full time, temporary bite changes are expected. Each tooth may not fully touch, or front teeth may hit prematurely when the aligners are out. It will feel more comfortable with aligners in than out.
- Part time wear will result in the aligners fitting progressively less well, meaning they will not be as comfortable, not look as good, not work as effectively. Full time wear (22 hours a day) means the aligners will continue to fit great, look merely invisible, remain comfortable and produce the desired tooth movement.
- Speech interferences are common during the start Invisalign wear. It usually takes about 1-2 days of full-time wear of the aligners for you to adjust to the aligners and speak normally. If the aligners are removed throughout the day for a few hours or more, you may find that speech interference can persist. This is because the tongue and oral muscles constantly have to adapt to having the aligners on and off the teeth.
Failure of the patient to comply with aligner wear will result in failure to achieve the expected treatment outcome. Teeth may still be misaligned, and there may be gaps or spaces between teeth. The teeth position may be unstable with a poor bite.
INVISALIGN PROCESSING AND SHIPMENT TIME:
Your dentist will discuss with you how long your Invisalign treatment may take to achieve your desired teeth position. All estimate of treatment time not a guarantee. Our dentist will design the Invisalign Clincheck according to your specific case and our clinic will endeavor to facilitate your treatment with Invisalign. However, there may be delays during your treatment due to factors outside our control because Invisalign aligners are provided by a third-party vendor (Invisalign) and shipped from overseas. There are various stages during the treatment that is dependent on them, including Clincheck, manufacturing of your Invisalign aligners, and additional extension sets. Our clinic provides estimates based on information we have been given from Invisalign regarding the treatment and manufacturing time, but these are not guarantees of the shipment and processing time.
THE PATIENT’S RESPONSIBILITY
● It is the patient’s responsibility to follow the brushing and oral hygiene instructions that are given, so that no harm will come to the teeth and surrounding tissues; to come to all appointments; to adhere to the list of food restrictions in order to prevent damage to the teeth and orthodontic appliance; to wear the appliances, elastics and retainers, as prescribed, so that treatment time will be as short as possible and to achieve the planned results.
● Regular review appointments are suggested every 2-3 months. Our clinic will inform you at each visit about when you should come for your next visit and endeavour to make the appointment for you on the same visit. It is your responsibility to make and attend these appointments.
● If you have not been following the planned schedule for your Invisalign treatment, the results may be affected. To continue the treatment, a new plan will need to be made and as new scans and photographs will be taken. Charges apply.
● There will be additional charges for replacement of appliances (such as retainers or braces or Invisalign attachments) that are lost or damaged due to repeated patient neglect, or any extension of treatment due to lack of patient co-operation or change in treatment plan caused by the patient.
● Please note that there is an expiry date whereby extension of plan can be ordered for all Invisalign treatments. The new sets needs to be confirmed before the expiry date. We calculate the expiry date from the date of Clincheck payment as follows:
- Invisalign+ Begin & Pro: 1 Year
- Invisalign+ Multi: 2 Years
- Invisalign+ Complex: 3 Years
- Invisalign+ Buddy: 18 months
- Invisalign+ Teen: 2 Years
● After the expiry date, any extension or additional sets, and Invisalign review visits will be subjected to our usual rates.