Invisalign®

Invisalign straightens your teeth without wires and brackets, using a series of clear, customized, removable aligners made of a durable plastic. It’s virtually undetectable, which means hardly anyone will know that you’re wearing your aligners.

Clearly Different

The Invisalign System combines advanced 3-D computer graphics with the 100-year-old science of orthodontics. Invisalign aligners are designed to move your teeth in small steps to the desired final position prescribed by your orthodontist over several months. Each aligner is precisely calibrated and manufactured to fit each patient’s mouth at each stage of the treatment plan.

Your first step is to consult with our office and determine if Invisalign is right for you. After sending the lab precise treatment instructions and measurements, Invisalign uses advanced computer technology to translate these instructions to create 12 to 48 finely calibrated custom aligners.

Each aligner is worn for about two weeks and only taken out to eat, brush and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next, your teeth will begin to move week-by-week until the teeth are aligned and straightened. To ensure the best possible results, Align Technology has trained our dentists to use the Invisalign system.

Invisalign is not appropriate for every adult, and only a Dentist can determine if this treatment is an effective option for you. To see if Invisalign can help you achieve the smile you've always wanted, contact us to make an appointment. If you want to learn more about Invisalign and how it works, please visit the Invisalign Homepage.

Invisalign FAQ

HOW OFTEN MUST I WEAR MY ALIGNERS?

You must wear your aligners for up to 22 hours daily. You may remove them for eating, drinking and routine oral hygiene.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS TO WHAT I CAN EAT?

No. Unlike braces, you may eat whatever you like as long as you remove the aligners before eating. Prior to placing the aligners back on, it is important to brush your teeth and the aligners after you eat to keep them clean.

WILL WEARING THE ALIGNERS AFFECT MY ABILITY TO SPEAK?

Like any orthodontic treatment, there is a short adjustment period. The more you speak with the aligners on, the quicker you will adjust. Most patients get used to their aligners after a few weeks.

IS THERE ANY DISCOMFORT WITH INVISALIGN® TREATMENT?

There will be some pressure and minor discomfort for a day or two after each initial insertion. This is a sign that your teeth are moving sequentially into their final position and the treatment is working!

CAN I CHEW GUM?

It is recommended that you remove your aligners prior to chewing gum, as the gum will stick to the aligners and become difficult to remove.

CAN I SMOKE WITH THE ALIGNERS IN?

We discourage smoking with aligners, as the cigarette smoke will tend to discolor them, not to mention the effects on gum health.

HOW DO I KEEP MY ALIGNERS CLEAN?

Brushing them with toothpaste will keep them fresh and clean, but clean them regularly for the best results.

HOW OFTEN DO I SEE MY DENTIST WHILE WEARING INVISALIGN?

Regular office visits are every five to six weeks. This will ensure that your Invisalign treatment is progressing as planned while we monitor your progress.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY TREATMENT IS COMPLETE? DO I NEED RETAINERS?

All orthodontic patients are instructed to wear their retainers at night indefinitely after treatment. Sleeping with your retainers in at night will ensure a healthy bite and maintain the new position of your teeth.

HOW LONG DOES INVISALIGN TREATMENT TAKE?

Treatment time varies depending on the severity of the misalignment. Treatment time can be shorter than traditional braces: between 6 and 18 months.

DOES INVISALIGN WORK FOR KIDS?

Yes, if their teeth and second molars have grown in completely.

iTero Dental Impressions

Dr. Lindh and Dr. Orris is now offering patients a more comfortable, a convenient alternative to the dreaded “goo” associated with dental impressions. The iTero Intraoral Scanner allows doctors to take a 3-D digital scan, or picture, of a patient’s teeth and bite, rather than using a viscous impression material. Not only is the iTero Intraoral Scanner significantly more patient-friendly, but it also offers increased precision and eliminates the risks of gagging or swallowing excess impression gel.

Prior to receiving braces, retainers or Invisalign, a patient must have impressions taken of his or her existing smile in order to plan an appropriate orthodontic procedure. Traditionally, dental impressions were taken by inserting large metal trays and liquid plaster against the upper and lower jaw. The material sets to become an elastic solid, providing a detailed replica of a patient’s smile. This method is uncomfortable, time-consuming and oftentimes inaccurate.

Now, Dr. Lindh and Dr. Orris is able to provide our patients with a non-invasive, 3 to 5-minute scan that digitally captures the form and structure of the tooth and gum line through a series of 3-D pictures. This digital impression scanner performs parallel confocal scanning by capturing 100,000 laser points in perfect focus, providing greater accuracy to patients and virtually eliminating return appointments for readjustments. A new and improved digital “map of the mouth” helps our team educate our patients for a better in-office experience and a healthier future.

Benefits of the iTero Intraoral Scanner

• Identifies the tooth by voice and visual commands
• >Aids in the creation of all types of dental restorations
• Eliminates the need for coating teeth
• Utilizes single-use imaging shields for maximum infection control
• Offers adjustments in real-time
• Transmits the file wirelessly to a lab for further processing

This digital impression scanner can be used for veneers, crowns, bridges, surface inlays, on-lays and implant abutments from single units to full arches. Patients are also able to view “before” and simulated “after” images of their dental treatment options on an in-office computer display.

Dr. Lindh and Dr. Orris is proud to offer the iTero Intraoral Scanner to increase the efficiency of our practice and provide our patients with optimal dental care.