Invisalign®

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is the name brand of clear plastic aligners worn to straighten smiles. Invisalign works the same way as traditional braces when it comes to fixing crooked teeth and issues with your bite. However, there are several key differences between these clear aligners and traditional metal braces.

Also known as invisible braces, Invisalign aligners are customized plastic trays that fit your teeth. Most people will not even notice that you are wearing anything when you have your aligners in. Under professional guidance, you will change your trays every week or so. Each new tray will be shaped a little differently to encourage the movement of your teeth to their proper alignment.

Unlike traditional braces, which are attached to the teeth using a dental adhesive, Invisalign aligners are completely removable. Though it is recommended that you wear your aligners for at least 22 hours every day, you can and should take them out to eat and drink your favorite foods and beverages. This means virtually no changes to your lifestyle in starting your journey to straighter teeth. We recommend brushing your teeth after every meal or snack — and beverage other than water — to prevent tooth decay and staining of your aligners.

What can I expect when I get Invisalign through Green Dental?

Drs. Gordon and Brooks Green and Dr. Nichole Barnett have been specially trained through Invisalign’s guidelines to be authorized sources of Invisalign technology. This is a different process than the advertisements for clear plastic aligners you may see on television or the Internet. Those companies and their aligners are only designed to straighten teeth for cosmetic purposes. Invisalign is a complete orthodontic treatment that also treats such conditions as underbite or overbite. The added benefit of getting Invisalign through a dental professional is so you will have expert guidance throughout the process. If you ever have any questions or issues during your orthodontic treatment, your answers are just a phone call or office visit away. We will monitor you throughout the process to ensure everything goes according to plan.

During your initial Invisalign consultation with us, we will talk about the goals for your smile, exam your teeth and mouth to see what needs to be corrected and take a digital impression of your teeth. That’s right — no more messy trays filled with gooey dental putty. From there, we will show you the steps you can expect your smile to go through while wearing the clear aligners. We will send the digital impression to Invisalign, which will send your aligners back.

How long will it take to straighten my teeth?

Every smile is different! Treatment times vary from patient to patient, but you can start seeing positive changes in your smile in as soon as a few weeks. Complete treatment may take, on average, about eighteen months. Once it’s done, you’ll have a gorgeous smile that you can show off for the rest of your life.