Invisalign treatment is the process of wearing a series of clear, removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth. There are no brackets or wires involved or any of the restrictions associated with traditional braces.

Invisalign works like braces by applying gentle, continuous pressure to misaligned teeth, gradually moving them into place. Using a series of custom-made, clear plastic trays that change every 1-2 weeks, the teeth shift in a predictable, controlled, and comfortable way. Each aligner is designed to fit only your teeth for a personalized treatment plan.

Both give amazing results. At your consultation, Dr. Wirant and his team can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each for your particular case.

General dentists can become Invisalign providers as long as they take a basic course from Invisalign. However, compared to an orthodontist’s specialized training—over seven years in total beyond a bachelor’s degree—dentists are significantly limited in what they can accomplish with Invisalign.

Professional orthodontists like Dr. John M. Wirant undergo years of extra study. General dentistry does not have the same kind of extensive education requirements. Only the top one or two graduating dental students are offered spots in orthodontic residencies each year. A residency adds three years of training after the standard four years of dental school.

Although Invisalign does offer dentists a basic overview of how to use their system, the training revolves around how to use Invisalign: NOT how to straighten teeth. In other words, a dentist can perform some basic Invisalign duties, like sending patient impressions and scans, creating limited patient plans or minor modifications, and check-ups.

But because they have not received the training necessary to align teeth, a dentist’s abilities do not go beyond the basics with Invisalign.

You should always remove the aligner trays before eating or drinking anything other than water. For drinking water, you can leave them in. (Leaving aligners in while drinking beverages that are sugary or acidic can leave residues trapped against your teeth, which could lead to tooth decay.)

After removing your aligners to eat or drink, rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth before putting them back in. 

You should not drink hot beverages tea while wearing Invisalign. Always remove your aligners before consuming hot beverages as they can warp the plastic material of the trays due to the heat. Drinks with strong colors like red wine, coffee, and certain teas can stain your aligners. 

Rinse your aligners whenever you take them out to clean off saliva, food particles, and bacteria.

Gently brush your aligners daily with a soft toothbrush, using a clear, unscented hand soap. (Most toothpastes are too abrasive and may scratch the surface of your aligners.)

Brush and floss your teeth before putting your aligners back in.

There are many competing aligner products on the market. We can discuss your options in-office.

Within the Invisalign product offering, there are different “tiers” depending on the expected length of aligner treatment. If choosing a lower tier of treatment than recommended, you will receive fewer aligner trays and may not get the desired finished result.

Invisalign markets differently to age groups such as children and teens. The actual Invisalign product is the same as for the adults- aligners, but involves different tiers (costs).

Dr. Wirant is a board-certified orthodontist with extensive training and over 25 years of experience. He can make a proper recommendation for which type of aligner or tier would work best for your needs.