Considering Invisalign? Here’s What to Expect

Do you hide your smile because crooked teeth are destroying your self-confidence? Time to straighten those little devils, which helps you build self-confidence, avoid gum disease, and improve your general oral health.

Once, metal braces were the only way to straighten teeth. Today, we have Invisalign®, removable plastic aligners that nudge teeth into place.

Dr. Minh D. Nguyen at Portrait Dental in Katy, Texas, is an Invisalign specialist who can give you the Hollywood smile you’ve always wanted. If you’re considering Invisalign, here’s what to expect.

Metal braces vs. Invisalign

For decades, metal braces were the only available option for straightening teeth. This collection of metal brackets and wires was unsightly, painful to cheeks, hard to keep clean, and remained in your mouth for years. Even today, metal braces are the best way to restore some mouths with complicated dental issues.

But if you want to straighten and close gaps in your teeth, Invisalign is for you. Invisalign can treat:

• Underbite
• Teeth gaps
• Crowded teeth
• Overbite
• Crossbite

Invisalign uses a series of slightly different aligners that gradually straighten teeth. The trays are removable, so you can take them out for special occasions and when you eat and drink. And the aligners are made from clear plastic, so they’re far less noticeable than metal braces.

Invisalign aligners, which are digitally formatted to fit your teeth, are tougher than they look. They’re made of a flexible thermoplastic that’s FDA-approved and free from harmful chemicals, latex, or gluten.

You can slip out the aligners whenever you want, but we suggest you wear them for about 22 hours a day to get the best and quickest results. 

How Invisalign works

When you first see Dr. Nguyen, you’ll reveal your hopes and dreams for your teeth. He may recommend a thorough dental exam and cleaning before beginning Invisalign treatment.

Next, Dr. Nguyen digitally scans your teeth with software that helps create customized templates for a series of aligners. Each aligner is slightly different from the previous one, and all aim to nudge your teeth into place. 

Lab technicians use the scan to design your trays. When the aligners arrive, the fun begins.

Wearing Invisalign

When your aligners arrive, Dr. Nguyen explains how to insert and remove them, as well as how to care for them. He’ll fit the first aligner on your teeth and make sure it’s comfortable.

You wear each tray up to 22 hours a day for two weeks, then you get the next tray. Eventually, the set of trays shifts your teeth into a better position.

If you’d like to learn more about Invisalign, call Portrait Dental at 281-223-1421 or use our online booking tool.