Invisalign in London, ON

Invisalign follows the same principles as metal braces when moving your teeth into proper alignment.  Essentially, the aligners exert a constant low-grade force to trigger your jawbone to remodel.  This essentially painless remodeling of the jawbone allows teeth to shift into proper alignment through the surrounding bone over time.

When you wear a new tray, it provides the necessary light force to trigger tooth movement for about 7-10 days.  At the end of this movement period, you’ll need to progress to your next aligner to begin producing new forces.  These new forces will produce further movement.

You can think of each Invisalign aligner as “nudging” your teeth further and further into the proper alignment. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271

Invisalign is a removable clear aligner system for aligning teeth.  Braces are neither clear nor removable.  This means that the Invisalign system is aesthetic and unnoticeable while allowing for easy brushing and flossing.

In addition to those advantages, Invisalign also doesn’t come with the sharp brackets and other components used in traditional metal brace orthodontics.  With Invisalign, you can avoid the cuts and scratches to your lips and cheeks that are common with traditional braces!

It’s important to keep in mind, though, that the Invisalign system requires a patient to be diligent in wearing their invisible aligners at least 22 hours per day.  It’s recommended to only remove your aligners when eating or if you’re drinking something other than water.

Braces generally don’t require compliance because they’re stuck to your teeth and there’s not a whole lot you can do to remove them.

So, what’s the take-home message here?

Well, Invisalign provides superior aesthetics compared to traditional metal braces.  However, Invisalign requires a commitment and diligence that you don’t have to worry about with bonded metal braces. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

As we discussed in our introduction, Invisalign has evolved from a method for correcting small alignment issues to a system that can tackle many of the most complex orthodontic cases.  If you have an alignment concern, the chances are high that Invisalign will work well for you.

In fact, the most important factor in case outcome or success is compliance.  Does Invisalign fit your lifestyle?  Will you be able to wear your aligners for 22+ hours each day?  These concerns can be of greater importance with kids and teens, however, we generally find that our younger patients do extremely well with making sure their aligners are in for the required amount of time!

So, if you’re wondering if Invisalign can give you the smile you’ve always wanted just know that the Invisalign system can deliver success in the vast majority of Orthodontic cases.

If you’d like further information about how Invisalign can work for you, feel free to book a consult with us today! Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Invisalign is provided by Orthodontists and some Family Dentists that have specialty training in Orthodontics.  Our Dentist, Dr. Jordan Wall, has completed a special 2-year Orthodontic training program to be able to provide both Invisalign and traditional metal brace Orthodontics to his patients.

If you’re looking to survey local providers, simply type in “Invisalign in London, ON” or “Invisalign near me” when you’re searching on Google to generate a list of Invisalign dentists near you.

We’d be honoured to chat with you during a consultation at our office to see if Invisalign makes sense for you! Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

This is a great question and the answer can certainly vary.  While your London, ON Invisalign provider, will guide you through treatment and decide on tray-change intervals, generally you can “graduate” from one tray to the next every 10 days or so.

During some phases of your treatment, more complex tooth movements may be required.  This is often the case when intruding your teeth into the jawbone is needed or when complex rotations are required.  These movements occur more slowly and may require longer intervals in the same tray.  During these phases, your London Invisalign Dentist may recommend wearing a given aligner or tray for up to 2-3 weeks. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Before I answer that, let’s talk about what the Invisalign checkups are for.

Regular visits with your London Invisalign provider allow for them to check in on your alignment progress and to make sure things are moving in the right direction.  Your London dentist will also check to make sure aligners are in good shape, tooth attachments are still, well, attached and that your teeth are where they should be at any given point in time.

You’ll also get your next set of Invisalign aligners so that you can progress through the next phase of your treatment.

So, all of that is to say that your regular Invisalign appointments are extremely important toward getting an outstanding treatment result.

The intervals between your appointments can change at different points in your treatment but, generally, the checkups occur every 6-10 weeks.  These checkups are usually quick and you’ll become accustomed to the regular visits as you progress through treatment. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

What’s an attachment you ask?

If you haven’t been through Invisalign treatment, you might not have heard about “attachments” before.  Attachments are small pieces of clear bonding (dental filling material) that are attached to your teeth.  Your London Invisalign provider will place these on some of your teeth during Invisalign treatment to help the aligners stay in place and be able to better “grip” your teeth to produce movement.

The number of these attachments differs from patient to patient, and case to case.  Simpler cases may require far fewer attachments compared to a complex cases involving lots of tooth movement.

Additionally, the number of tooth attachments may change as you progress through the different phases of your treatment.

Don’t worry, these bonded attachments can be removed from your teeth simply at the end of Invisalign treatment and they don’t damage your teeth in any way! Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Invisalign attachments will typically be bonded to the outer faces of your teeth.  This is the tooth surface closest to your lip and cheek or, put another way, it’s the surface that people see when you smile!

As we touched on above, these attachments or Invisalign “buttons” are only temporary, can be easily removed, and don’t harm your tooth structure. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Theoretically, you can whiten during Invisalign treatment but you might want to consider what product you use.

Why?

Well, tooth whitening systems work really well on tooth enamel but they have no effect on artificial materials.  You’ll recall from the section above that you’ll need bonded attachments on some or all of your teeth during treatment.  Well, if you whiten during Invisalign treatment, you’ll get brighter enamel around the attachments but when they come off, you’ll have darker enamel underneath. If you do want to whiten you can purchase safe whitening produce in person at our office in London, Ontario.

Essentially, the bonded attachments will prevent the whitener from reaching your natural enamel underneath which is why you will need a safe whitening system to whiten reliably.

Technically, you can re-whiten after the attachments come off but we find the most predictable whitening result comes when you whiten at the end of your alignment process.

And the bonus is that you can use your clear retainer trays to hold the whitening gel you’ll use to whiten your teeth and brighten your smile!

Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

You may have heard from friends going through alignment with traditional braces that their teeth are tender from time to time.  This tenderness usually coincides with the tightening of archwires to increase pressure on, and movement of, their teeth.

With Invisalign, teeth are moved gradually overtime to deliver a great smile, however, patients typically notice far less tenderness (if any at all) as they progress through their treatment.

If patients do experience occasional tenderness, it typically occurs only within the first day of transitioning to their next aligner.  After all, this is when movement forces are greatest. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

This is a great question.  Many patients ask about how having a better alignment can help with jaw problems.  And, the answer is really complicated and situation-dependent.

In part, this is because jaw problems come in many different types.  Some people experience clicking sounds when eating, for others, their jaw gets stuck from time to time, and others still battle through constant pain when they eat.

And, there are many other possible signs and symptoms of jaw (or TMJ) dysfunction beyond the three listed above.

Now it’s important to keep in mind that when you close your teeth together, they keep your jaw in a particular, unique resting position.  This fit between upper and lower teeth is often referred to as your “bite”.

A comfortable “bite” doesn’t necessarily mean that the jaw is in a healthy position.  In fact, many patients are “caged in” by upper front teeth that are tipped inward toward the back of the mouth.  When they close, their lower teeth slide along the inner surfaces of their upper front teeth and their jaw shifts back into a chronically unhealthy position.

So, the teeth, how they fit together, and the health of the jaw are intimately interconnected.  The example I provided above is just one example of how the fit of the teeth can position in the jaw in a not-so-great position day-in and day-out.

So, in some cases, Invisalign can reconfigure your bite to allow your jaw access to a healthier resting position.

However, there are TMJ issues that may not respond favourably to orthodontic alignment.

Ask your London Invisalign Dentist about how Invisalign may help your jaw problems. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Another very interesting question!

To answer this, I’ll need you to follow me on my train of thought for a minute (it’ll all become clear after that)…

So, constant light pressure can move teeth – we’ve already established that above when discussing how Invisalign works.  Well, this same constant pressure can stimulate your upper jaw and palate to expand laterally if need be.  This expansion can help to widen and enlarge your airway to some extent.

Now, with snoring, what you’re getting is reverberation (and noise) produced when air passes through a narrow, partially collapsed tunnel.  In those who snore, this narrow, partially collapsed tunnel is their airway.  So, it makes sense that we can reduce snoring and improve airway access by enlarging the upper jaw, palate and airway with Invisalign.

This is not to say that Invisalign can fully restore proper airflow and eliminate snoring in all cases but it certainly gives us a tool we can use to help!

As with jaw problems, it’s best to ask your London Invisalign provider about how Invisalign might help to reduce your snoring habit.

Now I’d like to switch gears a bit to tackle some of the most common questions about what kind of misalignments you can fix using the Invisalign system.  Patients always ask us if Invisalign will work on a specific problem they have with their teeth – so let’s get you some answers! Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

The Invisalign system can effectively move teeth to close gaps and spaces.  Some patients pursue cosmetic crowns, veneers and dental bonding for this purpose but these often don’t last as long as does correction with Invisalign.

While the other cosmetic options are quicker fixes, they may cost more than treatment with Invisalign.  Invisalign also allows you to close gaps between your teeth without having to alter them to fit crowns, veneers and dental bonding. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Overbite is the degree to which your upper front teeth cover your lower front teeth.  For some people, their front teeth meet end-to-end and there’s no upper-lower overlap while in others, their upper front teeth completely cover their lower front counterparts.

Many people prefer to show some of their lower teeth because it makes for a fuller smile.

Overjet is the degree to which the upper front teeth are further forward (horizontal distance) compared to their lower front teeth.

The good news is, that Invisalign can be used to correct or modify both overbite and overjet effectively!  To correct excessive overjet, your London Invisalign provider will use elastics that connect between upper and lower aligners to generate a “pull-back” force on the upper arch of teeth.  This approach can reduce any horizontal distance between upper and lower front teeth. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Yes, yes and yes, again!

Misalignment due to crowding is the most common reason for Orthodontic treatment.  Most of us just don’t have the jaw width and overall space to fit all of our teeth in perfect alignment.

In fact, when the Invisalign system first emerged, crowding was one of the few alignment problems it could be used to tackle.  Since those early days, Invisalign has evolved to become even more effective and much quicker at resolving alignment issues due to crowding. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

The cost of Invisalign treatment can vary.  Generally, the duration of treatment has the greatest influence on treatment costs.  Shorter cases involving fewer aligners generally cost less compared to longer cases involving more aligners.

A helpful range to consider would be $3,000 – $9,000 depending on the complexity of your case.

The best way to determine treatment costs is to book a no-obligation consultation with your London Dentist. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.

Every dental insurance plan is different.  They tend to differ in the total amount covered per year and they also differ with respect to the types of procedures that are covered.  Pretty much anybody who needs a cavity filled will have some level of coverage through their dental insurance however, some insurance plans do not cover Orthodontics and Invisalign.

If you’re pursuing Invisalign treatment in London, the easiest way to determine if you’re covered through your insurance is to arrange a consult with the Dentist.  We can easily submit a pre-determination (or “quote”) to your insurance provider to determine your coverage level for Invisalign.

And we believe in making it easy for you to achieve the kind of smile you’d like to share with the world.  So, we offer convenient monthly financing options to help make things easy. Book an Appointment Now or Call (226) 242-5271.