Invisalign Alexandria
Quietly Transforming Your Smile, Subtle, Sophisticated, Effective, Clear Aligner Therapy
Whether you have a teenager who doesn’t want to have to wear metal brackets and wires or are an adult who wants to maintain their professional appearance, Invisalign offers discretion and convenience when it comes to fixing obvious crowding, crookedness, gaps, and misaligned bites. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for this treatment, schedule a consultation today.
Why Choose Alexandria Dental Health & Smile Studio for Invisalign?
- Whole-Body Wellness-Based Orthodontic Treatment
- We Accept Dental Insurance & Offer Financing
- Dentist with 30+ Years of Experience
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign is one of the most popular orthodontic systems in use today, helping thousands of patients achieve beautiful smiles each year. The Invisalign system uses proprietary CAD/CAM software to assist Dr. Mazhari in creating highly accurate, individualized treatment plans based on digital impressions of your mouth. These impressions are used to design a series of clear aligners that will gently and progressively reposition your teeth over the course of about a year to 18 months. The number of aligners in the sequence and the exact treatment time will depend on the severity of your dental concerns and your desired outcome.
The Invisalign Treatment Process
Should you decide that Invisalign is the right treatment option for you, Dr. Mazhari will begin by taking digital impressions of your mouth to create high-resolution, 3D images of your teeth. These will be used to accurately plan your treatment for optimal results. The impressions will be used to fabricate a series of clear aligners, each of which will be worn for specified increments of time—typically about two weeks before advancing to the next set of aligners in the series.
Dr. Mazhari will provide you with detailed instructions regarding how to care for your aligners. For optimal results, patients should typically wear their aligners for 22 hours out of the day, removing them only during routine oral hygiene and mealtimes. The number of aligners and overall length of your Invisalign treatment will depend on the problem(s) being addressed and your desired result. Finally, after completion of aligner therapy, clear and sturdy retainers are used at night to prevent relapses as a result of grinding or tongue movement, etc.
The Advantages of Invisalign Over Traditional Braces
Many patients are wary of the aesthetic concerns, discomfort, and restrictions associated with traditional metal braces. As a clear, removable, and non-metal alternative, Invisalign possesses numerous advantages over traditional metal braces, including:
- Fixes misaligned teeth, crowding, spacing, overbite, and narrow arch width
- Not only creates improved esthetics and an enhanced smile, but it also enhances the functionality of the bite
- Facial symmetry and ability to chew properly and breath better could be impacted by correcting misaligned bite
- The ability to remove the aligners when needed makes it easy for patients to enjoy their food and clean the teeth seamlessly as they go through orthodontic treatment
Invisalign Teen
A teen’s orthodontic needs are vastly different from an adult. That is why we offer Invisalign Teen. We believe each person deserves a discreet and quick way to get their smile straight while taking into account the specific needs of younger patients. Each treatment comes with a set of replacement trays (teens can be forgetful), plus each aligner has a small dot toward the back that slowly fades as it is worn. This helps the teen (and parent) make sure they are wearing it enough.
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
Dr. Mazhari and all of us at Alexandria Dental Health & Smile Studio believe that high-quality dental care should be affordable at any budget, which is why we partner with several trusted healthcare lenders. By setting up a payment plan with one of our financing partners, qualified applicants can often fit Invisalign into just about any budget. Most PPO plans offer orthodontic coverage. Please let us know if we can research your orthodontic coverage before your consultation visit .
Invisalign FAQs
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
Every case is different, but for many adults, Invisalign—when used correctly—takes about a year to be effective. You’ll meet with our dentist for occasional follow-up appointments to ensure progress is happening in a timely fashion. For teenagers, the amount of time for Invisalign to take effect can vary, as the teeth are often more susceptible to shifting. A more accurate timeline can be determined after a consultation with our dentist.
Compliance is an important part of the Invisalign treatment process. In order to ensure both optimal results and the most efficient treatment process, patients should carefully adhere to our dental team’s instructions and wear their appliance as directed.
Is Invisalign More Expensive Than Metal Braces?
Many people who are considering Invisalign worry that it will be much more expensive than traditional orthodontic treatments due to its more efficient and discreet system of tooth alignment. However, Invisalign treatments are actually very comparable in price to regular braces, especially considering how much more convenient and efficient Invisalign can be. As a bonus, Dr. Mazhari and the team at Alexandria Dental Health & Smile Studio often run specials for anyone starting Invisalign—visit our specials page to see what deals we currently have!
Is Invisalign Really Invisible?
Invisalign clear aligners are made from a transparent plastic material that is incredibly discreet. However, they are not entirely invisible. That said, they are custom-fitted and fabricated from specialized materials to be as minimally noticeable as possible, and most patients find that wearing the aligners has no significant negative impact on their appearance. Especially when compared to the more prominent wires and brackets of traditional braces, Invisalign is a much more discreet and barely—if at all—noticeable approach to orthodontics.
Will Invisalign Change the Way I Talk?
Since Invisalign aligners are custom fitted for both comfort and discretion, they should not have any significant impact on the way you speak. Some patients may experience a slight lisp when they first begin wearing the aligners, but this typically goes away relatively quickly once they have adjusted to the feeling of wearing the appliance.
Will I Need to Wear a Retainer After Invisalign Treatment?
Yes, patients are often directed to wear a retainer after they are finished wearing their Invisalign aligners. Fortunately, this post-treatment appliance typically will only have to be worn at night. The reasoning behind utilizing a retainer after Invisalign treatment is to ensure the results are maintained. Patients who do not wear a retainer after their treatment may experience an orthodontic relapse, where the teeth realign back to the original position before Invisalign. The use of a retainer can stop this from happening and keep the teeth in their new position as intended.
Does Invisalign Hurt?
Most patients report that their Invisalign aligners do not cause pain. However, there may be discomfort among those with Invisalign as they become accustomed to their aligners in the initial stages of their treatment. Patients are instructed to practice speaking with their aligners to reduce the length of this adjustment period.
What Can I Eat with Invisalign?
Unlike traditional braces, there are no restrictions on one’s diet or limitations on what they can eat. Patients should, however, remove their aligners before eating and then properly clean their teeth before putting their aligners back on to avoid wedging food particles between their teeth and their dental appliance.
How Do I Clean My Invisalign Aligners?
Patients who receive Invisalign will be prescribed a specialized solution that the aligners are to sit in when not in use in order to clean and maintain them. Letting the aligners soak in the prescribed solution can help reduce the risk of them becoming yellow or drying out. Patients should also brush and floss their teeth before putting on their aligners. Rinsing out the aligners and scrubbing them with a soft-bristle toothbrush is also recommended.
