For new and existing patients, Invisalign is a hot topic here at Ivory Dental! If you're considering teeth straightening or specifically Invisalign, you may have some of these same questions - or this list might spark new ones for you. Here are some of the most common questions we get regarding Invisalign treatment at our office:

How long does Invisalign take?

Using Invisalign for teeth straightening depends highly on the patient's specific situation. Because every person's mouth and teeth are unique, some may take longer than others. However, as a baseline, most patients at our office have treatments between 6 and 18 months, with the average being about 10 months. Furthermore, while your Invisalign schedule is based on the standard wear guidelines of 20-22 hours a day, if the patient has begun to skip wearing their aligners or has lost some aligners - this delays the progress as we will need to help either make a new set of aligners or reset the plan.

Does Invisalign treatment hurt?

While Invisalign is the more comfortable way to straighten teeth, compared to traditional braces, it still requires your teeth to move. This does mean that patients will experience some dental tenderness and soreness. However, the tooth movements are typically more gradual than traditional braces because the aligners are switched every 1-2 weeks, and smaller movements are made each time. Because of this, most patients report some soreness (akin to returning back to the gym or sports for the first time after a long break) during the first 3-5 days. Although we advise patients to take ibuprofen (i.e., Advil) for the soreness, most patients report they don't need to take any medication to manage the soreness. It goes away quickly enough not to be bothersome.

Can I wear Invisalign only at night?

Invisalign "active" treatment is the main stage when teeth are shifting, and during this time, aligners must be worn for the recommended 20-22 hours a day. Unfortunately, wearing only in the evening cannot shift teeth and maintain their progress. However, once the Invisalign "active" treatment has concluded, retainers are only worn in the evenings - typically when sleeping. If you are looking for a more passive way to shift teeth, we recommend looking for traditional braces or an orthodontic specialist providing lingual braces.

How long do I have to wear the retainers after treatment?

After you have achieved your desired smile with Invisalign's "active" treatment, a retainer of some type must be worn to keep that progress and prevent the teeth from shifting again. Unfortunately, wearing a retaining device is the only way to ensure teeth will not regress or move. This typically means that patients wear a retainer most of their lives in the evenings. There are, however, various retainer types to fit individual lifestyles. The most popular retainers will be similar to Invisalign aligners with clear plastic, and in this case, nightly wear has a side benefit: it protects against mild grinding. So, even though you need to wear retainers nightly, there are benefits to doing so!

Will my insurance cover Invisalign?

If you have dental insurance, many policies offer orthodontic coverage. Every policy is slightly different regarding reviewing clinical necessity and the amount of coverage. However, most employer-provided plans often have a one-time benefit similar to "50% of treatment cost, up to $1,500". In this case, we will typically be able to apply the $1,500 towards the Invisalign cost to reduce the overall out-of-pocket cost to the patient. If you'd like to better understand how insurance covers Invisalign - please read our prior blog post about insurance.

Can I use FSA/HSA to pay for Invisalign?

Yes! Invisalign is an HSA/FSA-eligible expense. Please review our prior blog post about using your HSA/FSA to help pay for Invisalign.

Can I recycle Invisalign aligners?

Invisalign aligners can be recycled, but they need to be recycled through a unique recycling stream. It cannot be recycled in most areas with other plastics (such as plastic bottles or packaging). Because of the specific mix of plastics and the fact that it can be considered a medical device, a particular stream of recycling should be used that is typically not provided by local services. At Ivory Dental - we are happy to provide responsible recycling of all aligners and Invisalign cases for individual patients - whether you are a patient with our office or another.

Wrapping Up

If you have additional questions about Invisalign or are ready to start with a complimentary consultation - please schedule an appointment online or give our office a call!