What is the process for getting Invisalign?

The first step to anything good is to make a plan! If you’re curious about Invisalign in Winter Park, here’s our process for putting together an individualized Treatment Plan for your Invisalign treatment:

Step 1: Routine Dental Checkup

If you’re a patient under our care already – great! Our dentist in Winter Park, Dr. Yu will be able to use your prior checkups and x-rays to make sure there are no dental risks that would prevent you from a healthy Invisalign treatment. If you are a new patient, we need to ensure your overall dental health can support predictable and safe teeth straightening. While it is best to do this first, if you prefer to have the complimentary consultation appointment as the first step – we can do that too. We need to complete the dental checkup before you start the treatment.

Step 2: Consultation Appointment (20-30 minutes)

We provide a complimentary consultation focused on teeth straightening, Invisalign, and overall smile enhancement. In general, the appointment will start with a discussion of your cosmetic and/or clinical concerns so that Dr. Yu can understand your goals. Following that, one of our trained staff will utilize a 3D scanning wand to make a 3D digital model of your teeth and your bite (this will let us build the plan and simulate before/after results). Next, we will take a combination of intraoral (inside the mouth) and profile (front and side face) photos.

From there, we can show you a simulation of the final results, an interactive discussion tool to review your goals. This is a great time to also talk about the right timing or strategy for teeth whitening, existing or future veneers and crowns, and reshaping teeth. Finally, one of our staff will provide an overview of the overall process, pricing expectations, and any insurance coverage you may have. We can also answer any detailed questions like “How long do I wear the aligners?”, “Is it painful to wear Invisalign aligners?” and “Do I brush my teeth every time I take them off?”

Step 3: Treatment Plan Design (5-10 days)

Nothing is required from you for this step! It’s just a wait as Dr. Yu takes all your information, photos, and 3D scans, along with her discussion with you to design your specific treatment plan. This process is iterative, meaning she creates multiple revisions in the Invisalign design platform for your treatment to find the best balance of outcome, speed, and comfort while maintaining healthy teeth movements.

Please be patient; this step does take time, and having a good plan up front will give us the best chance of a short and accurate treatment!

The finished plan will include the length of treatment (in weeks), the predicted tooth movements at each stage, and an animated simulation from the initial to the final stage.

Step 4: Treatment Plan Review (20-30 minutes)

When your specific Invisalign Treatment Plan is completed, our office will invite you in for a presentation of your plan from Dr. Yu and walk through your overall treatment. This is also an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. If you have insurance benefits, we will also verify these beforehand– to give you all the information you need to make a decision. We make it a point not to pressure you into anything, and we aim to provide you with the following key points:

• Your estimated length of treatment (how many weeks?)

• Preview of before/after and final results

• Special considerations include whitening, tooth wear improvements from grinding/clenching, preserving or closing spaces, veneers, etc.

• Payment options, discounts, and insurance benefits that can be used

Step 5: Treatment Start (immediately or up to 3 months)

Once you’re happy with the Treatment Plan, you can choose to start or wait up to 3 months from the date of your initial 3D scan (because teeth are always in slight movement, your teeth may shift too much after the 3 months, so it is best to re-scan you to update the plan if you want to wait longer).

If you choose to start, we will have the Invisalign manufacturing team prepare your aligners. The manufacturing process takes about ten days from start to delivery in our office. This is because they are 3D printing your plan from digital into real-world models for every stage of your treatment. They make all of your aligners from these models at once to ensure you don’t have to delay your treatment after you start.

Step 6: Starting Invisalign Treatment (60 minutes)

This appointment will be split into two parts. In the first 30 minutes, our doctor will prepare and place the Invisalign system for you. The process is gentle, and patients don’t have to be numb. Typically, the doctor places your unique Invisalign “buttons” on some of your teeth – and chooses a color for the buttons that match your tooth color so they are nearly invisible to others. Additionally, she may be polishing some of the sides of specific teeth where a small (typically 1 millimeter or less) amount of space is needed to make room for your teeth' movement. Dr. Yu will then test fit your first pair of aligners and check the fitment.

In the second half of the appointment, one of our trained staff will help you become familiar with your Invisalign treatment and system. We offer an Invisalign-specific amenity kit with several tools and extras that our patients have found helpful in removing, cleaning, and caring for their aligners. Additionally, we will walk you through a printed copy of your Invisalign schedule, noting when you will change your aligners to the next stage – and when you will be returning for checkup visits with Dr. Yu.

Finally, we will ensure you are comfortable putting on and removing your aligners. Our staff is trained to help you practice and remove the aligners safely and comfortably. On your way out, our front desk will help you schedule your follow-up appointment, which is typically every eight weeks.

Step 7: Follow-up appointments (20-30 min each)

Once you are on your Invisalign treatment, we will check for accurate tooth movements at each appointment about eight weeks apart. In some cases, you may have additional Invisalign buttons or spacing that needs to be achieved in specific weeks; thus, your schedule may have to be customized around this. Additionally, many patients have work or leisure travel, which may interfere with this timeline, so we can schedule around those by providing more or fewer aligners for each visit.

At each check-up appointment, we will look for the right amount of progress and, if needed, any small changes to help finish out your treatment!

Step 8: Final scan and retainers (30-45 min)

When your treatment is finished and you are satisfied with the results, we will provide one last check to confirm all tooth movements have been completed. If everything is good for you and Dr. Yu, we will remove all your Invisalign buttons, polish your teeth, and perform a final 3D scan. This scan will make your retainers and serve as a digital record of your final position. This can be useful if you lose a retainer or need other dental appliances like a nightguard. Your retainers will be ready in 5-10 days, and you can wear them in the evenings to keep your new smile straight! 

Ready to get started with Invisalign? Have more questions? Please book an appointment with us now!