Invisalign in
El Dorado Hills
If you’re looking for an invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces, Invisalign® is the answer. With its smooth, clear, plastic aligners, you’ll achieve exceptional results with no interruption to your daily life. As a leading El Dorado Hills Invisalign and Invisalign Teen provider, Dr. Jeff has the expertise to create a truly customized Invisalign treatment plan to bring out the best in your smile. To find out if Invisalign is right for you or your child, schedule a complimentary consultation at Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics online or by calling us at (916) 933-0532 today!
WHAT IS INVISALIGN?
Invisalign is an innovative way to straighten teeth using a series of clear, custom-made, plastic aligners that are virtually invisible. You change your aligners approximately every two weeks as your teeth move incrementally with each new set. When you’ve made your way through the entire series, you’ll reveal a healthy, beautiful smile.
INVISALIGN PROCEDURE
It all starts with a consultation with Dr. Kwong, a certified Invisalign provider and orthodontic specialist (this isn’t one thing we do, it’s all we do). He’ll develop a precise, individualized treatment plan based on a 3D scan of your mouth. From there, Invisalign creates your custom series of aligners according to Dr. Kwong’s specifications. As you move through each set of aligners, your teeth shift into their final, straight positions.
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign involves a series of clear, plastic aligners that fit over your teeth kind of like super comfortable, virtually invisible mouthguards. However, Invisalign is just a tool. It’s your orthodontist who designs your treatment plan and decides when and where each individual tooth will move (we’ve got a good analogy to explain this further here). The clear aligners are printed based on your doctor’s specifications, so choosing an experienced, certified specialist in orthodontics like Dr. Jeffrey Kwong is the key to success!
Once Dr. Jeff has planned your treatment on a virtual, 3D model of your mouth, he sends your unique treatment plan to the Invisalign lab. The custom clear aligners are crafted according to the treatment plan using 3D-printing technology. Each set of aligners is programmed by Dr. Jeff to achieve certain tooth movements by exerting steady, gentle pressure.
You’ll wear your Invisalign aligners for about 20 to 22 hours per day, taking them out to eat, drink anything aside from plain water, wear a mouthguard while playing sports, and to brush and floss your teeth. As you make your way through your series of aligners, changing them every one to two weeks, your new smile will gradually take shape right before your eyes.
Life With Invisalign
Eating and Drinking With Invisalign
As we said, you’ll take your clear aligners out before you eat or drink anything with the exception of plain water. This means there are no food restrictions, and you can eat whatever you’d like during treatment (yay, popcorn!).
It can be tempting to sneak in a bite of food or take a sip of a drink while your aligners are in. However, the aligners fit snugly against the teeth and, if you do this, food or liquid will get trapped between your aligners and your pearly whites. Since your saliva can’t wash it away like it normally would, it will just sit there on the enamel, which increases your risk for cavities and staining. Additionally, if you drink hot beverages like coffee with Invisalign aligners in, the plastic can become warped.
How to Clean Invisalign Trays
Throughout the day, as wear your Invisalign aligners, they’ll accumulate bacteria, spit, and plaque. Eventually, they’ll start to look cloudy and, let’s face it, smell pretty bad. To prevent this, clean your Invisalign when you brush your teeth in the morning and before bed.
As for how to clean Invisalign, the easiest and most affordable option is to brush your aligners with a soft-bristled toothbrush and then rinse them in lukewarm (not hot) water. You can also use a mild, clear, odorless dish soap if your aligners need a little extra cleaning power. Avoid toothpaste since it can be abrasive and create visible scratches on the plastic.
While you can purchase Invisalign Cleaning Crystals or use various DIY concoctions to deep clean your Invisalign, these aren’t a necessity. Since you only wear each set of aligners for a week or two, by the time they need a deep clean, you’re already on to the next tray.
Oral Hygiene With Invisalign
Oral hygiene is simple with Invisalign. In fact, our team may recommend Invisalign for teens or adults whose smiles require extra care after dealing with tooth decay or gum disease in the past.
You’ll take the aligners out to brush and floss, so you don’t need to use any special tools or techniques. That being said, you will have to brush your teeth more often during Invisalign treatment.
Floss once daily and brush your teeth in the morning, after meals and snacks, and before bed. Brushing after eating and drinking will ensure your teeth are clean and food or liquids won’t get trapped against your teeth when you put your aligners back in.
Storing Your Invisalign Aligners
Your Invisalign case will be your BFF during treatment. Not only do pets love to chew on aligners, since the aligners are clear, they’re also very easy to accidentally throw away. For that reason, store your aligners in your Invisalign case whenever you’re not wearing them, and never put your aligners on a tissue or a napkin when you take them out to eat. It’s also a good idea to avoid leaving your aligners, even if they’re in the case, in a hot car for a long period of time because extreme heat will damage the plastic.
What Can Invisalign Treat?
Years ago, Invisalign was reserved for mild cases in adult patients. However, thanks to Dr. Jeff’s expertise, innovations like Invisalign attachments and rubber bands, and improvements in treatment planning software and aligner materials, we can use Invisalign to treat a wide variety of smile concerns, even those that are complex. As a top El Dorado Hills Invisalign provider, we’re also able to help patients of all ages get a fantastic smile with clear aligners. That’s right, Invisalign for kids and teens is a possibility with Invisalign Teen.
Every patient is unique and the only way to know for sure if Invisalign is the best option for your orthodontic problem is to visit Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics for a free consultation. Once Dr. Jeff has examined you and evaluated your diagnostic records, he can provide you with personalized treatment recommendations. Yet, in more cases than ever before, Invisalign can fix an overbite, open bite, certain types of crossbites, an underbite, crowded teeth, overjet teeth, and spacing.
Does Invisalign Work as Well as Braces?
While each situation is different, we’ve had great success with Invisalign for kids, teens and adults. For many patients, clear aligners are just as effective as braces. If Dr. Jeff needs to achieve more complicated tooth movements, he can bond Invisalign attachments to your teeth. These tooth-colored shapes give the aligners something to push on so they can apply the correct amount of force. He can also use Invisalign rubber bands to help align the bite for ideal function.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost in El Dorado Hills?
At Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics, we do everything we can to make our El Dorado Hills Invisalign affordable for every patient. While your Invisalign cost will depend on the complexity of your case, we’re transparent about our fees and there won’t be any surprises.
If you have dental insurance that provides orthodontic coverage, this can really reduce your out-of-pocket costs. We accept most insurance and our knowledgeable, friendly team will help you determine your coverage, maximize your benefits, and even file claims on your behalf. Aside from insurance, you can also use funds from your HSA or FSA for Invisalign.
At your consultation, we’ll go over the Invisalign cost for your specific case and work with you to decide on a customized payment plan. We offer in-house, interest-free financing with flexible pay periods and low down and monthly payments, as well as paid-in-full and family discounts.
Can I Just Get Invisalign on My Bottom Teeth or Top Teeth?
Shifting the teeth in one arch will change the way the upper and lower teeth fit together (your bite). While there are certain, very specific cases where you could get Invisalign on the bottom teeth or just on the top teeth, only an orthodontist will be able to determine if it will work for you. Usually, you will need Invisalign for both arches to get the best results.