Dr. Joseph Goodman is a Gold-status Invisalign provider in Beverly Hills

How Does Invisalign Work?

Invisalign or invisible braces are the most significant advancement in cosmetic dentistry of the past 10 years. Whereas before only an orthodontist could do braces, now your cosmetic and highly trained general dentist can do invisible braces as good as an orthodontist—or even better.

Let’s discuss the step by step:

1. Braces and Invisalign work the same way. When you apply constant mild pressure on teeth in a certain direction, teeth will move. Pretty simple. Braces, Invisalign and home straightening kits all use this principle to move teeth in a desired position.
2. Invisalign is replacing traditional wire braces—because they work very well and are removable. They are almost invisible and you can floss, eat and drink with Invisalign because they are removed while eating or drinking. If you wear Invisalign for 20 hours a day, your teeth will move.

Your First Appointment:

After your initial consultation we will scan your teeth with the most modern scanner in the world. No more impressions, no more mailing the impressions with FEDEX, but rather scanning teeth and emailing your file to Invisalign. After about 2 to 3 weeks, we will receive what we call a ClinCheck.

ClinCheck® is a 3-dimensional virtual movie-like representation of a doctor’s prescribed treatment plan. It shows you in a 10-second video the future outcome to be expected, from the beginning point where your teeth are now, to the end result. This way you can review and discuss the outcome BEFORE the trays are ordered. This is a unique feature, as you have a computer simulation of how to move teeth and what you can expect in month 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of your treatment.

ClinCheck provides viewing and navigation tools so the dentist can move teeth better and smarter in a certain direction. This planning is the difference in dentistry: Good planning with good outcome and poor planning with mediocre outcome. It all starts here in the beginning phase. So if you question why different dentists charge different prices for Invisalign, it is because of the time the dentist spends planning your treatment journey. If you allow Invisalign to plan for you and accept the computer suggestion, it will be less effective as when the dentist plans and directs each tooth movement to the computer. So the dentist decides, not the computer.

Your Second Appointment:

Your next visit to Dr. Goodman is when you will be trying on the actual Invisalign trays. If you have 10 trays, for example, then you are given 5 trays now and 5 trays in 5 weeks. We will ensure you have been wearing your trays before you can go to tray number 6. Once you have reached tray 10, you are done with your treatment (in 10 weeks in this case). You must wear a retainer afterwards to ensure your teeth won’t move. We can make you Invisalign retainers or permanent retainers (a lingual wire, behind your teeth).

Very few dentists do more Invisalgn than Dr. Goodman. Cosmetic dentistry and invisalgn go hands in hand. Here are some of his completed cases of the past 4 months alone. Each box has one invisalgn case inside.

Why you should NOT do home straightening kits:

Home straightening kits as advertised on social media have many problems.

1. Lack of planning—there is no dentist that you can talk to, visit and discuss options. 
2. The impression is taken by yourself, which will not be accurate because even dentists need years of training for a perfect impression with no voids, distortions and bubbles inside the impression.
3. We are using a scanner in our office, we don’t take impressions.
4. When dentists do Invisalign, some cases require the dentist to make spaces in between your teeth with a diamond strip or diamond saw. (No worries, there is NO PAIN.) Try doing that yourself, making spaces with a diamond strip in the accurate location and with the accurate pressure.
5. Some teeth need invisible attachments (or brackets as they are called with metal braces). These attachments make complex, complicated rotation possible and can only be placed and later removed, of course, by a dentist.
6. The dentist will monitor your wearing habits, and tell you to continue to the next tray, or maybe stop if you have not worn your trays and order you new trays rather than continuing on the wrong path. Just because you have 10 trays, for example, doesn’t mean you can just go from tray 1 to 10. Interproximal reductions (making small spaces with a diamond strip—a painless process) are required if teeth are stuck and don’t seem to want to move. Only a dentist can make those spaces and make sure teeth move to the desired position.

What Are Invisalign Aligners or Trays Made Of?

These aligner trays are made of smooth, comfortable, BPA-free plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. They look very much like bleaching trays but are rigid. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist plans for you. They also act as a nightguard to protect your teeth from grinding.

Invisalign vs. Metal Braces

Invisalign and traditional braces are two options that are very effective in straightening teeth so that patients can have a smile that they love. There are several differences between the two, and one option may be more suitable for a patient, depending on their teeth.

Invisalign uses clear, plastic tray aligners that are placed over the teeth. The aligners are customized for each patient using a 3D scan of their mouth. Each aligner slightly shifts the teeth until the proper position is reached.

On the other hand, traditional braces use metal that is attached to the teeth. Metal wires and bands are attached to the brackets in order to properly manipulate the teeth to correct spacing and rotation issues.

The biggest difference between these two options is their appearance. Invisalign was meant to give patients a nearly invisible way to achieve a greater smile. And while there are options to make metal braces less visible, such as ceramic braces, many patients aren’t keen on the idea of having metal in their mouth.

Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners can be removed. In fact, they should be removed when you eat or drink to prevent discoloration or any other type of damage.

For best results, patients should schedule routine appointments to ensure the teeth are moving as expected. Patients must also practice good dental hygiene, including brushing and flossing after each meal.

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