North Sydney Orthodontics Suite 3, Level 5, 8 West St North Sydney NSW 2060 Call (02) 9954 5144

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign Sydney
October 24, 2014 Dr Charles Daniels

Sydney Invisalign provider-North Sydney Orthodontics

More than 15 years established Sydney invisalign practice -North Sydney Orthodontics. Invisalign is suitable for many older teenagers and adults using a series of removable clear plastic aligners to achieve dental movements. 

Invisalign treatment has been around since the 1990s and is now is a popular treatment alternative to traditional braces.   North Sydney Orthodontics were one of the first to offer invisalign in Sydney. Were still at the front of aligner innovation we now make invisalign type treatment in our practice with 3D printing technology. Making our own aligners creates a fast turn around for fitting aligners and allows invisalign type treatment to be easily modified or integrated with braces or lingual braces. We still offer Invisalign branded treatment in North Sydney Orthodontics.

Why should I get North Sydney Orthodontics to do my aligner therapy ?

North Sydney Orthodontics is a specialist orthodontic practice. We offer aligner therapy along side any other orthodontic procedure that may be required.  We are usually able to fit aligners within 2-3 weeks of the first consultation.  While invisalign has done much to improve the overall efficacy of aligner therapy some treatment problems (such as deep bite problems) just don’t work very well with invisalign.  On the other hand some problems that traditional braces have struggled with seem to lend themselves to treatment with invisalign such as ‘open bite’ –  success is really about correct diagnosis and matching the treatment to the problem.  Because we are not limited to a single type of orthodontic treatment we can offer you the best solution for your particular circumstances.

Initial presentaition – an easy case?
After invisalign – not great
After braces
initial xray
After braces placed

 The case above shows our very first invisalign treatment in Sydney. There was a bend in the root of the crooked front tooth which invisalign could not correct. Once we placed braces the case was nicely finished, showing how important a full orthodontic training is to treatment success.

How Does Invisalign Work?

Invisalign treatment starts with a digital surface model of your teeth, which is disarticulated so that teeth can be moved individually to create a final alignment plan.  it is critical for success that the plan is reviewed by an orthodontist so that unrealistic or risky tooth movements are not incorporated into the plan.  The required tooth movements can then be staged in small increments to create a sequence of dental positions for which an aligner is made. For every stage  a set of aligners is worn for 1-2 weeks. The aligners are removed for eating and drinking then promptly replaced.  As aligners are not fixed to the teeth some tooth movements may not occur reliably.  Most treatments require the use of attachments (small lumps of plastic)  on the teeth to improve the  grip of the aligners .  With each succeeding aligner your teeth are nudged closer to the desired result.  You’ll visit Dr. Daniels about once every 6 weeks to ensure that your invisalign treatment is progressing as planned. Total treatment time depends on how much tooth movement is required and how well things go.  Almost all  cases require one or more refinements ( restarts of the treatment) because tooth movements do not always follow the plan.  This can make it difficult to be certain how long treatment will take, but estimate the same time for brace treatment.

How to start Invisalign

At  your initial consultation, Dr Daniels obtain a digital model and records which are used to plan simulations of the possible treatment options
Usually within 1-2 weeks the simulation(s) are available to review and usually with one or 2 changes we reach a plan to approve.
As we manufacture our aligners in house your first set of aligners can be then prepared with a few days to fit and get you started on your journey

What are the benefits of Invisalign compared to braces?

Invisalign is less visible than standard or ceramic braces , though the attachments may make it more obvious.  You can enjoy eating and drinking without getting food stuck in your appliances , but also you must remove the aligners and replace them after eating and drinking – so it can be a little socially disruptive.  Tooth brushing and flossing your teeth is easy with invisalign and for this reason its a great option for patients who have had problems with their gum health.

Invisalign is a digital treatment which allows you to see the proposed treatment and anticipated outcome before you start – its a great way to avoid any unexpected outcomes, however it is less effective than directly attached appliances like braces and refinement treatment is almost always required after the initial course of treatment to get the desired outcome, so predicting the actual treatment time can be unreliable.

What is the cost of a consultation for Invisalign?

Invisalign treatment is suitable for a large number of teenagers and adult patients. We offer a Free Invisalign Suitability Check. The suitability check is a short consultation limited to discussion of Invisalign suitability only.  No other treatment method will be discussed.

If you wish to discuss all of the available methods for getting your teeth straight our usual consultation  fee of $140.00 will apply (excludes documentation records).  A percentage of this fee is claimable through almost all health insurance companies.

Free invisalign consultation

Yes we can provide a free consultation for invisalign. Like our other free consultations the availability is limited to 10am to 12 pm and is limited to 10 minutes.

Cost of invisalign

We have undertaken minor aligner therapy for as little as $2500*, but for comprehensive treatment costs are typically $7500-9500 depending on difficulty.

These fees are correct for treatments commencing during 2021

Will insurance cover any of the cost of my Invisalign treatment?

Yes, providing you have orthodontic coverage (braces), Invisalign should be covered to the same extent as conventional braces

 

Can any dentist do Invisalign ?

Invisalign quality improvement have developed protocols to maximize the effectiveness of treatment but the process is still under the control of the clinician providing your treatment. Many dentists are carrying out Invisalign but we believe that the best chance of success is when orthodontic treatment is provided by a fully trained orthodontist who is familiar with the potential difficulties of tooth movement.

What if I need to have teeth removed for Invisalign treatment?

Improved techniques now allow us to consider some extraction cases using plastic aligners. If your teeth are mildly crowded often space can be found by slightly expanding the dental arch, moving the molar teeth back, making some teeth a fraction of a millimetre narrower or moving teeth forward that are pushed too far back.

Is Invisalign treatment painful ?

Most people experience temporary, minor discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is a normal part of all orthodontic treatments.

Will Invisalign affect my speech?

Like all orthodontic treatments, Aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people, and you may have a slight lisp for a day or two

Will my teeth remain straight after Invisalign treatment?

like all orthodontic treatment relapse of alignment is a possibility so a retention strategy is required to keep teeth straight once active treatment is completed.  The type of available retainers will be discussed with you and your initial retainers are included free in your invisalign treatment costs.

I was always very conscious of the responsibility that being a professional person brings, and I have always striven to be the best practitioner I can be and advise and treat my patients in their best interest.
Sydney Orthodontist Specialist. Correcting crooked teeth and bite problems
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