Invisalign Questions FAQ
San Diego, California
How long does an Invisalign treatment take?
Do you have to wear the aligners 24 hours a day?
Are the aligners comfortable to wear?
Do metal braces straighten your teeth more strongly than Invisalign?
How long does an Invisalign treatment take?
Somewhere between nine months and two years. That’s a fairly wide difference, but only your Invisalign dentist can give you a more precise timeframe. It depends on how many pairs of aligners are in your treatment plan, which in turn depends on how crowded or misaligned your teeth are. Dr. Loye can give you a more exact answer after he examines your teeth.
Do you have to wear the aligners 24 hours a day?
No, the minimum is 22 hours each day. They should be removed for eating and dental care. Occasionally you could take them out for a special event when you want to look your best, such as a first date or a job interview. The aligners don’t mar your appearance, because they’re clear and all-but-invisible. But subjectively you might feel better on special occasions without them. However, overall, wear them for those 22 hours each day.
When Invisalign treatments end up being less than excellent, it’s almost always because the person did not wear the aligners for the 22 hours each day. If you can, wear them for longer than that each day, removing them only for eating and dental care.
Are the aligners comfortable to wear?
Reasonably so. You can certainly wear them all day at work, even if your job requires public relations work, or a lot of person-to-person time. You will not need any pain medication, for sure. But naturally each pair of aligners is exerting gentle pressure against some of your teeth, different teeth with different aligners. It will be slightly different pressure with each change of aligners, but overall, you will become accustomed to having slight pressure in your mouth.
Do metal braces straighten your teeth more strongly than Invisalign?
The success of Invisalign treatments depends on your wearing the aligners at least 22 hours each day. If you do that, then no, metal braces would not do a more vigorous straightening job than Invisalign. The Invisalign advantage of being able to take the aligners out any time can be abused, and will then turn into a disadvantage. The disadvantage of metal braces, that they are fixed in your mouth, regardless of how uncomfortable they feel, is an advantage if you want to look at it that way: metal braces enforce cooperation from the patient.
But if you cooperate with your Invisalign treatment, you will be delighted with the results, and pleased with the process, for saving you from wearing unsightly metal stuff in your mouth. Invisalign is a treatment for adults.
You can read more on our Invisalign page.
Invisalign tooth straightening is a relatively new procedure in cosmetic dentistry and we are pleased to offer it to residents of San Diego, California. Please contact us if you would like to know more about it, and we will arrange your free consultation with Dr. Loye.
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The Dentist that Makes You Smile!
3830 Valley Center Drive, Suite 702
San Diego, CA 92130
