Invisalign In Hawthorn
At Glenferrie Dental, we offer Invisalign, a discreet and effective alternative to traditional braces. Using clear, custom-fitted aligners, Invisalign gently shifts your teeth into alignment. It’s ideal for adults and teens seeking a less noticeable solution for straightening their teeth, allowing them to smile confidently throughout the treatment. This innovative approach subtly adjusts your smile, enhancing oral hygiene with its removable design.How Does Invisalign Work?
At Glenferrie Dental, Invisalign treatment begins with a tailored consultation where 3D digital scans of your teeth are taken. These scans are used to craft a precise treatment plan and design a series of custom-fitted aligners. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks before moving to the next in the series, gradually shifting your teeth into their desired position. The aligners are made of a clear, flexible material, making them both comfortable and barely noticeable. They should be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day but can be easily removed for eating, brushing, and flossing. This flexibility allows for a minimal impact on daily life while ensuring consistent progress towards a straighter smile.
Is Invisalign For Me?
What Are the Advantages of Invisalign Treatment?
Invisalign offers several advantages over traditional metal braces, making it a popular choice for those seeking dental alignment corrections. One of the primary benefits is aesthetics; the clear aligners are virtually invisible, allowing you to straighten your teeth without the conspicuous look of metal brackets and wires. Additionally, the removable nature of the aligners means you can maintain your dental hygiene more effectively, as you can take them out to brush and floss normally.
Moreover, Invisalign typically offers a more comfortable treatment experience, with the smooth, plastic aligners lacking the sharp edges of traditional braces. The treatment also allows for fewer visits to the dentist since adjustments aren’t needed—just switch to a new set of aligners as directed.
Are Payment Plans Available?
At Glenferrie Dental, we acknowledge that the cost of dental care can be a consideration, which is why we offer adaptable payment solutions to fit your budget. Our National Dental Plan allows for manageable, interest-free payments after a manageable initial deposit, ensuring that financial constraints don’t stand in the way of your dental health.
Additionally, we provide a variety of payment methods, including EFTPOS, credit and debit cards, along with HICAPS for immediate insurance claims. In partnership with Supercare Australia, we also help patients access their superannuation for major dental procedures. Our team is dedicated to devising a personalised treatment plan and exploring all financial options to ensure a smooth journey to a healthier smile.
What Other Services Are Available?
Teeth Whitening
Veneers
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Our most frequently asked questions
Our patients have many questions around invisalign. We have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions.
If your question doesn’t appear in our list, get in touch to chat with our helpful staff.
Foods to Enjoy with Invisalign
Soft Foods: Soft foods are ideal when you have Invisalign. Items like yoghurt, soft fruits, pasta, and rice don’t require intense chewing, reducing the risk of damaging your aligners. Including these in your diet can keep your orthodontic treatment on track without causing discomfort or harm to your aligners.
Nutritious Liquids: Smoothies, soups, and broths are excellent choices. They provide essential nutrients without the need for chewing, ensuring that you maintain good oral hygiene and health without impacting your aligners. Moreover, they can be particularly soothing if your teeth are feeling sensitive after switching to a new set of aligners.
Foods to Avoid with Invisalign
Hard Foods: Hard foods like hard candy and ice can cause damage to Invisalign aligners. Biting into these foods can crack or distort the aligners, potentially extending your treatment time and affecting the efficiency of your treatment.
Sticky Foods: Sticky foods can adhere to aligners, making them hard to clean and potentially causing oral health issues. These types of foods can also displace aligners, reducing their effectiveness in correcting misaligned or crooked teeth.
Highly Pigmented Foods and Beverages: Beverages like red wine and tea, and foods with strong colours such as berries and curry can stain aligners. Stained aligners can become noticeable, undermining one of the key benefits of Invisalign: its invisibility.
Impact on Treatment and Oral Health
Maintaining a suitable diet during Invisalign treatment is crucial for ensuring the process remains efficient and effective. The right choices help preserve the integrity and cleanliness of the aligners, supporting ongoing oral health and ensuring the treatment process progresses as planned.
During your initial consultation at the dental clinic, you will receive detailed guidance tailored to your specific orthodontic needs. This advice is aimed at minimising any disruptions to your lifestyle while maximising the effectiveness of your Invisalign treatment.
Choosing the right foods while undergoing Invisalign treatment is more than just about ensuring good oral hygiene; it’s about making the treatment as effective and comfortable as possible. By following these dietary guidelines, patients can avoid unnecessary complications, keeping their treatment timeline on schedule and their teeth moving towards their desired alignment. Always remember that each orthodontic treatment is unique, and specific recommendations can vary, so it’s essential to follow the tailored advice provided by your dentist at the dental clinic. This proactive approach ensures your path to straighter teeth is smooth and successful.
Daily Cleaning Routine
Regular Cleaning: Invisalign aligners should be cleaned regularly to prevent build-up of plaque and bacteria. It is recommended to brush them gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear, unscented soap. This prevents staining and maintains the invisibility of the aligners. Rinsing them under lukewarm water after each meal and before reinsertion helps remove particles and bacteria, keeping your mouth fresh and hygienic.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals: It’s important to avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasive materials on Invisalign aligners. Products like coloured or scented soaps, toothpaste, and high-alcohol content solutions can create a filmy residue or even damage the structure of the aligners. Instead, opt for customised Invisalign cleaning solutions or mild soaps.
Proper Storage
When not in use, such as during meals or while drinking anything other than water, Invisalign aligners should be stored properly. Using the case provided by your dentist is the best way to protect them from bacteria and physical damage. This storage method also prevents the possibility of losing the aligners, which could delay your treatment process.
Handling and Usage
Correct Handling: Always wash your hands before handling your Invisalign aligners to minimise the transfer of germs. When removing or inserting the aligners, do so with care from both sides of the mouth simultaneously to avoid warping them. This careful handling preserves their shape and fit, ensuring they work effectively to adjust your teeth.
Adherence to Wear Schedule: For Invisalign to be effective, it must be worn consistently for the recommended hours per day. This allows the aligners to perform the movements your dentist has planned for your teeth. Only remove them for eating, drinking non-water beverages, and your oral hygiene routine.
Monitoring and Adjustments
Regular appointments with your dental clinic are essential. These appointments give your dentist a chance to review the advancement of your treatment and modify your future aligners accordingly. Additionally, if you notice any issues such as cracking or discomfort, contact your dentist immediately to address these concerns promptly.
Caring for your Invisalign aligners involves simple yet essential steps that integrate seamlessly into your daily routine. By maintaining good oral hygiene, handling aligners properly, and adhering to your dentist’s guidelines, you can ensure that your treatment is as effective as possible. Remember, the care you provide for your aligners directly impacts the success of your treatment, helping you achieve the desired outcome of straighter, healthier teeth.
Invisalign aligners provide a less invasive and more aesthetic alternative for those undergoing orthodontic treatment who wish to remain active in sports. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign offers flexibility that can easily integrate into an active lifestyle, encompassing everything from light jogging to competitive sports.
Safety and Comfort Considerations: One of the primary benefits of Invisalign during sports activities is the lack of metal brackets and wires, which reduces the risk of mouth injuries common with traditional braces. Invisalign’s smooth plastic aligners fit snugly over your teeth, minimising the risk of them catching on or cutting into the gums or the inside of the mouth during vigorous activities.
However, while Invisalign is safe for sports, it is crucial to consider the intensity of the sport and the risk of facial injuries. For high-impact sports like rugby, hockey, or martial arts, wearing a protective mouthguard over the aligners is advisable. This provides an added form of protection against impacts that could damage the aligners or cause oral injuries.
Hydration and Aligner Care: Maintaining hydration is essential in any athletic endeavour, but care should be taken with how you hydrate while wearing Invisalign. Drinking sports drinks or other sugary beverages with aligners can trap sugar between your teeth and the aligner, increasing the risk of tooth decay. It’s best to remove your aligners while consuming these beverages or opt for water, which can be drunk without removing the aligners.
After any sporting activity, it’s important to clean both your teeth and aligners thoroughly. This inhibits the growth of bacteria and upholds good oral hygiene, which is important for averting complications like cavities and gum disease that could affect your treatment advancement.
Consultation with Your Dentist: It’s advisable to discuss your sports activities with your dentist during your initial consultation. They can provide customised advice based on the specific sports you engage in, ensuring that your Invisalign treatment and sports commitments complement each other effectively.
Invisalign aligners do not only accommodate an active lifestyle but are conducive to maintaining one’s oral health and sports performance simultaneously. With the right precautions and care, individuals undergoing Invisalign treatment can continue to participate in their chosen sports activities without compromising on their orthodontic treatment outcomes.
The price of Invisalign can vary significantly depending on several factors, which are outlined below. Understanding these can help you measure the potential investment required to achieve a straighter smile.
The Complexity of Dental Issues: The complexity of the dental issues being addressed is one of the primary factors that influence the cost of Invisalign treatment. Simple cases, such as minor crowding or small gaps, typically require fewer aligners and less treatment time, which can reduce the overall cost. Conversely, more complex situations, such as severe misalignment, overbites, underbites, or crossbites, may require a longer treatment process with more aligners, increasing the cost.
Length of Treatment: Related to the complexity of the dental condition is the length of the treatment required. Invisalign works by gradually moving teeth into the desired position, with each set of aligners making slight adjustments. The more significant the adjustment needed, the longer the treatment time required, and thus, the higher the cost. Treatment times can range from a few months to a couple of years.
Dental Professional’s Experience: The experience and location of the dentist also play crucial roles in determining the price of Invisalign. Highly experienced dentists or those located in major metropolitan areas often charge more due to their knowledge and the higher operational costs associated with their locations.
Additional Dental Treatments: Sometimes, additional dental treatments are necessary either before or during the Invisalign treatment. Procedures such as tooth extractions, filling replacements, or treatment for gum disease may be required to ensure the health of the mouth before aligners are fitted. These treatments add to the overall cost of the Invisalign process.
Aftercare and Retainers: Once the active phase of the Invisalign treatment is complete, most patients will need to have retainers to keep their teeth in their recent positions. The cost of these retainers is not always included in the initial treatment quote and can vary depending on the type required.
Familiarising yourself with the factors that affect Invisalign pricing is crucial for anyone considering this treatment route. By consulting with your dentist regarding your specific needs, you can gain a thorough comprehension of the likely expenses and determine the best payment solution. Investing in Invisalign goes beyond cosmetic enhancement; it also significantly improves oral health and functionality. As a widely recognised and effective option for correcting misaligned teeth and addressing various orthodontic issues, Invisalign is a valuable consideration for those seeking dental alignment corrections.
Our patient base primarily resides in Hawthorn, Kew, Toorak, Balwyn, and Camberwell. These suburbs are the most common origins of our visitors, reflecting our community’s geographical reach.
Our dentists are fluent in English, Vietnamese, and Chinese. This multilingual capability ensures effective communication about dental health and procedures with a diverse patient demographic.