How Invisalign Works: A Step-by-Step Guide

Invisalign® is a low-profile way to adjust the position of your teeth without needing to wear noticeable brackets in your mouth. The trays are simple to use and gradually shift the teeth over time to improve oral health and the aesthetics of your smile. The Invisalign process only takes a few steps from start to finish, so you can focus more on improving your smile than dealing with the hassle of braces.

Invisalign®, step by step

Using Invisalign is simple, but it works best for those who can stay consistent with their oral routine over time.

Get scanned

The first step in the Invisalign journey is to get scanned by a dentist. Using a 3D modeling system, the dentist can see the current locations and orientations of all the patient's teeth. From there, they can use technology to create a final goal for the dentition and map out a gradual plan to get there by shifting the teeth slowly.

Once the scan is complete and the treatment plan is made, the dentist will send the information to a fabricator to create the aligners. The patient will return to the office to pick up their first set of aligners as soon as they are ready, which usually only takes a few weeks.

Wear the aligners

Patients can begin wearing their aligners immediately. They should not be taken out except when eating, drinking anything other than water, or brushing and flossing. Essentially, aligners should be worn for between 20 and 22 hours each day. Otherwise, they will not have enough time to gently exert pressure on the teeth to move them.

The aligners may be slightly uncomfortable for the first day or two. This is normal, and it means they are working to push the teeth into their new positions.

Swap the aligners

Once the planned time has passed (usually about two weeks), the patient returns to the office to pick up a new set of aligner trays. They replace their old aligners with these new ones, which will continue to move the teeth. Repeating this act every few weeks is required for the duration of the Invisalign treatment.

The process of continually swapping aligners is why patients must wear their trays for most of the day. If they do not, their teeth will not be in the right positions for the next aligners to take over, and a new series of trays may need to be created.

If a patient notices at any point that an aligner set is causing pain due to rubbing or coarse edges, they should let their dentist know. The dentist can file down these troublesome areas to improve the comfort of the trays.