12 things you should know about Invisalign

The Invisalign clear aligner: 12 things you should know about treatment with Invisalign before you start.

Invisalign is the modern way to straighten your teeth as discreetly and easily as possible. The clear aligners can handle anything from mild to severe corrections. Still, there are a few things worth knowing before you begin. Here are the 12 most important facts:

1. The technology gets better every day

Every correction made with Invisalign is stored in the company's internal database and helps the system plan future treatments more accurately and efficiently. Patients benefit from more than 9 million successfully completed cases (as of October 2020). Thanks to decades of research, Invisalign is the market leader in clear aligners — not just for an optimal cosmetic result, but for a perfect bite.

2. Your own discipline is the most important factor

The single most important condition for a successful Invisalign treatment is your own commitment. You need to wear the trays 18 to 22 hours a day, taking them out only to brush, eat, and drink warm or colored drinks. Trays are swapped every 7 to 14 days. How long you wear each pair depends on the complexity of your case and how disciplined you are about daily wear time. Your provider will guide you on this.

3. There is a brief adjustment period

Like everything else in life, Invisalign therapy is a matter of habit. Wearing the trays, taking them out to eat, and the new brushing routine all take a little getting used to. You also need to adjust to the gentle pressure that comes with each new tray. The very first tray is the hardest — after that, life without your aligners becomes hard to imagine. The slight lisp at the beginning usually fades within a few hours of day one. Your tongue adapts to the trays very quickly, and with a little practice you will pronounce your S sounds as if nothing changed.

4. Not invisible — nearly invisible

Invisalign trays are made from the patented SmartTrack material, a transparent plastic that moves teeth in a controlled and gentle way. They are made individually for every patient and sit paper-thin on the teeth. The result is virtually invisible.

To handle complex movements quickly and without unnecessary detours, Invisalign therapy uses attachments. Attachments are small composite dots placed on selected teeth. Their color is matched to your natural tooth shade. From a normal distance no one notices the aligners or the attachments — only on close inspection are the trays visible.

5. Not every provider delivers the same results

Planning an Invisalign treatment requires experience and expertise. Not every dentist will achieve the same outcomes with the aligner system. With complex cases in particular, treatment with clear aligners is beyond the capabilities of some providers, which is why they default to traditional metal braces. Pay attention to a provider's Invisalign status — assigned by Invisalign, it reflects the number of successfully completed cases. The highest tier in Germany is Diamond. The more experience a provider has, the better they can apply the aligner system to your case.

6. Prices vary widely

Provider experience and treatment scope are not the only things that differ between practices — prices do too. On average, an Invisalign treatment costs between 3,500 EUR and 8,000 EUR. Every practice sets its own pricing. At SmileClubOne we believe an Invisalign treatment should be affordable for everyone — and that is reflected in our fair, transparent pricing. Our fees range from 1,656 EUR to 3,790 EUR. You can find the exact pricing here.

7. The treatment alone is not the end of it

At the end of treatment, locking in your result is essential. Invisalign on its own is not enough, because once treatment is over your teeth can shift back without retention. It takes time for the teeth to settle into their new position. To preserve your beautiful result, a retainer is critical. There are both fixed and removable options, each with pros and cons. Ask your provider which kind of retainer is right for you.

8. Treatment duration is individual

How long your Invisalign treatment takes depends on the severity of your case and how strictly you stick to the wear schedule. The duration can shrink if you are disciplined or stretch out if you are not. Be honest with yourself: if you have not worn the trays as well as you should have, delay the switch to the next pair accordingly. It extends treatment a little, but it leads to a better result and puts less pressure on your teeth when you change trays.

9. Better dental hygiene

Brushing after every meal during your Invisalign treatment generally improves your dental hygiene. You will quickly get used to carrying a toothbrush with you and brushing on the go. Pack a small pouch with travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.

10. Treatment is usually pain-free

Invisalign treatment should not cause pain. Your teeth are being repositioned, and that process can create mild pressure — but the aligners do not hurt. The pull on your teeth is most noticeable right after a tray change. Around 50% of patients feel mild pressure during treatment, and 35% report no tension on the teeth at all.

11. Have realistic expectations

Invisalign treatment is generally faster than traditional metal braces. It is also much more comfortable and more aesthetic — but it is still orthodontic treatment. For it to succeed, you need to wear your trays consistently. Besides discipline, the way your teeth respond can affect the treatment timeline. Most patients can expect a great result within the standard timeframe, but sometimes the jaw and teeth do not cooperate as planned and move more slowly. So keep realistic expectations and accept that treatment might run slightly longer than planned. Follow-up corrections at SmileClubOne are free.

12. Many patients lose weight with Invisalign

A lot of patients drop a few pounds in the first weeks of their Invisalign treatment. Not because they cannot eat — but because sticking to the wear time means snacking less. As a side effect, the pounds may come off. Worth noting: your body adjusts to this routine fairly quickly, and the effect only lasts a short while. Many patients also adapt to eating the same total food across three full meals without the snacks in between, which evens the calorie balance back out. The lasting upside is increased self-discipline.