Frequently asked questions about Invisalign®

Will Invisalign suit me?

Invisalign can now treat adults, from simple to complicated cases. With our new technology, we can now also treat growing children with Invisalign, ages six to twelve with our product called Invisalign First.

Can Invisalign repair the overbite?

Contrary to popular belief, we actually prefer an overbite in most cases. This line in combination with other devices can now predictably treat overbites up to six millimeters.

Will Invisalign repair the crossbite?

Invisalign corrects all types of crossbites, both front and back, as long as no surgical correction is required.

Will Invisalign repair the jaw?

Invisalign corrects all kinds of crossbites. Invisalign corrects them in the front and in the back as long as no surgical correction is necessary.  

Will Invisalign widen my smile? 

Absolutely! Invisalign creates beautiful smiles by using a series of aligners to move teeth and get the smile you’ve always wanted.

Will Invisalign hurt?

Most patients feel very comfortable using Invisalign in their office, because we allow them to test the aligners in the first month. It’s like wearing new shoes. They seem to be a little firm, but still comfortable. But with the new Invisalign aligners, we can now say they are more comfortable than traditional braces. 

Will Invisalign be cheaper?

Will Invisalign be cheaper? The cost of Invisalign will depend on the level of complexity. From simple to complicated cases, in our practice we treat both, but we have an annual discount program because of the volume of cases we treat with Invisalign. 

Will Invisalign stain?

Normally not, but for a few it happens. It really depends on what the patient is eating. Sometimes they drink a lot of coffee, tea or wine, and when that happens, we just bring the patient back to our office and polish the stains off.  

Will Invisalign close the gap between my teeth?

Invisalign will almost certainly close the gap between the teeth by using a series of aligners to gradually reduce the gap over time.

Will Invisalign repair the underbite?

Invisalign can treat underbites in a predictable manner based on their level of severity and the experience of clinicians. Underbite is when we have teeth stacked opposite to what we want. If it is a non-surgical case, we can bring the teeth back and create a beautiful smile. 

Will Invisalign fix TMJ?

This is a great question! First of all, TMJ is often overlooked. TMJ is the joint in the jaw that opens and closes the jaw. And unfortunately, people think, “I have TMJ, and it’s not the joint, it’s more of a problem between the muscles and the teeth and there’s a mismatch between the two.” and when the teeth are in the wrong position, the muscles start to contract and people end up with headaches and jaw pain. By using Invisalign, or any other corrective movement appliance including braces, we can move the teeth in a predictable way to maintain the perfect balance between the teeth and the muscle.   

Will Invisalign help with jaw pain and headaches?

It really depends on the cause. If you look at the jaw, it opens and closes like a hinge, just like a door, when you close it, if the edge of the door is too wide, either the door is damaged at the edge or the hinge comes off. By aligning the teeth with Invisalign or with a traditional orthodontic treatment, if we can put the teeth and the muscles in a correct position, the head in harmony with each other, we can relieve a lot of pain. The pain can come from here, what we usually see in our office, sometimes throbbing headaches, and we’ve seen it over and over again, but by simply aligning the teeth, people feel much better.

Will Invisalign move the baby teeth?

Invisalign will not move the deciduous teeth, but we use them to hold the Invisalign trays in place so that we can create proper skeletal movement. With our new Invisalign product, first of all, we can widen the arch which was not possible before. Now we can replace an expander (also known as a palate expander) and we use Invisalign clear alignment therapy to get the space we need to put the new teeth in place. 

Will Invisalign work?

Absolutely! When I started working with Invisalign ten years ago, it could only handle simple cases (like the Iphone in the phone world), there has been an evolution in product development. Invisalign can now treat all types of cases, from the simplest to the most complicated. What used to be impossible is now possible, and in our practice we use a combination of Invisalign and Digital Smile Design to create the most beautiful smiles. 

Will Invisalign treat a dental malocclusion?

What is a malocclusion? A malocclusion indicates that your upper and lower teeth are not closing in an ideal position. Invisalign treats malocclusions better than traditional braces. This is one of my favorite cases that I like to solve in the office. The goal of treatment is to close the open bite and Invisalign does an excellent job. 

Can Invisalign repair the midline?

What is the midline? The midline is the line that runs down the centers of the two front teeth and it can be shifted to the left or to the right. Although Invisalign treats the midline very well, what is most important for aesthetics is not the shift, but rather the angle. By aligning the slope towards the center, it could be shifted to the left or to the right, but it still has a beautiful aesthetic profile. 

Can Invisalign cause headaches?

Although it is extremely rare, we do move teeth just like traditional braces. The percentage of people who suffer from headaches in my practice is one to two percent. When they are in pain, I simply ask them to call this line. I ask them to change the aligners and slow down the movement of the tooth roots. When the movement is slowed down, the patients respond very well and they can continue the treatment. 

Can Invisalign be claimed on my taxes?

It depends. It will depend on the recovery of invices, if there is a functional problem or if it shows signs of wear and tear recession or muscle pain. You can consult your accountant and there is a very good chance that it will be claimed under your tax credits. 

Can Invisalign pull teeth down?

Absolutely! Invisalign uses a series of aligners that gradually move the teeth downward in addition to the aligners. At Bella Dentaire, we use a series of elastics to grip the teeth and move them down into place.

Is everyone eligible for Invisalign treatment?

Absolutely, in our office we offer a free consultation to see if Invisalign is right for you. We offer Invisalign for all ages, whether it is a cosmetic correction or a functional correction.

How are Invisalign aligners created?

At our office, we have a digital scanner that replaces traditional putty. What’s wrong with traditional putty?  Nobody likes it. Patients feel like there is a gag or too much material in the mouth. So why not do a digital scan? This will bring more comfort to the patients and it is easier to do. A scan only takes a few minutes and once it’s done, we send that data to Invisalign to be processed. We then receive a series of aligners that are called Invisalign trays. They are similar to whitening trays, but they are actually complicated trays that create progressive tooth movements to create the beautiful smile you dream of.