Invisalign ®

Learn More About Align Technology

Invisalign therapy consists of a series of aligners or trays which are designed to move your teeth in small steps to the desired final position prescribed by your orthodontist. Each aligner is precisely calibrated and manufactured to fit your mouth at each stage of the treatment plan.  This process takes anywhere from 12 weeks to 2 years to complete.

A licensed orthodontist, like Dr. Koch, with specific training in Invisalign must determine if it is an appropriate remedy for you.  The orthodontist will send precise treatment instructions to Invisalign, who uses advanced computer technology to translate these instructions into a sequence of finely calibrated aligners. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks and only taken out to eat, brush and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next, your teeth will begin to move gradually — week-by-week until the final alignment prescribed is attained. Then you’ll be smiling like you never have before!

To ensure the best possible results, only an orthodontist who has been trained and certified by Align Technology can diagnose and treat using Invisalign. Dr. Koch has extensive training with Align Technology. This form of orthodontic treatment is not intended for young children and is not appropriate for every adult. Only an orthodontist can determine if this treatment is an effective option for you. To see if clear aligners can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted, contact us to make a no charge consultation appointment.

How To Get Started

Dr. Koch proudly provides Invisalign clear braces to teens and adults.  Contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation today! 585-243-3174

  1. Schedule a consultation with Koch Orthodontics. During this examination, Dr. Koch will determine if you are a good candidate for Invisalign.
  2. Next, an intraoral scan of your teeth is taken to create the 3D model for your customized Invisalign aligner set.
  3. The series of custom aligners are then manufactured from BPA-free plastic.  As you wear your aligner, your teeth will start to move into place gradually.
  4. About every two weeks you will start a new aligner set. Each new aligner moves your teeth closer towards the next step in your treatment. You will have check-up visits with Koch Orthodontics about every six weeks so Dr. Koch can monitor your progress. For best results, you will wear your aligners for about 22 hours a day.
  5. Upon completion of your primary treatment, Dr. Koch will create a custom retainer for you to lock your new smile into place.

Aligner Wear Compliance

 

  While Invisalign aligners are removable and afford slightly more leeway with lifestyle modification than traditional braces, you need to adhere to aligner wear guidelines. Your Invisalign aligners should be worn 20 to 22 hours a day. You should only take them out for eating or drinking. We understand and appreciate that it may be tempting to remove your aligners – especially in social situations – but please be diligent here.

When your teeth move into their new positions as you under-go Invisalign treatment, this is a process known as “tracking” The number one cause of treatment not “tracking” as planned is failure to wear your aligners for the prescribed about of daily time. Again, it’s important you maintain the compliance guidelines we provide to you! This is a team effort, and we want your treatment to succeed! Read more about Invisalign tracking here.