When thinking about treatment options for your new smile, you’ve got options, and we want to help you make the best decision. Not everyone has to get traditional braces, there are great, new treatment options available. One of them is Invisalign. Invisalign is a type of clear aligner that you wear and replace every two weeks for the duration of your treatment. Larson Orthodontics is the leader for Invisalign in Alexandria, VA and we want to be your go-to source for Invisalign. There are a lot of variables involved in choosing the right orthodontic treatment. We can help you choose which one is right for you. You may be asking questions like, “how long does this kind of treatment take?” or “how much does Invisalign cost in Alexandria?” We are here to help answer those questions so that you feel secure in the decision you make.


How Long Does Invisalign Treatment Take?

In addition to cost, the most common question people ask about Invisalign is about how long the treatment takes. This is a great question but also one with a lot of different answers depending on your particular case. The typical duration of Invisalign treatment is 12 to 18 months. But this doesn’t take into account the severity of your case or your age. You may be interested to learn that there is Invisalign teen as well as Invisalign for adults. The younger you are, especially if you’re a teenager, the more flexibility your mouth has. Things are still growing and moving and so sometimes, but not all the time, treatment is quicker because the mouth is already engaged in movement. The amount of time your treatment takes is also dependent upon your daily habits. If you wear your Invisalign clear aligners for the whole day minus the time it takes to eat and clean the clear aligners, the faster you will get done with your treatment.

Can I still get Invisalign if I had braces in the past?

Absolutely! This sometimes happens when people had traditional braces when they were younger and maybe stop wearing their retainers and began to notice that their teeth or bite were shifting. In this case Invisalign is a great option for getting your smile back on track. We should also note that sometimes traditional braces and Invisalign can be used one after the other in order to treat a more complicated case. There’s no reason that a person who has had braces in the past cannot use Invisalign in order to return their smile to the way they want it. If you have had braces in the past, Invisalign is a great option.

When Does Invisalign Start Showing Results?

If you wear your Invisalign clear liners as often as you are recommended to wear them, you will begin to see results fairly soon after you begin treatment. Of course, the results won’t be as dramatic at the beginning, but you will be able to see the subtle moves of your teeth and feel the difference in your bite. We love this because it gives our patients confidence that the treatment is working and motivates many people to enthusiastically wear their aligners most of the day. One of the benefits of Invisalign treatment is that, unlike traditional braces, you don’t have to wait until the end of your treatment to see the results. As you receive and replace your clear aligners, you will begin to notice subtle shifts in the alignment of your teeth. This means that overtime you’ll be able to see the whole process as you look at yourself in the mirror. You’ll be able to see these results fairly quickly after treatment begins.

How do I take care of my aligners?

Taking care of your Invisalign clear aligners is very simple. Remember that you receive, on average, a new set of clear aligners every two weeks. As you wear the ones you have, there are simple things you can do to make sure that they stay clean and your mouth feels fresh. You will take your clear liners out when you eat and when you brush your teeth. These are good times to rinse them off. When you brush your teeth at night, before putting them back in your mouth, you’ll want to gently brush the inside and outside of the aligners. You can use a little toothpaste as you brush them as well. The important thing to note is that you should never use hot water to clean the Invisalign clear aligners. The hot water, if too hot, can warp the aligners and render them useless for your treatment. So, you’ll want to use lukewarm water in order to clean them. If you can, you should brush your teeth and trays after every meal. Some foods can cause staining, and you don’t want your aligners to keep the stain causing elements to stay between your teeth and the tray for an extended amount of time. 

Is Invisalign painful?

This is one of the most common questions we get about any kind of orthodontic treatment. A lot of the background for this question comes from parents who had uncomfortable experiences in traditional braces when they were younger back in the 1980s and 1990s. Traditional braces do have complicating factors such as wires and brackets rubbing the inside of lips and the mouth. Also, sometimes a stronger wire ends up causing more discomfort from appointment to appointment. Invisalign clear aligners, have significant advantages when it comes to patient discomfort. For one, there are no wires or brackets to irritate the inside of 1’s mouth. For another, the ever-changing clear aligners you receive in the Mail mean that adjustments aren’t quite as drastic as new wires. Most patients and orthodontist described the small amount of discomfort during treatment as “pressure.” this pressure is not painful. It’s only noticeable for one to two days after receiving a new set of aligners. After that you probably won’t notice it at all. The pressure itself is an indication that the clear aligners are doing what they’re supposed to do. 

Finding the Best Invisalign Doctors Near Me

If you are looking for a great place to get started on your treatment, especially if you were interested in Invisalign clear aligners, look no further than Larson Orthodontics. We are the go-to source for Invisalign in Alexandria, VA. Our team has been treating patients with Invisalign for years. We have extensive experience and know how, as well as a respected staff who care for our patients Ann treats them with dignity and respect. All we want is for our patients to get the smile that they always wanted. Using Invisalign is one of the ways in which we help make that possible. If you live in the Alexandria area, we would love for you to stop by and schedule a consultation with us. We believe you won’t find a better experience anywhere in the area.

We hope that this is answered many of the questions you have about Invisalign treatment. If you still have more questions you can head over to our Invisalign page and read more about your treatment options. If you have questions that are not answered on our website, we would love for you to give us a call and one of our knowledgeable and helpful team members will be happy to answer any questions you might have. We want you to feel like you are making the best decision for your oral health that you can find. We will do anything to give you the Peace of Mind that the treatment you choose is the right one for you. If you think Invisalign is your next step, then we invite you to check out our Virtual Consult. You’ll use your smartphone to take a series of pictures which are then sent to us through the web app and doctor Larson will look at them, make an initial evaluation, then we’ll call you to come in for a more in depth review of your case and begin planning for your course of treatment. It’s very simple. It’s very painless. We look forward to serving you and your orthodontic needs in the future. 

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