When you come into Level Orthodontics Dr. Zhou will be with you every step of the way. He will meet with you to: 

• Understand your goals

• Answer your questions

• Consult with other specialists if your treatment calls for it

• Design your treatment plan

• Perform all of your refinements

• Provide follow-up care, including retainers

This continuity is part of Level Orthodontics’ commitment to personalized care.

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What is Invisalign?

An alternative to metal braces, Invisalign is a system of custom, clear, plastic aligners. Invisalign’s SmartTrack® material is specially designed and patented for orthodontics. A series of aligner trays will gently move your teeth to their ideal location and position in your mouth.

Initial Consultation and iTero Scan

Your journey to a beautiful smile begins with an initial consultation. At this stage, we'll understand not just your dental health but also your personal goals and preferences. An integral part of this consultation is digital impressions taken with an iTero scanner, a state-of-the-art digital intraoral scanner that captures highly accurate, 3D images of your teeth. This technologically advanced scanning process helps us:

• Avoid goopy conventional impressions 

• Develop a personalized and precise treatment plan tailored to your unique needs, most likely on the spot

• Visualize your potential outcome, helping you to see what the end of your Invisalign treatment journey might look like

We’ll discuss with you your treatment plan, give you a price quote, answer questions, and address concerns. The duration of your treatment could range from a few months to two years, and we’ll let you know the approximate timeline.

Bonding Attachments and Receiving Your First Set of Aligners

Once your treatment plan is ready, we move to the next step–bonding the attachments and handing you your first set of aligners. The attachments are small, tooth-colored pieces that enable the aligners to move your teeth with precision. 

After the attachments are bonded, you'll receive your first set of aligners custom-made to fit your teeth. These aligners are removable and should be worn for about 20-22 hours a day. We will instruct you on how to care for your aligners and teeth during the treatment, ensuring your journey is successful and comfortable.

Things We Want You to Know About Invisalign

Having worked with many Invisalign patients over the years, we’ve identified a few facts of Invisalign treatment that patients should know before they begin treatment.

Commitment

You do have to wear your aligners 22 hours per day. We always want our patients to get the most benefit possible from their treatment with us, so we want you to consider whether this works for your personality, habits, and lifestyle.

Interproximal Reduction

Interproximal reduction, or IPR, is the process of reducing the width of a tooth by fractions of a millimeter. This painless procedure is done with either a small handset or a specialized sanding strip. (Patients with sensitive teeth may experience some sensitivity.) IPR creates space for teeth to move in relation to one another, and it is indicated in 80 to 90% of cases. 

Refinements

Treatment planning for Invisalign is pretty incredible, and it gives us a fairly accurate visualization of your progress throughout treatment. But! Patients’ teeth almost never respond exactly as expected. 

Refinements are a part of treatment. You will have to come in from time to time for a new scan so we can create an updated treatment plan. You may have heard or read that refinements add unexpectedly to treatment time. This is generally not true as long as the provider has figured in refinements (which we do, of course) and you’re wearing your aligners as prescribed.

Regular Check-Ins and Progress Monitoring

Throughout the treatment, you will have regular check-ins every 6 to 8 weeks at our office. These appointments are a critical part of your Invisalign journey. At these appointments, we will:

• Monitor your progress, talk about how it’s going, and answer any questions you might have.

• Make any necessary adjustments (also known as refinements) to your treatment plan to ensure you’re on the right track.

• Provide you with your new sets of aligners for the next stage of your treatment.

Get Invisalign in Williamsburg Brooklyn

Call Level Orthodontics in Brooklyn today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Zhou and find out your best treatment options. We can’t wait to help you achieve the bite and smile you want!

What Invisalign Can and Can’t Do

A lot of patients ask: Can Invisalign fix overbite? Can Invisalign fix underbite? Yes! It can fix many bite issues. Invisalign can also simply give you a more beautiful smile, if that’s all you’re after. The following are all treatable cases that Level Orthodontics and Invisalign can help you with:

• Overbite

• Underbite

• Crossbite

• Anterior open bite

• Diastema (gaps between teeth)

• Crowded or crooked teeth

The fact is, many people with bite problems don’t know that they have, for example, a crossbite. Some of these patients, depending on their symptoms, may not even realize that their discomfort is originating as a dental issue. What many Invisalign candidates do notice, however, is symptoms like:

• Headaches

• Jaw pain or tension

• Teeth grinding

• Jaw clenching

• Unusual or premature wear on their teeth

Invisalign dedicates a great deal of resources to researching and developing ways to improve the technology and include more treatable cases, but there are still some limitations. Dr. Zhou will be able to let you know if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign. 

How Invisalign Moves Teeth

The mechanism by which Invisalign works is simple: each aligner tray is a tiny bit closer to your “ideal” smile than your teeth currently are. So, placing that next tray onto your teeth will create physical pressure for your teeth to align. Over several series of aligner trays, we gently move your teeth to where we want them.

How Invisalign Treatment Works

The process for Invisalign treatment at Level Orthodontics carefully integrates advanced technology and personalized care, aimed to make your journey from consultation to a radiant smile as effortless as possible. Here are the steps involved: