Are you one of those people who always take a lot of moments looking at the mirror wondering if your crooked teeth are worth any of your time and dime? Are you one of those people who have heard of a solution but kept on thinking twice about getting those teeth a little fixing? Well, you are not the first to have that kind of dilemma. I’m a dentist so I get to hear a lot of such apprehensions from my patients.
It occurred to me that most people regard getting their teeth fixed as want more than a need. I believe many would even argue that not having straight teeth as a no big deal. Anyway, you can still continue to live well without getting them fixed. As a dentist, I would say this is extremely unacceptable especially when a good orthodontic treatment is very much available in Singapore. Well, it’s none other than the Invisalign treatment.
Let us answer some questions you might have now:
What is this treatment?
Invisalign treatment is considered as one of the most advanced digital orthodontic systems in Singapore. It allows for precise, predictable, and gradual teeth movement that can give any of my patients the teeth they have always wanted.
While Invisalign treatment really does help improve a person’s appearance by giving them a picture-perfect smile, it is also worthy to take note that more than the aesthetic benefits it can provide, it also helps correct a number of teeth troubles many people unknowingly have – overbite, underbite, crossbite, and among others. It can also be said that taking care of our teeth is easily be taken for granted. But it is never too late to have yourself checked for any orthodontic problem that a good Invisalign treatment cannot correct. I would suggest you have teeth X-ray to so we can have a better picture and impression of your teeth positions.
Are we also talking about braces?
If you are thinking of them as the same to braces, I will have to stop you and tell you otherwise. Though they have the same goal, conventional braces consist of metal or ceramic brackets cemented to your teeth, secured with wires and tiny rubber bands; these are visible materials where you can opt to make them less visible by picking colours similar to your teeth or you can flaunt them by picking striking colours (depends to your liking) that can be used as a fashion statement or even start a trend. Invisalign, on the other hand, is designed to be “invisible”. Aligner trays made of smooth, comfortable, BPA-free, clear plastic, are worn over your teeth. It subtly and gently realigns your teeth correctly when worn continuously. As compared to It’s no surprise that this treatment is swiftly making its way to the Singapore orthodontics scene.
Some traditional dentist would still recommend conventional braces, but as for me, Invisalign treatment is more of a practical and superior solution.
But don’t get me wrong. You might think that this treatment is all about “patiently waiting while sitting pretty” for that beautiful, killer smile? Wrong. As a matter of fact, there is more to this treatment than most of you think.
Here are 7 advices I can give in what to prepare before, do during, and expect after an Invisalign treatment:
- Invisible does not mean comfortable (It will also be painful!)
It may be designed to be “invisible” but expect that you will still feel it. It will hurt and will get pretty uncomfortable. There will be a constant temptation to take them off especially for those with sensitivity to the movement of their teeth. It will take a lot of discipline and enduring to get that best smile in order. Note that your trays have optimal wear of 22 hours a day. However, one can remove it when eating or brushing the teeth. Just remember to put them back on right away and try not to lose the trays. - Eating snacks (and drinking too) won’t be your favourite part of the day
Believe me, eating snacks will not turn out as a treat for you anymore. I can assure that it will not damage your trays but it will consume a lot of time and effort to clean them after eating. Prepare to spend a lot of time cleaning, brushing, and flossing your teeth every after you eat some treats or snacks (like chips and biscuits).
Be aware also that drinking coloured liquid may cause discolouration to your trays that give you no choice but to remove them to clean, brush, and floss. All this said I would advise that you take your milk tea, coffee, and juice drinks along with your snacks so you can just do the cleaning, brushing, and flossing on one occasion. - More visits to the dentist (maybe more treatments too)
Prepare yourself for a lot of roundtrips to the dentist. You will see more of me (if I am your dentist) before, during, and after your Invisalign treatment. This way we can monitor the progress of the movement of your teeth. Based on the condition of your teeth and how the Invisalign treatment is working on you, I might recommend additional like attachments and retainers, or offer other services such as tooth whitening or resin filling – anything that can further help you in achieving your dream smile. - Be patient and trust the process
The time as to how long the Invisalign treatment or as to when one will keep wearing his/her trays varies depending on the patient. For some, it would only take a few months but for some, it will take years. There are also cases that Invisalign treatment is not enough in maintaining the straightness of their teeth after treatment. In this case, I will suggest continuing using retainers to prevent the teeth from going back to their messy state. There are also cases that retainers are no longer needed. The advice would be to trust your dentist. - Self-monitoring and checking
Aside from the scheduled check-ups with the dentist, always remember to monitor and check the changes yourself. Regularly check your teeth in the mirror and practice your smile. Take as many selfies as you can and compare your teeth from the previous days or weeks the picture was taken. By doing this, you will know that there is indeed some progress.
Don’t forget to also check your bite. Take note of the experience when you chew your food if there are any gaps or anything that may seem uncomfortable for you.
In case of concerns may arise, raise these to your dentist immediately. It is important for me to hear the concerns of my patients personally. This is the only way I will know the preference of my patients so I can adjust as well. - Change in your appearance
It should not be surprising that your appearance may change (still depends on the outcome of the treatment). It is possible that your face will become less puffy and will be slimmer. This is credited to the movement of your teeth affecting the structure of your jawline. Most cases are reported to have a more defined jawline. However, there are also cases that change in their appearance is not too evident. - Count the number and cost
It is important to know thoroughly research and compare Invisalign treatment cost around Singapore so you may be able to prepare for the damage it may cause to your bank accounts. Honestly, Invisalign treatment is not cheap especially as I cannot guarantee that it will be the only treatment to be done to a patient. As mentioned earlier, it is possible that other treatments will be needed to fully achieve and experience the best results for Invisalign.
Every time I have a consultation with patients. I instantly tell and discuss with them the possible estimated amount they will have to spend on the treatment/s. This way, there will be no surprises to both sides.
All listed above are just simple advice to survive an Invisalign treatment. It will require a lot of sacrifice and discipline. But whether you will push through with it or not still depends on you.
Above all else, I would really like to recommend to go to the nearest dentist, have your teeth checked first. It could be that the crooked teeth you are worried about are just a tip of the iceberg. You can never tell unless you take a step. Don’t take your teeth troubles for granted. Don’t stop your happiness in getting those perfect teeth because the world needs your smile.
