What to Expect at Your First Orthodontic Consultation

Choosing to straighten your teeth as an adult can be a positive step toward better oral health and greater confidence. Still, an initial orthodontic appointment may feel a little daunting when you are unsure what to expect. Modern evaluations often use digital scans and planning tools instead of uncomfortable physical impressions, making the process more straightforward. Visiting an invisalign dentist in Scarborough can be a useful first step toward creating a personalized treatment plan for a straighter, healthier-looking smile.

Your first visit will include an in-depth conversation regarding what you want to achieve with treatment, and whether you are experiencing any functional bite problems. Your dentist or orthodontist wants to determine whether you are mostly interested in improving the appearance of your teeth, or if you also experience pain in your jaw. They will perform a full visual assessment of both your gums and enamel, so that they know whether your mouth is healthy enough to undergo tooth movement. If there is active gum disease present when your dentist or orthodontist moves your teeth, this could result in permanent damage to the roots of those teeth.

The most interesting portion of the visit is generally the digital scanning process, which will allow us to create a digital image of your unique dental structure. In place of the messy, uncomfortable and sometimes gag-inducing impression putty, a small wand will be moved gently along both of your top and bottom teeth. The wand will take several thousand photos each second to produce an extremely precise, 3D model on a computer monitor. It is totally painless and will generally take less than five minutes to complete.

With the help of advanced software programs, the provider creates a virtual representation of your teeth and can then use that virtual model to create a simulation of how they will change as time passes. In fact, you'll be able to view a digital rendering of what you’re finished, straightened smile will look like prior to beginning your orthodontic treatment. The software uses predictive technology to determine precisely how much pressure is required and how many aligners trays the entire process will require. Therefore, there is no need to make guesses when developing an orthodontic plan; the software does it for you.

After you've approved the digital treatment plan, your information is then sent to a specialized laboratory that manufactures your aligners. The trays are custom cut and polished to fit your gum line as closely as possible to provide you with the most comfortable experience possible and avoid any tissue irritation. Typically, it will take several weeks for the customized aligners to be produced and returned to the office.

Upon arrival of the trays, you will go back to the office for your official fitting and delivery. Your invisalign dentist in Scarborough will verify that the initial set fits snugly over your teeth, and does not pinch your gum line. They will teach you how to easily place the snug fitting plastic into position, as well as how to safely take it out of your mouth, without damaging the tray itself. Also, at this time, if any tooth collared attachment is needed, it will be bonded to your enamel.

You'll be sent away from the office with very specific directions for wearing your aligners each day as well as a timeline for transitioning into your next series of trays. Compliance is critical to success; you should have the aligners in your mouth for approximately twenty-two hours per day. Your dentist or orthodontist will decide for brief, regular check-ups to assess how well your teeth are moving toward the goal set out in the digital treatment plan.

Minor irritation may occur during the transition to a new and tighter fitting aligner tray. Irritation such as this is expected and should be viewed as an indication that the teeth are being moved through the bone. If you experience minor tooth pain while eating after switching trays, then you might consider eating a soft food diet for one or two days to relieve the minor pain associated with chewing.

Conclusion

The process of beginning the path to a straighter smile is an easy, advanced, technologically based process that focuses on your comfort and knowledge. The entire process from your first digital scan to receiving the final product of your custom-made trays will be clearly defined and very predictable. When you follow the specific guidelines for wearing each tray given to you by your dental professional, your teeth move safely and reliably. In the end, the combination of advanced technology and your personal commitment will produce a beautiful, long lasting smile.