INVISALIGn In Annapolis

The Invisalign process varies on a case-by-case basis. On average, most patients wear Invisalign aligners for 12-18 months, however, more complex cases could be closer to 24 months. Your doctor will outline your expected timeline and results from the start so you know exactly what to expect.

Invisalign can be used for a number of cases, ranging from crooked teeth to crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, bite issues (over or underbite), and more. During your free consultation, your doctor will determine whether or not Invisalign is the right treatment for your specific needs and goals.

Yes, Invisalign offers permanent results. However, there are certain factors that determine the permanence of Invisalign results and the effectiveness of the treatment. This includes your compliance with wearing retainers. You see, while Invisalign corrects your teeth alignment, retainers are what helps keep them in place. Failure to wear retainers as instructed by the dentist could lead to the teeth shifting back to their initial positions.

Additionally, people with healthy gums and jawbones are more likely to have permanent results than those without. Weak bones and gum structure affect the stability of the teeth, making them more likely to shift back. Patients with gum and jawbone complications should seek treatment before getting Invisalign aligners.

No, you shouldn’t take your Invisalign trays out at night or during the day. Remember, you have to wear your Invisalign aligners for twenty to twenty-two hours a day, making it impossible to remove the aligners at night and still achieve the required wearing period. Removing your Invisalign trays at night could compromise the effectiveness of your treatment.

However, you should remove your Invisalign trays whenever you eat or drink. If you don’t, the tiny food particle could get stuck in your aligners and lead to dental decay. Pigmented drinks like wine and coffee are especially harmful, since they could fill the space between your teeth and trays, staining the teeth and bringing about dental decay.

Lastly, always remove the aligners to brush or floss your teeth at least twice daily. While you're at it, don’t forget to brush and rinse the trays to remove debris and saliva.  Do this and stick to the dentist’s instructions, and you should have perfectly straight teeth in a couple of months.

No, we highly advise against drinking coffee, or any other drink, with your Invisalign trays in. That’s because coffee is notorious for staining teeth and the tray traps the liquid, putting it in direct contact with your teeth. Additionally, the average cup of coffee contains one to two teaspoons of sugar.  The sugar in coffee can encourage cavities and lead to dental decay.

Another reason not to drink coffee with your Invisalign aligners is that the heat from coffee can warp the aligners and compromise their effectiveness. You’re better off removing the aligners before drinking your cup of coffee.  You should also brush your teeth right after and wash the aligners before putting them back on.

If you must drink coffee with aligners, then consider using a straw. In doing so, you can drink coffee without them combining into contact with the aligners. However, we recommend removing them completely to be on the safe side.