smiling woman wearing invisalign clear aligners

Invisalign Clear Aligners: A Complete Guide (Process, Prices & More!)

Are you thinking about getting Invisalign clear aligners to straighten your teeth? Invisalign invisible braces are trusted by millions of patients worldwide, providing comfortable and discreet orthodontic treatment for adults and teens.

How the Invisalign Treatment Process Works

Ottawa Invisalign patients get to enjoy a unique, streamlined orthodontic experience that’s mapped out to treat their individual oral anatomy. Instead of wearing a set of metal brackets and wires, you’re fitted with translucent trays that snap over your teeth, placing mild amounts of pressure on key areas across your mouth. The pressure of the tray moves your teeth into the proper position.

Every week, you change your clear braces out with the next set of aligners. As a series, the trays have minor design changes that systematically straighten your teeth in the convenience of your own home. You’ll only need to stop by our Ottawa orthodontic practice about once every 2 months to pick up the next few sets of trays and to make sure everything is moving along properly.

Since Invisalign strategically moves your teeth every week, there aren’t uncomfortable major adjustments done in an orthodontist’s office; this keeps the process as comfortable as possible.

For more in-depth coverage, read: How Does the Invisalign Process Work: Step-By-Step

Invisalign vs Braces: What’s the Difference?

There are a number of Invisalign Pros & Cons to consider when compared to conventional orthodontics. Instead of using fixed appliances that impact your everyday life, our Invisalign patients can enjoy:

  • A removable orthodontic system that’s easy to clean around. You can brush and floss like normal!
  • Eat all of your favourite foods. Just remove your trays during meals.
  • Discreet appliances no one will notice.
  • Fewer, shorter trips to the orthodontist’s office.
  • More comfortable, thanks to smooth, form-fitting aligners with no metal appliances.

As far as the “cons” involved with wearing Invisalign, there are far fewer than traditional braces. After all, there’s no worrying about brackets falling off or food getting stuck under a wire. But you do have to keep up with the aligners when it comes to not misplacing them at lunch or changing them out on schedule. If you’re already good about remembering to brush and floss every day, then being an Invisalign patient isn’t hard to get used to.

Invisalign Prices: What Do They Cost

As with any type of braces, the cost of Invisalign is greatly dependent on the extent of treatment needed and time involved. If you’re only wanting to straighten your front teeth, it may take six months and cost less than a more significant bite alignment that’s being aligned over the span of 12-18 months.

At Braces Haven, our Invisalign treatments start at $4,000. Since everyone’s case is different, we offer complimentary consultations and pricing without any commitment to starting treatment.

If you have orthodontic benefits under your insurance policy, a portion of your Invisalign treatment may be covered by your carrier. This is another individual situation we can estimate at the time of your consultation.

What are Invisalign Attachments?

When you get Invisalign in Ottawa, you may need to have a few attachments bonded to specific teeth in order to help your aligners work more efficiently.

Attachments are clear, ridge-like extensions that are affixed to your teeth and provide a surface for Invisalign to “grab” onto, when a tooth needs to be moved in a specific direction. Since they’re translucent, Invisalign attachments aren’t very noticeable unless you’re looking directly at them from a few inches away.

You’ll need attachments if your teeth are significantly misaligned or require major movement. The extra gripping surface they provide allows Invisalign to be more predictable in cases of moderate to severe bite alignment needs.

What are Invisalign Retainers?

After you’ve completed your Invisalign treatment, it’s important to have a retention plan that prevents teeth from drifting back into their previous location. Since the tiny ligaments and muscles around the teeth tend to want to shift back into place, going without a retainer could lead to relapse.

To preserve your investment, Braces Haven will have a set of Invisalign retainers made for you to wear (usually at night) and keep your smile in its current alignment. The great thing about Invisalign retainers is that they look and feel just like your clear aligners do, but they’re made to last longer.

What are Invisalign Elastics?

With Invisalign clear braces, some patients may still need to use elastics (rubber bands) to properly align their teeth. For instance, if the upper and lower jaws do not meet together properly, it can prevent the teeth from chewing efficiently and damage your smile. Elastics help pull and guide the jaws into a better biting relationship since the aligners themselves can’t do it alone.

Using elastics helps to make bigger changes in your overall bite, but not everyone needs them. If you do need them, you’ll still be able to avoid getting metal brackets and wires. Instead, Invisalign buttons will be bonded to a few teeth for the elastics to attach to.

What are Invisalign Buttons?

One of the ways that Invisalign braces allows for the use of elastics is with something called “buttons.” The clear extensions are bonded to just a couple of teeth on the upper and lower arches, so that the rubber band can be stretched and attached to them as prescribed. They help your teeth move faster and are an integral part of your treatment.

Just like Invisalign attachments, buttons are made from tooth coloured or translucent materials, so that they’re not easily visible. Your elastics can be clear as well.

What are Invisalign Power Ridges?

When a tooth requires a specific point of pressure — such as if it’s tipping forward or backward — your Invisalign clear aligners may have a tiny, raised ridge inside of the tray that is used for this purpose. The extra force moves your tooth from a different angle than what it would get just wearing a standard tray without power ridges.

What are Invisalign Bite Ramps?

Ottawa Invisalign patients with an overjet or overbite — where the front teeth do not meet together properly — may need an extra level of guidance for their bite when the jaws close together. Bite ramps are slight wedges on the backside of the upper front teeth, encouraging the lower teeth to slide into a different position rather than biting straight into the back of the opposing teeth.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

If you’re looking for Invisalign in Ottawa, you can find comprehensive treatments right here at Braces Haven. Start with a complimentary consultation to find out if you’re a candidate and get a treatment plan outlining the time and costs involved for your unique case. Flexible financing options are available! Call now.