The truth is right out of the gate: Invisalign is effective for many adults but it’s not easy. The aligners should be in your mouth for 20-22 hours each day, only for water, and results will depend on how often the aligners are worn. Once you can establish that habit, and most busy adults can, you are rewarded with a smile without anyone noticing along the boardroom table. This is the advice we give all our adult patients before we begin, and much of it is a surprise.
You are not the only grown-up doing this
The first thing to do is to allow yourself to get rid of the self-consciousness about it one in three orthodontic patients is now over 18, and the number of adults seeking orthodontic care is on the rise, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Age 30s, 40s or 50s is not too late to straighten your teeth either. Overcrowded teeth are more difficult to clean and an uneven bite may cause wear of the enamel and strain the jaw over time. A lot of our adult patients were parents who saw their children receive treatment here and thought that it was their turn.
The 22-hour rule is the whole ballgame
Invisalign moves teeth with a series of custom clear trays, each worn for a set stretch before you switch to the next. The trays only work while they are on your teeth, which is why Invisalign’s guidance recommends roughly 20 to 22 hours of wear per day. In practice, that means aligners come out for meals, go back in right after, and stay in for everything else, including sleep, meetings, school pickup, and your third video call of the day. Adults tend to be excellent at this, which is one reason adult results are often so good. But if you know yourself to be a grazer who snacks all afternoon, that habit is the first thing to plan around.
The small surprises nobody mentions
Attachments
Many treatment plans include small tooth-coloured bumps bonded to certain teeth. They give the aligners something to grip, allowing them to make more complex movements. They are subtle, but if you were picturing completely bare teeth, it is better to know now.
Your coffee habit
Hot or colored beverages are not appropriate for the use with aligners. Trays may be stained by coffee and red wine and can be distorted by hot beverages. Just remove the trays, drink the beverage once, rinse it and return the trays. We get many patients who tell us that this one secret put an end to their all day latte.
Cleaning becomes a small ritual
You will brush after meals more than you used to, because putting trays over just-eaten teeth is unpleasant and bad for them. Most patients find this makes their overall oral hygiene better than it has ever been.
What treatment looks like at Smiles on Yonge
Everything starts with a digital scan, not putty moulds. Our scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth, and treatment planning software maps the projected movement from your first tray to your last, so you can see where your smile is headed before you commit. After that, check-ins are typically every several weeks so Dr. Rashed can confirm your teeth are tracking to plan. Visits are short, and our Yonge Street location with early and late hours on select days makes it workable around a job and a family calendar. For a sense of investment and payment options, our Invisalign costs page covers the details, and consultations include a clear quote for your specific case.
Why see an orthodontist instead of ordering trays online
You might still recall the numerous mail-order aligner companies that were plastering their ads all over. They are all, for the most part, gone and the primary reason for this is what they eliminated – the presence of a person. Teeth are placed in living bone; a plan that seems perfect on the screen can go wrong in a real mouth if someone doesn’t keep an eye on the details. Published research on adult orthodontic patients that indicate the demand for treatment continues to increase and that clear aligners are the preferred treatment amongst the adult population and that supervision is even more important, not less. Small course corrections occur early when they are not a big problem with specialist supervised treatment. The difference between a custom-made suit and a selfie suit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does adult Invisalign treatment take?
It depends entirely on how far your teeth need to move. Minor corrections can be relatively quick, while comprehensive cases take longer. Your digital scan gives us what we need to quote a realistic timeline at your consultation.
What happens if I lose an aligner on a work trip?
Call us. Depending on where you are in the sequence, we may have you move to the next tray early or wear the previous one until a replacement arrives. The key is not to leave your teeth without a tray for days.
Do I need a retainer afterward?
Yes. Teeth move throughout life, so a retainer, typically worn at night over the long term, is what keeps your result. We build retention into every treatment plan.
Thinking it might be your turn?
If you have been researching aligners quietly in between meetings, the next step isn’t a commitment, it’s a low-key conversation. Make an appointment on the Smiles on Yonge Invisalign Richmond Hill page or phone (905) 597-6453. Dr. Roozbeh Rashed will look at your teeth, explain what can be done and provide you with honest feedback on time, cost, and whether aligners are applicable to your situation.
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