Patients often assume that their orthodontic treatment will begin immediately following their consultation. The truth is that it usually takes about four weeks to create the aligners, so there is a bit of downtime in between. While this might initially disappoint you, it’s actually a good thing: it gives you time to prepare for Invisalign! If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few steps that will help make the transition into life with braces smoother.
1. Figure Out the Financials
At your first official Invisalign appointment, you’re going to be consuming a lot of information, including how to painlessly remove your aligners and how to clean them so stubborn stains don’t develop. So, don’t wait until then to figure out the financials, too! Instead, use the weeks leading up to your visit to determine if you’re going to be taking advantage of your dental insurance benefits or breaking up the cost with CareCredit.
2. Purchase the “Essentials”
Your Invisalign welcome kit will come with everything you need, including your aligners and a case. That said, many patients find it helpful to purchase a travel-sized toothbrush, OTC pain medication, a clear aligner hook, and other products that make life with braces easier. If you choose to do the same, you’ll have one less thing to worry about on the day of your first official appointment.
3. Create an On-the-Go Dental Care Kit
Usually, brushing your teeth twice a day is enough to keep your smile healthy. With Invisalign, however, you need to complete your oral hygiene regimen after each meal (this will help keep your teeth decay-free and your trays stain-free). Incorporating this habit into your daily routine will be much easier if you have a small dental care kit filled with everything you need, including a travel-sized toothbrush and mouthwash.
4. Start Practicing
To make the transition into life with clear aligners much easier, start incorporating healthy habits into your routine now, like brushing your teeth after each meal. Finding healthy, well-balanced, and satiating meals that you genuinely love is also a good idea because there isn’t much time for snacking with Invisalign. After all, you only have a limited amount of aligner-free time each day!
About the Practice
For our team at Simply Dental of Lowell, clear aligners are a part of our everyday lives. That’s not the case for our patients (until they start Invisalign, of course). That’s why we go the extra mile to make the experience easy – from using digital impressions and offering appointments five days a week to sharing helpful tips we’ve learned throughout the years. If you would like to schedule a consultation with us or get your next progress visit on the calendar, don’t hesitate to get in touch via our website or by phone at (978) 485-2929.
