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You have taken the first step towards lasting dental care and in preventing future dental problems from forming: you have decided to start orthodontic treatment! If you have chosen Invisalign®, you will have surely already heard how it is a much more hygienic alternative to fixed braces, and how it requires less hassle, and will take less time. Although all of these things are true, you will still need some preliminary treatments and some care before going on the treatment though. Here are some things to be aware of, and to do before getting treatment.
Check-up, diagnosis and hygiene session
Having your teeth professionally cleaned is something you should do every six months, regardless of anything else. This is important because it prevents periodontal disease and cavities, and getting it done before orthodontic treatment is especially important, as your gums and teeth will be in a state of inflammation during orthodontic treatment and will be less able to fight off bacteria. The check-up will also be necessary because it will give the dentist a chance to see if anything is wrong with the teeth.
Talk to your orthodontist
Make sure you have talked sufficiently with your orthodontist. This is extremely important as you need to be able to have a basic understanding of how your treatment will run its course, how it will affect your teeth, what side effects can be expected, and what are signs of something having gone wrong. You also need to understand how this removable orthodontic device is worn, how it can be cleaned, how often you can take it out, what it’s made of, and pretty much any other questions you may have. The more informed a patient is, the less likely that the treatment will fail, as Invisalign® treatment fails most often because of the inability of patients to comply with the treatment guidelines. If you have any questions, you should be able to ask them before starting the treatment.
