How should I prepare for my first Invisalign consultation?

Doctor's Answers 1

The most important thing that you can do to help your dentist during your consultation is to know yourself and what you want to achieve *(your goals)*.

Your dentist can provide you with a wide variety of treatment options to help you achieve your goals. However, if you aren't sure about what your goals are, then it can be almost impossible for your dentist to provide you with a treatment plan that will make you happy in the long run.

Some goals could be:

  1. Wanting straighter teeth
  2. Wanting more evenly-coloured teeth
  3. Wanting a brighter smile
  4. Wanting a beautiful but natural smile (how "done" do you want your teeth to look?)
  5. Wanting to fix a slanted jaw
  6. Wanting protruding lips to be corrected
  7. Reducing the amount of gum show during smiling
  8. Increasing/decreasing the size of the teeth

Once you have a list of goals (your dentist should work with you to figure out what these are), then a more informed discussion about Invisalign/orthodontics/cosmetic dentistry solutions can be carried out.

Remember, that *there is no goal too small or too silly*. Some of these may greatly affect the final result, so there is no point withholding such useful information from your dentist. It is important to find someone that you can feel comfortable having a frank and open conversation with. Ask about
how complications or corrections will be handled because sometimes treatment doesn't always go perfectly to plan.

Another important part of the consultation is a discussion of fees and your budget. Let your dentist know what your budget is and see if your goals can be met within your budget. Sometimes, the treatment plan may need modification to stay on budget, but that may mean that the final result may
be different.

Finally, there is no need to rush into treatment (unless you are on a tight schedule: anticipating a wedding, an overseas move etc. If you do have a date that you require the treatment to be completed, please let your dentist know to minimize stress!). Some people require more time for
consideration or even a second opinion. However, bear in mind that cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics can be subjective, so different clinicians may not necessarily agree on the same treatment plan.

Similar Questions

Does the lack of discomfort during Invisalign treatment mean that my teeth is not moving at all?

Majority of patients will feel some sort of discomfort during the first few days of Invisalign treatment. Thereafter, the 'pain' will tend to subside before the next set of aligners. I wouldn't be completely surprised if you do not feel any discomfort. First and foremost, some patients do have a higher threshold of pain, hence they do not feel anything during aligner treatment. No pain does not necessarily mean no movement. Sometimes it could be that the first few aligners put less pressure hence the level of discomfort is very low.

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How do dentists determine the amount of space needed to fix an overbite? (photos)

The decision to extract, or not to extract, for any case depends on several factors, such as the facial and lip profile (e. g. are the lips protruding?) the amount of overlap or crowding of the teeth, how much the teeth are flared forward with respect to the bone, etc. Patients with a substantial overjet would more often have lips that unable to close due to the teeth which are sticking out. In situations like this, extractions will result in a more aesthetic or pleasing outcome.

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