How many visits are needed?
Usually minimum 4 visits, but the very generalised treatment outline is as follows:
Preferably combined since we always need to be certain we only move healthy teeth and that nothing is in the way of starting your treatment.
An appointment to get Invisalign will first start with conventional impressions or digital scans of your teeth. The scanners are quite expensive, so some dentists still take conventional impressions. Be aware: the process of getting conventional impressions with putty can be uncomfortable, and you might gag a bit. We have only used several high quality digital scanners for a long while and it is day and night for both the patient and the doctor. Providing even higher quality dental records and a faster, more pleasant experience.
If everything looks good this can usually be done together with step 1. This requires a non-refundable down-payment of 5000 NOK which is then subtracted from your total amount.
In roughly a week Sebastian will have created a suggestion for a personal plan where you can see your treatment before, during, as well as an estimated result. During your discussion it might still require some tweaking and if you spot anything – this is the time for you to mention it!
If both patient and dentist are happy, then the plan is approved and your aligners arrive within 3-4 weeks. To approve a treatment plan you need to either have an approved payment plan or pay a minimum of 10 000 NOK in addition to the first 5000 NOK so that we can partly cover the starting bill from Invisalign. This is also subtracted from the total amount so by now you have already paid a large portion. The remaining amount can then be portioned out throughout your treatment.
We place a mask to help retract your lips so we easily can place the attachments (small, barely visible, buttons) which help your teeth move in the direction we need them to as well as keep the aligners in place. We give you a bunch of tips and off you go! On some occasions we do IPR (space creation by polishing between teeth) at the first visit as well, but in most cases we do it during your next control visit.
We check that the movement in your mouth matches the planned movement on the 3D-software. This is highly dependent on your cooperation, if you have been slacking off lately – it will show! We might also do minor adjustments during these visits. Dentist Sebastian is the only dentist in Norway who supplies his patients with Dental Monitoring. This reduces the number of visits while at the same time increasing predictability. Due to us being able to analyse your teeth after each aligner so that you continuously stay on track.
Final control where the outcome is discussed and whether the planned result was achieved or not. If both parties are satisfied the attachments are removed and final pictures are taken. If it has been agreed to install a fixed/bonded retainer this is usually done at this visit. If removable Vivera retainers were opted for these will be scanned for and arrive for pickup at our office usually within 2 weeks.
If additional work was discussed, such as minor contouring, aesthetic fillings or porcelain, this process might be either started or possibly finished at this stage. Depending on its complexity and what has been agreed to.
If the dentist and/or patient are not satisfied – for example a tooth that was supposed to be straight but is still a bit off or the bite needs visible improvement we need to re-take photographs and send in a new scan for additional aligners. How many additional aligners you receive is hard to tell. It usually takes 3-4 weeks until we have the additional aligners and in the meanwhile you wear your last old aligner just as before to prevent relapse.
We recommend a 6 month follow-up after finishing date since this is the most crucial period to maintain your results. From then on we strongly suggest yearly examination visits. Your set of 3 Vivera retainers need to be changed every 2-3 years to maintain their tightness. Remember that also your bonded retainer needs to be maintained and that nothing lasts forever. Your dentist will make sure it is holding up during your yearly visits
How many visits are needed?
The treatment usually consists of a minimum of 4 visits, but the very general treatment overview is as follows:
Preferably combined since we always need to be sure that we are only moving healthy teeth and that nothing is in the way of starting the treatment.
A visit to get Invisalign starts first with digital scanning or conventional prints. Scanners are quite expensive, so some dentists still take conventional impressions. Be aware: the process of getting conventional prints with imprint material can be uncomfortable and you may experience feelings of vomiting. We have only used several high-quality digital scanners for a long time, and it is day and night for both the patient and the dentist. It also enables even higher quality with a faster and more enjoyable experience.
If everything looks good, this can usually be done together with point 1. This requires a non-refundable installment of 3000 NOK which is deducted from the total amount.
Within a week, Sebastian will have made one or more suggestions for a personal plan where you can see your treatment before, during, as well as an estimated end result. During your discussion, it may still require some tweaking, and if you notice something – it’s time for you to mention it!
If both patient and dentist are satisfied, the plan will be approved and your braces will arrive within 3-4 weeks. To approve a treatment plan, you must either have an approved payment plan or pay a minimum of NOK 10,000 in addition to the first NOK 3,000, so that we can partially cover the starting bill from Invisalign. This is also deducted from the total amount, so now you have already paid a large portion. The remaining amount can then be spread over the entire treatment.
The therapist places a mask that helps keep the lips away from the teeth during the visit, so that we can easily place attachments (small, barely visible buttons) that help your teeth to move in the direction we need them, as well as keep the braces in place. . We give you a number of tips and you are up and running! Sometimes we also do IPR (creates little space when polishing between the teeth) at the first visit, but in most cases we do it during your control visits if necessary.
We check that the movements of the teeth correspond to the planned movement on the 3D software. This is very much dependent on your cooperation, if you have been sloppy lately – it will turn out! We also sometimes make minor adjustments during these visits. Dentist Sebastian is the only dentist in Norway who provides his patients with Dental Monitoring. This reduces the number of visits, while increasing predictability. Since we can analyze your teeth after each brace so that you can continuously stay on track.
6. Final check or order more rails
Final control where the result is discussed and whether the planned result was achieved or not. If both parties are satisfied then the attachments are removed and final photos are taken. If it is agreed to put on a string behind the front teeth, this is usually done at this visit. If you have selected removable Vivera retainers, scanning for these will be performed and arrive for collection at the office usually within two weeks.
If further work was discussed, such as minor adjustments, aesthetic fillings or porcelain, this process can either be started or possibly terminated at this stage. Depending on the complexity and what is agreed.
If the dentist and / or patient is not satisfied – for example, a tooth that should be straight, but is still a little crooked or the bite needs visible improvement, we must take pictures again and submit a new scan for more braces. How many extra rails you receive is difficult to say and depends on how good you have been. It usually takes 3-4 weeks before we have the extra rails, and in the meantime you use the last rails just as before to prevent relapse.
We recommend a 6-month follow-up after the end date, as this is the most crucial period to maintain your results. After this, we strongly suggest annual surveys. Your set of 3 Vivera retainers must be replaced every 2-3 years to maintain its shape. Remember that the string behind the teeth must also be maintained, and that nothing lasts forever. Your dentist will make sure that the retainer works properly during the annual examination.
