At Bennett Orthodontics, we don’t just provide the best clear aligner trays with Invisalign; we also create personalized treatment plans that suit your needs. These include how to make the most of your aligners, and how you can keep track of them.
Clear aligners are removable and almost invisible, which also makes them easy to miss and forget. So, if you’re looking to stay on top of your treatment, here’s how to monitor progress while using clear aligner trays.
How Clear Aligner Treatments Work
Essentially, Invisalign uses a set of custom-made, clear aligners to gradually move your teeth. Once an aligner has done its job, it’s time to move on to the next until you’ve achieved your dream smile.
The process starts with an evaluation by Dr. Todd Bennett. This one-on-one visit will help our team better understand the smile that you want. After evaluating your teeth and gums—with help from cutting-edge imaging tech—we’ll run you through the specifics: how many aligners you’ll need, the checkup schedule, and more.
Once your personalized set is ready, we’ll call you back. Dr. Bennett will personally see to it that your clear aligners fit perfectly.
Regular Appointments, Regular Monitoring
A key aspect of monitoring progress with your clear aligners is through regular check-ups. Unlike traditional braces that require an appointment at least every four weeks, your Invisalign varies from 6-8 weeks—which means less downtime for you!
Visits to our clinic in Mobile or virtual consultations are crucial in ensuring that the treatment plan is proceeding as planned. Check-ups with Dr. Bennett will allow us to identify discrepancies and potential problems, and address them before complications arise.
Also, our regular meetings together would allow us to share additional tips on how to monitor progress while using clear aligner trays.
Monitoring Your Progress With Clear Aligner Trays
Throughout your entire treatment program with clear aligner trays, Dr. Bennett and our team will be with you only during our appointments. Sure, we try our best to get back to you whenever you need us, but getting the best results will require you to take charge of your day-to-day experience with Invisalign. There’s no need to worry, though. Aside from following Dr. Bennett’s recommendations, there are simple activities to help you monitor progress while using clear aligner trays.
Whenever you brush your teeth, take a moment to check them. Visual inspection is sufficient to identify looming problems with your Invisalign, such as gaps whenever you wear them. Similarly, you can notice small changes in the alignment of your teeth every time you take them off, such as before meals.
To document your progress, however, you will need to use tools such as notes and photos. Take note of your wear times, or take photographs of your smile at least once a day. With the information you collect, you can detect unusual patterns that we can rectify as soon as possible.
More Convenient Ways to Track Your Aligner Journey
Whether you’re a student at school or an adult at work, it can be easy to miss wearing your aligner trays. Thankfully, modern technology offers tools to help you stay on top of your treatment. In between visits to Bennett Orthodontics, there are a couple of apps you can use to help you monitor your progress.
A helpful tool for Invisalign users is the My Invisalign app. This is an all-in-one solution for tracking your clear aligner trays. Available on both Android and iOS, this convenient app comes with the following features:
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- Invisalign SmileView: This uses your phone’s camera to simulate what your teeth would look like once you’ve completed your Invisalign journey.
- Doctor Locator: For first-time users in Mobile and surrounding areas, you can use it to easily find our clinic.
- Invisalign Virtual Care: This tool makes it easier to stay connected with Bennett Orthodontics, a certified Invisalign provider. You can share photos and receive feedback.
- Wear Time Tracker: Easily log each time you wear and remove your aligners and automatically measure your total wear time.
There are other apps for monitoring your use of clear aligner trays. TrayMinder remains a popular app for tracking clear aligners. It has a timer, a calendar, and a camera tool—all designed to track your progress.
Of course, you can stick to the basics and track everything yourself. Take down notes regarding your wear time, or take photos of your smile every day to monitor your progress.
Achieve Straighter Smiles With Clear Aligner Trays
With Invisalign and Bennett Orthodontics, you can achieve that perfect smile without those pesky wires and rubbers from traditional braces. Even better, you have a major role to play in ensuring that your treatment plan works as scheduled. With the points we’ve shared above, you can easily monitor progress while using clear aligner trays.
No need to wait anymore. Start your aligner treatment program with us by scheduling your free consultation—whether in-office at Mobile, AL, or via online consultation—and we’ll help you get the smile you want.