Invisalign in Bloomington, MN

A Clear Path to a Beautiful Smile

Invisalign treatment being done at Normandale Dental

Invisalign® is the Clear Solution for Teeth Straightening

Are you struggling to feel confident or are experiencing functional problems because of crooked teeth? Invisalign may be the right solution for you, and is a good alternative for some tweens and teens with malocclusion, overbite, or underbite. Invisalign aligners are customized to wear over your teeth and are virtually invisible. The process is similar to traditional braces, without the unwieldy metal brackets and painful wires that require tightening. The customized clear aligners gradually and reliably move your teeth into proper alignment in a far gentler manner than metal braces. As an experienced cosmetic dentist, Dr. Avi Matha has helped many patients achieve the dream of a beautifully straight smile with Invisalign in Bloomington, MN.

Using invisalign is wonderful

Invisalign vs. Braces

Invisalign is an optimal solution because it provides all the benefits of traditional braces without any of the negative aspects. Conventional braces are unattractive and can cause pain, discomfort, mouth sores, injuries, tooth decay (from inadequate brushing and flossing), plaque buildup, tooth discoloration, tooth/bracket breakage, and difficulty eating. When you go out in public, you’ll no longer have to worry about feeling self-conscious about your smile, because no one will notice you’re wearing Invisalign braces. Here are the top benefits of getting Invisalign clear braces:

Invisalign 2

Teeth Straightening For a Dazzling Smile

Beyond their appearance, crooked teeth can cause excess wear and tear on the teeth, gums, and jaw muscles. As a result, you might experience cracked teeth, jaw strain, temporomandibular (TMJ) disorder, and chronic headaches. And this also increases the risk of food particles getting trapped in spaces between your teeth, which can lead to bacterial plaque, cavities, and early gum disease (gingivitis). Proper alignment improves how your teeth fit together, helping to alleviate functional problems and discomfort. Invisalign in Bloomington, MN will provide you with a healthier, more comfortable smile with noticeably dazzling results!

Dental treatment being done at Normandaledental

Personalized Consultation

At Normandale Dental, your clear journey to straight teeth starts with a personalized consultation with our Invisalign dentist. During this visit, our team will assess your current dental health and suitability for Invisalign in Bloomington, MN. Rest assured, nearly all our patients are good candidates for clear aligners. We think everyone deserves a straight smile, so we accept major credit cards and insurance plans and even offer third-party financing solutions to make the Invisalign cost per month more manageable.

Smile makeover done at Normandale Dental

Digital Impressions & Smile Preview

During the next step, we take digital impressions of your teeth with our intraoral scanner and camera. No more biting down on sticky, unpleasant-tasting putty! This state-of-the-art technology also enables getting a sneak peek of how your teeth will look at the end of treatment, so you know exactly what to expect. We use these impressions to create several sets of clear aligners customized to fit comfortably over your teeth. You wear your aligners 20-22 hours daily and generally only remove them to eat and clean your teeth. If you need to remove them for other activities, we recommend checking with our office first.
Invisalign treatment being done at Normandale Dental

A Clear Way to Attain Your Dream Smile

Your aligners are changed every two weeks, and before long, you’ll start to notice your teeth gradually move into alignment. While the entire process can take as little as six months, average treatment lasts about 12-18 months. During this time, you’ll enjoy an unhindered diet, ease in everyday oral hygiene care, and greater confidence. Before long, you’ll have the beautiful, straight teeth you’ve always wanted!

One of the most common dental issues we encounter at Normandale Dental is malocclusion, often referred to as “bad bite”. Typically, Dr. Avi Matha and the team recommend orthodontic treatments, such as Invisalign- especially in older teen and adult patients. For patients who have serious malocclusion, surgery may be required in addition to orthodontic treatments.

Invisaligns a real blessing

There are 3 classes of malocclusion:

  • Class I: anterior teeth are crowded, but molars align

  • Class II: upper teeth overlap lower

  • Class III: lower teeth overlap upper

Invisalign was introduced in 1998 by Align Technologies as an alternative to metal braces by an orthodontic patient who was finishing up treatment. It allows patients to discreetly correct alignment issues with their teeth. This system took 8 years to develop and have become one of the most popular ways to treat these issues.

If you believe that Invisalign clear aligners will help you fix your malocclusion, schedule your consultation with Dr. Matha and the team at Normandale Dental today. We look forward to meeting with you and discussing your options.

Who Should Use?

Happy people

Invisalign clear aligners are for patients who have mild to moderate malocclusion. Severe cases should be treated with traditional braces or another method on conjunction with Invisalign.

Invisalign can address the following malocclusions:

  • Overbite

  • Underbite

  • Crossbite

  • Crooked teeth

  • Crowded teeth

  • Gapped teeth

  • Jaw misalignment

However, Invisalign will not be effective in patients who:

Traditional Braces or Invisalign

A clear picture of Invisalign

Both Invisalign and traditional metal braces can fix malocclusions. However, this is the only thing they have in common. These two treatments are different when it comes to:

  • Cost

  • Aesthetics

  • Comfort

  • Effectiveness

  • Eating

  • Care/cleaning

  • Procedure

Cost

The price of Invisalign versus traditional braces is similar:

  • Traditional braces: $3,000 to $7,000

  • Invisalign: $3,000 to $5,000

There are several factors that influence the cost of orthodontic treatments, including the duration of treatment and the complexity of your situation.

Some dental insurance plans may cover a portion of these procedures. The office staff at Normandale Dental will work with your provider to determine coverage. In addition, we accept Financing through Proceed Finance, GreenSky, and CareCredit. These options allow you to pay for your treatment upfront. Then, you can make smaller, more manageable payments to the finance company. We will be more than happy to help you through the application process.

Aesthetics

The primary reason many patients choose Invisalign is because they are transparent, and therefore, virtually invisible. Traditional braces involve brackets attached to your teeth with a wire through them and rubber bands holding them together. The brackets may be made of metal, plaster, or ceramic. When you have traditional braces, everyone can see them.

Lingual braces are another option. The brackets are attached to the back of your teeth instead of the front, so they are less visible than traditional braces. However, they can still be seen if someone looks close enough.

Invisalign clear aligners are transparent and fit tightly against your teeth, so even from a short distance, most people won’t notice them.   

Comfort

Research shows that in the early stages of treatment, patients with traditional metal braces experience more pain/discomfort than those who choose Invisalign. Often, metal braces push and scrape the inside of your cheeks and lips. However, Invisalign is a soft, smooth- but firm- plastic. It is important to note that Invisalign patients do report that the aligners take some getting used to and some have a lisp or increased salivation when just starting out.

Effectiveness

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Invisalign and traditional metal braces are viable options for treating malocclusions.

Invisalign is typically used for mild to moderate cases and takes 12 to 18 months for full results. In some cases, patients see full resolution within 6 months. Most patients do begin to see some shifting within the first 2 weeks.

Traditional braces are usually recommended for the more complex malocclusions including large gaps, severe crowding, and rotated teeth. Also, traditional braces may take 1 to 2+ years to work.

The needs and goals of every patient are different. It’s important to discuss your expectations and goals with Dr. Matha and the team at Normandale Dental to learn more about the most appropriate treatment for you.

Eating

Traditional metal braces mean food restrictions. You will be advised to avoid foods that are sticky or hard because they can damage the brackets and wires. This includes raw carrots, pears, apples, popcorn, candy/gum, and nuts.

Invisalign allows you to continue enjoying your favorite foods because they are removable. When you are eating, you should remove them. When you are finished eating, you should brush/floss your teeth and rinse the aligners before putting them back in. This will help prevent tooth decay.

Care/Cleaning

Traditional metal braces make it hard to keep your teeth clean. Still, you should be brushing after every meal/snack and flossing every morning and evening. You should use an interdental brush to make sure you’re getting into all of the crevices.

Since Invisalign clear aligners can be removed, patients have an easier time keeping their teeth and mouth clean. Therefore, Invisalign users have less tooth decay and cavities. It is important to make sure that you are using Invisalign’s cleaning solution when you wash them.

Procedure

The procedure for Invisalign and traditional braces starts out the same: a thorough dental exam and x-rays. During the consultation, patients are encouraged to ask questions and bring up any concerns they have.

Then, if you are getting traditional metal braces, the brackets will be attached to your teeth and the wire threaded through them. Rubber bands will hold everything in place. You will need several follow-up visits over the course of treatment to have them tightened and adjusted as teeth shift. Following treatment, you’ll be given a retainer to wear for 1 to 3 years. This will keep your teeth in their new position.

If you are getting Invisalign, a mold will be taken of your mouth. This will be used to create your custom trays. When the trays come in, you will come into the office so that Dr. Matha can make sure they fit properly. Then, you will be sent home with the full set of aligners and will change them out every few weeks. For best results, the aligners should be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day.

Invisalign Cost

Two of the major factors that influence the cost of Invisalign clear aligners are:

  • Treatment timeline

  • Complexity of the malocclusion

At Normandale Dental, we offer four different levels of Invisalign:

  • Invisalign Express

  • Invisalign Lite

  • Invisalign Moderate

  • Invisalign Comprehensive

For mild malocclusions, Dr. Matha recommends Invisalign Express. There are two options with Invisalign Express:

  • Up to 5 aligners: $1,200 to $1,800

  • Up to 7 aligners: $1,500 to $2,000

For mild to moderate cases, we have two options:

  • Invisalign Lite: for mild to moderate cases, up to 14 aligners $3,000 to $4,500

  • Invisalign Moderate: for moderate cases, up to 20 aligners, $3,500 to $5,000

For patients who need extra alignment, Dr. Matha recommends Invisalign Comprehensive. This level includes unlimited aligners and costs $4,500 to $8,000.

Invisalign for Teens

Invisalign Teen is a lot like standard Invisalign with one exception. Invisalign Teen has blue dots. This is a handy tool for parents who are concerned about their teen’s compliance with wearing the aligners. If they are being worn as directed, the blue dots will fade over time. If the blue dots are not fading, you know that your teen is not wearing them like they are supposed to. This can also prevent switching to a new set before your teen is ready.

What are the benefits of Invisalign Teen?

Invisalign clear aligners put pressure on the teeth to gradually shift them into the proper alignment. Each set should be worn for 1 to 3 weeks before switching to a new set. By the time the patient reaches the end of treatment, they are left with an even smile. Some of the benefits of Invisalign Teen are:

Easy to care for teeth

Oral hygiene can be a major chore for teens with traditional braces because they are having to try to get around the wires and brackets. This can be done with an interdental brush but can be a challenge. Invisalign clear aligners are designed to be removed while eating and brushing/flossing teeth. This allows your teen to practice proper oral hygiene and reduce their risk of cavities and tooth decay.

Improves self-confidence

Unfortunately, teens can be mean and often, teens with braces are picked on. This can have a negative impact on their self-esteem. Invisalign clear aligners are transparent, so even up close, they won’t be nearly as noticeable.

Less irritating

Traditional braces often cause sore spots and irritation from rubbing against the inside of cheeks and lips. However, Invisalign clear aligners are smooth, so there’s no risk of irritation and sores developing.

Fewer emergencies from broken wires/brackets

There are lots of dental visits when teens have traditional braces. Not only do they need to be adjusted and tightened over the course of treatment, but they are also susceptible to breakage. This means that you may have many emergency visits to have them repaired. However, clear aligners are flexible and less likely to be damaged or broken.

Schedule Your Invisalign Consultation

 If you have malocclusion and you’re interested in exploring your options, schedule your consultation today. Dr. Matha and the team are looking forward to meeting with you. We believe that dental visits should be pleasant and therefore offer plenty of amenities to keep you comfortable.

Invisalign FAQs​

At Normandale Dental, we understand that you have questions about treating your malocclusions with Invisalign. Dr. Matha and the team is happy to work with you to answer your questions and address your concerns. Some of the most common questions we are asked include:

The first step is the consultation visit. At this time, Dr. Matha will evaluate your smile by doing a comprehensive exam and taking x-rays. Then, we will create a custom treatment plan and show you a simulated step-by-step transformation of your smile. A mold will be taken of your teeth. The mold will be sent to the lab to create your custom set of aligners.

Once your aligners come in, we will schedule you to come into the office to have them fitted. As long as they fit properly, you will be sent home with the rest of the aligners. You will need to wear them for at least 20 to 22 hours a day for 6 to 18 months. Some patients report that it takes a few days to get used to wearing them because of the pressure- but this indicates that they are doing what they are supposed to. Also, some patients have a slight lisp, which will clear up once you get used to wearing them.

From time to time, someone from the care team will call to check on you and schedule you to come in so that we can check your progress. If you are having problems, contact the office as soon as possible so we can address the situation.

Every week or two, you will switch to a new set of aligners. Once you have completed the entire set, you may need more aligners or some additional refinement to perfect your smile. In order to keep your teeth in their new position, you will be required to wear a retainer for a while.

Since every patient is different, there is no standard treatment timeline. Typically, patients see full results in 12 to 18 months. In mild cases, patients may see full results within 6 months. Many times, patients begin to see subtle changes within the first 2 weeks of treatment. No matter how long your treatment takes, you will need to wear a retainer at the end to keep the teeth from moving back into their original position.

Yes, Invisalign can effectively fix mild to moderate overbites. An overbite is when the top teeth fall in front of the bottom teeth when the mouth is closed. The treatment timeline depends on the severity of your overbite, as well as your compliance with wearing the aligners. In severe overbites, traditional braces may be better.

Yes, Invisalign can effectively fix mild to moderate underbites. An underbite is when the bottom teeth fall in front of the top teeth when the mouth is closed. Common causes of underbites include childhood behaviors such as thumb sucking and genetics. If you have a severe underbite, surgery may be required in addition to Invisalign.

Choose the clearest journey to a straighter smile!

Schedule your consultation for Invisalign in Bloomington, MN today.