Appearance
● Invisalign: Clear aligners are nearly invisible, making them a popular choice for adults and teens who prefer a discreet option.
● Braces: Brackets and wires are more visible. If braces are necessary for your teeth, Murray Orthodontics has the option of clear braces for the upper front teeth. Colored braces can add some creativity to your smile during treatment!

Comfort
● Invisalign: Patients generally find aligners more comfortable as there are no wires or brackets that can irritate the gums and cheeks. Aligners can cause mild soreness when switched out but are usually gentler. Invisalign requires attachments glued to your teeth which can also cause some mild irritation until you get used to them.
● Braces: Braces will cause soreness of your teeth, lips, and cheeks. This is most apparent in the first few days after having them placed and after routine adjustments. We will talk to you about how to best manage this as you get used to your braces.

Emergencies
● Invisalign: Patients wearing aligners generally have fewer emergencies as there are fewer things to break in your mouth. Occasionally attachments can come off, which can be repaired at your next appointment. Losing aligners can be a problem too, but we can help you deal with this.
● Braces: There are many things that can happen with braces: broken brackets, pokey wires, loose appliances, etc. Some of these may require an extra visit to the office. We will talk with you about how best to prevent mishaps with your braces.

Treatment Process
● Invisalign: The Invisalign system uses a series of custom-made, removable aligners that are changed every 1-2 weeks. Teeth move by adapting to the different shapes of the aligners over time. Aligners can be removed for eating and brushing, which makes oral hygiene easier.
● Braces: Braces are fixed in place and require regular visits for adjustments. The wires that attach to your braces are what move your teeth. We will change them at your regular appointments to keep your teeth moving the right direction. Patients must be cautious about what they eat and maintain a careful oral hygiene routine to prevent plaque buildup.

Effectiveness
● Invisalign: Aligners are effective for some cases, especially mild to moderate misalignments. However, there are several factors that can make Invisalign less effective than braces.
● Braces: Braces work well in nearly all situations. Braces work well for mild to moderately complex situations, and are definitely more appropriate for severe alignment issues, complex cases, or when significant movement is required.

Duration of Treatment
● Invisalign: Treatment time with aligners varies, but it often takes about 12-18 months, depending on the complexity of the tooth movements that are required.
● Braces: Treatment duration with braces also varies, generally lasting 18 months to 3 years. Braces can be on shorter periods of time depending on the treatment plan.

Cost
● Invisalign and Braces: Fees are similar. We customize fees based on the estimated treatment time and the complexity of the treatment plan.
Compliance
● Invisalign: Wearing aligners appropriately requires discipline, consistency, and commitment. Aligners must be worn for 20-22 hours a day for optimal results. Losing aligners can be a problem. Lack of aligner wear can extend treatment time or prompt a discussion of switching to braces.
● Braces: Braces require lifestyle adjustment to prevent breakage and keep the teeth and gums healthy. Braces are fixed in place, so there’s no concern about forgetting to wear them; however, patients must avoid certain foods and take other measures to prevent damage.

Follow-Up Care
● Invisalign: Invisalign requires fewer in-office visits (usually every 3-4 months), but patients need to ensure they’re following the aligner schedule at home.
● Braces: Braces require regular adjustments and check-ups every 6-8 weeks to monitor progress and make necessary changes.

Oral Hygiene
● Invisalign: Aligners should be removed for eating and drinking anything aside from water. Aligners must be cleaned daily. Removing the aligners allows for standard flossing and brushing techniques. Dietary changes are minimal..
● Braces: Braces cannot be removed for eating, so they must be cleaned thoroughly after every meal. Flossing and brushing techniques should be adjusted to adequately clean around braces. Patients must expect to take extra time when brushing and flossing. Dietary changes are necessary to prevent damaging the braces.

Invisalign vs Metal Braces: Conclusion

Invisalign and braces have advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice depends on individual needs, preferences, and the complexity of the orthodontic issues being addressed. At Murray Orthodontics we will talk with you about your options and help determine the best course of treatment for your situation.

Call Murray Orthodontics to schedule your free consultation today at 907-277-0502.

As I grew older, I realized I liked the fact that he was plugged in to the community. He knew what was going on. He also came home for lunch every day. He was home at the same time every evening for dinner. This was significant as my hometown was a bedroom community of New York City for many families whose parents (fathers) worked on Wall Street. The town was empty of most men from 6AM until 6PM.

In the summer I used to love riding past his office to stop by and pinch an apple juice and snack from the refrigerator while Dad saw patients. The staff always made me feel special. (It took me years to figure out why!). If I got to his office at the end of a summer day, on my bike, occasionally we’d grab a snack at the local hospital across the street.  He knew everyone and they knew him. Again, I was always greeted and made to feel very special. It was a great feeling; a Norman Rockwell kind of feeling.

By the end of eighth grade, like many of my classmates at that time, I went off to boarding school. And quite frankly, I never went home again. Summers were spent playing sports in camps far from home. Then it was back to boarding school. Then college.

I had a great desire for adventure as a young man and I traveled around the world picking up jobs along the way to make ends meet after college. Alaska was one of those stops “along the way”. Like many people who come to Alaska I fell in love with the place and could not get enough of it. My occupation at that time consisted of pushing crab pots and dragging for pollack in the Bering Sea. After several years of commercial fishing I decided to go back to what I was familiar with growing up. That consisted of being home every night, helping with family, and being involved in daily community life. Orthodontics as an occupation would give me that life. By that time, I discovered I liked working with my hands. I liked being engaged with people. I liked being a member of the community. I liked the purpose of the job; helping those around me reach their full potential, be it staff or patients. It didn’t hurt that when one goes off to boarding school at the age of thirteen their emotional growth stops. This has been an asset as I traffic all day in this age group.

From my base in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, I applied to dental school, was accepted, and spent eight years back in New York City attending dental and orthodontic programs at Columbia University. I met my wife Vivienne there. I told her I was headed back to Alaska as soon as I completed my training. Her thirst for adventure was even greater than mine as she was already a citizen of the UK living in New York. What was another 4500 hundred miles to her? She joined me and we’ve been grateful to the community of Anchorage and Alaska for taking us in and giving us the opportunity to flourish, raise two wonderful children, Katherine and Alex, and be an integral part of the community.  It’s been a blessing. I am grateful to serve my neighbors.

My father and uncle were both general dentists. Jim Libby and Steve Libby practiced in Anchorage, Alaska for over 30 years. They had separate practices, different styles, business and practice philosophies, but their career paths were essentially parallel. In addition, my aunt is a nurse. For all of my life I have been immersed in a family who’s careers revolved around health care, which surely influenced my choices.

As such, my earliest career aspirations always had something to do with health care. Feeling a need to differentiate myself from my father’s career path, and maybe a throwback tribute to my grandfather, I entered college enrolled in a pre-medicine track which entailed the usual science courses. My interests were not confined to the sciences, however. I explored the humanities with courses in religion, history, philosophy, and music. I enjoyed liberal arts studies, but felt inevitably drawn to the practical and humanitarian aspects of science and health care for my vocation. I rode the wave of the usual coursework through my first couple years.

After my second year of college I spent nine months being what we called in the Seventh-day Adventist church college system, a “student missionary.” I took a year off from school and went to El Salvador to work in an orphanage. I was drawn to this location because plans were in the works to open a medical/dental clinic while I was there. My time in Central America was a highly influential experience which provided me with perspective that I carry to this day. I learned very quickly how privileged I was being born in the United States in an affluent family. Being immersed in third-world living conditions changed how I see our world, our nation, economics, politics, and so on. I cannot recommend highly enough for young people to get out of the United States and see how the majority of the world lives, but I digress.

My parents gamely came to visit while I was there for a week. Working with my father, we did basic dental exams, cleanings, and sealants on the kids at the orphanage. This was the first time I actually had hands in people’s mouths. With no formal training at this point, it was difficult, foreign, and not exactly pleasant, to be honest.

I realized, upon returning to the states to finish college, that I had some big decisions to make. Should I continue on the pre-medicine track, take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), and apply to medical school? Or should I switch to dentistry? I observed several physicians in Anchorage while home for the summer. I also spent more intentional time in dental offices, which I hadn’t really done before–who wants to go with their dad to work anyway? I came to the conclusion that what I really wanted to do was to help people in a tangible, concrete way; I wanted to work with my hands, fixing things; and I wanted a lifestyle that included a measure of independence and autonomy. I knew that I didn’t want work to consume my life. The more I learned about the daily routines of medicine and dentistry, the clearer it became that dentistry was the better fit for me.

Fortunately, the prerequisite science classes for dental school were essentially identical to those for medical school. I finished collegiate studies at Walla Walla College in 2001 with a degree in the Humanities with minors in music and chemistry and prepared to take the DAT (Dental Admission Test). My test scores and grades were sufficient to get me into Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. (It didn’t hurt that my grandfather was a medical school alum, and my dad and uncle were dental school alumni.) The Libby legacy runs through Loma Linda, California as well.

I left Walla Walla College with not only a college degree, but, more importantly, my lifelong partner. Cynthia Loor Libby and I married in September 2001. As a brief aside, we were honeymooning in Hawaii on 9/11. Our return flight to California to begin dental school was one of the first airplanes in the air after the attacks.

I finished dental school in 2005. More out of a habit of trying to excel academically rather than a deep fascination with the specialty, I applied to orthodontic residency programs during my senior year. My applications were all turned down. While I received this with some disappointment as I was not “chosen,” a large part of me was actually relieved. In retrospect, I was tired of school and was ready for what was next. My father was still practicing dentistry in Anchorage. I had a job waiting for me to practice with him. There was no sense sticking around Loma Linda to try to get into ortho residency programs again the next year. It was time to head North! North to Alaska!

Cindy and I drove our belongings (which all fit in a trailer at that time!) through Canada to Anchorage. We bought a house, had our first kid in 2006, and I had a solid job working with my dad in his practice. I had the option to buy him out, take over the practice, and make a career out of it. All was well, except it wasn’t.

The itch to differentiate myself in my career returned. Being in the “real world” of work made me realize how much I enjoyed the academic environment, the collegiality of working alongside others who are learning and growing with you. Having practiced general dentistry for about four years at that point, I also realized that I did not have the emotional makeup to do that for my entire career. It is no secret that people don’t like seeing their dentist. It seemed that, despite my best efforts, I continually was trying to make the best of difficult situations in people’s lives. They didn’t like being in the office, they were afraid, they were in pain. It was draining. I was early in my career, but was already feeling suffocated by the idea of doing this for the next 20 years. I needed to do something else. I needed a change.

And so I went through the application process again for orthodontic residencies and was accepted into Loma Linda’s program. I entered the 27-month residency program in the summer of 2009. I’m not sure what Cindy and I were thinking at the time, but during the course of one calendar month, we moved from Alaska to California, we sold our Anchorage house, we had a second kid, and I started school full-time. It was a wild ride, but we survived.

After being away from school for several years, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in residency. The ortho residency class size was six, which, after being in a dental school class of nearly 100, was intimate and focused. We got along famously, becoming great friends. The return to the structure of a program and academic calendar was perfect for me at the time. I worked hard, but with the perspective that comes only from having been in the “real world” of dentistry for a time. I knew what were simply hoops to jump through, and I recognized what was truly valuable knowing that school would end at some point. As a more mature student, I found I no longer had any sort of adversarial relationship with my professors and instructors. They were now my colleagues, mentors, and resources with great depth of knowledge and experience. I soaked it up.

I loved (and still do) the combination of skills that orthodontics requires. One must have the conceptual framework to solve a 3-dimensional puzzle within the confines of a living human being’s mouth and face. And one must have the skill to execute this plan in a dynamic, changing environment, that is constantly in use. And one must master the materials, supplies, and techniques to get the results intended. All while building relationships with kids and parents. It is a blend of physiology, biology, physics, engineering, metallurgy, business management, and psychology that allows the magic of orthodontics to happen.

I found I liked the challenge of deliberating over the best decision possible for each patient, and then executing that plan. The hard work at the beginning of treatment finalizing the proper diagnosis and treatment plan either sets the course for a great outcome, or perpetual challenges. Once the diagnosis and plan is settled, carrying out the plan is often, but not always, easy.

Finishing residency in 2011, with Cindy and two kids making us a family of four, we decided to return to Anchorage. During the course of the intervening years, we have experienced the challenges of owning our own orthodontic practice, and, later, of joining forces with John and Vivienne Murray in a mutually rewarding partnership that is going strong after six years.

After over ten years of practicing orthodontics in Anchorage I enjoy having people want to be in the office. I enjoy working with kids. I love looking at before and after pictures where we accompany young people through a couple of very formative years in their lives where they start as children and end up as young adults ready to take on the world. I love playing a small part in making kids feel better about themselves, helping them take personal responsibility for their well-being, and improving their quality of life. I have been around long enough to have young people come to the office for career advice, to job shadow, or to get experience in the dental field. It is incredibly gratifying to share some of what I know with young adults who are now embarking on their own career paths.

Along with my grandfather delivering babies, my dad and uncle taking care of people’s oral health for 30 years, I am privileged to continue a legacy of building relationships within Alaska and beyond that I hope somehow make the world a better place one smile at a time.

Some orthodontic movements require changes in the bone structure itself, rather than simply moving teeth. Dentofacial orthopedics is the process of changing bone structures in the face. This can be done several different ways. The most common would be a rapid palatal expander. Jaw surgery would also change the bone structures in the face. The reason for orthopedic changes is to get the bones in the right place to support the correct placement of the teeth. Properly placed teeth and bone structures give you a vibrant smile, good chewing and bite function, and long-term stability for overall oral health. Your orthodontist is trained to evaluate and address how all these factors interact, determine the most appropriate options for your treatment, and then carry out that treatment effectively and efficiently.  

The Derheims success story at Murray Orthodontics is inspiring, now mom and daughters have a healthy smile!

            So, what is an orthodontist anyway? An orthodontist is a dental specialist, a dentist who has taken focused and intensive training in a particular area of dentistry while in a program or residency that is accredited by the dental profession to grant specialty status to their graduates. Training and education to become an orthodontist generally includes a four-year college degree with a curriculum that includes many science classes to prepare for dental school. College is followed by dental school, another four years, with clinical and classroom training. After dental school and completing the licensure process, one may practice general dentistry, but may not claim specialty status. Becoming an orthodontic specialist requires two to three years additional training (depending on the particular residency program) after dental school in an accredited orthodontic residency program, after completion of which one is able to practice the specialty of orthodontics exclusively. All orthodontists are dentists. One cannot become an orthodontist without also being a dentist. In other words, all orthodontists have the same training as general dentists, as well as additional training to be recognized as a specialist. 

            Some orthodontic residency programs provide a master’s degree upon completion. Others provide a certificate upon completion. Both the certificate and the master’s degree allow an orthodontist to practice the specialty of orthodontics. Completion of the master’s degree requires additional academic work, such as research, along with the clinical and classroom training to perform orthodontics. This is why some orthodontists have the letters MS (Master of Science) after their name, and some do not. The certificate and master’s degree do not indicate any difference in expertise or skill, they are simply related to the type of residency program completed. (While we are on the subject of letters after names, there are generally two different certifications for general dentistry in the United States. One is DDS, which stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. The other is DMD, which stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine. The difference is purely convention; there is no substantive difference between the dental school programs that give DMD versus DDS degrees. All are held to the same educational standards.) 

            General dentists have a wide latitude in the procedures they are allowed to perform. This can include and overlap with procedures that dental specialists are trained in, such as complex extractions of teeth, root canals, gum surgeries, dentistry for children, and orthodontics. A dentist’s ability to do these things well is generally acquired through continuing education courses and experience. Dental specialists restrict their practice to their specialty, for which they have completed a multi-year residency program. So, your general dentist is capable of performing orthodontics, but does not have the training and additional education that your orthodontist does. 

            Finally, you may have noticed that your orthodontist is “board certified.” Certification by the American Board of Orthodontists is not required to practice orthodontics; it is optional and voluntary to take the exam to be board certified. Board certified orthodontists have taken the time and effort to study and hone their expertise to pass the board examination. Currently about 60% of practicing orthodontists have chosen to become board certified. If your orthodontist is board certified, you know that they have gone the extra mile in their dedication to the profession. Both Dr. Libby and Dr. Murray are board certified.

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Warren Libby, DDS

OCTOBER 20, 2022

Invisalign: Removable or Fixed?

We know you have questions about Invisalign. We’re going to discuss orthodontic treatment with  aligners in several upcoming blog posts. Today we’ll start with some history to give context for the upcoming posts. Moving teeth with removable appliances (as opposed to braces) is not new. Modified wire appliances, modified retainers, acrylic, plastic and wire contraptions have been around for a long time. Their variety is limited only by the creativity and resourcefulness of the orthodontist and the willingness of the patient to wear them. Fixed braces as we know them are something designed and patented in the United States over 100 years ago by none other than Edward Angle, widely considered the father of modern orthodontics. In Europe the preference for orthodontic treatment with removable appliances has been much higher than in the States. At the fundamental, biological level, all it takes to move teeth is a small sustained force applied to a tooth over a period of time. Fixed and removable appliances can have similar effects as long as they work within the same basic principles.

The beginning of Align

In the mid-1990’s, Zia Chishti, a young entrepreneur who was working on his MBA at Stanford, was seeing his orthodontist who was using a retainer to finish his orthodontic treatment. Chishti  thought, why can’t the entire treatment be done with a clear removable appliance rather than just a minor tuneup after braces? Fast forward and the business of Invisalign was born. Founded in 1997, Align is now a multinational, publicly traded company with over 13 million patients treated with their aligner system. Align has developed and acquired additional companies incorporating technology that allows digital scanning of teeth and 3D printing. Align’s sophisticated software algorithms digitally simulate and predict tooth movement and interface with the treating doctor, allowing full control of the tooth movement process by the orthodontist.

Invisalign Success Story: the Derheims

The Derheims success story at Murray Orthodontics is inspiring, now mom and daughters have a healthy smile!

Align expands

Invisalign was initially marketed exclusively to orthodontists, but in 2001 the company began offering their products and services to general dentists. This dramatically increased their market presence, but also placed some orthodontic treatment in the hands of generalists rather than in the hands of orthodontic specialists. This is nothing new as general dentists are permitted to practice orthodontics if they are proficient and choose to do so. However, the user interface and software algorithms developed over time have made Invisalign much more user-friendly. One can practice orthodontics using Invisalign and have the treatment still “work” without really understanding at a deep level the biological, physiological, and mechanical principles that underlie modern orthodontics. The difficulty lies in understanding why things don’t “work” and what to do about it. Ideally, one would have enough training and experience to identify these issues ahead of time so that all parties understand the challenges presented and agree on expectations. Orthodontic training ensures that your orthodontist understands the principles of tooth movement and can prescribe aligners in such a way that your treatment proceeds safely and effectively.

What do orthodontists think?

As an assertive player in the orthodontic market with an aggressive advertising campaign, orthodontists have had to adapt. Some orthodontists have embraced the product, understanding that a digital workflow and convenience are driving factors with consumer choices. Some have eliminated braces from their practice entirely. Others have been more reticent, with concerns that the profession is being unfairly influenced by an overwhelming economic and marketing force. Most orthodontists are adopting the use of aligners, seeking to deliver care in a manner that patients want, and that is effective and convenient,  while also understanding that aligners are simply a tool, one of many, that we have at our disposal to address the specific challenges that each patient brings. Murray Orthodontics has found Align to be an effective and expedient way of allowing us to meet our patients’ needs and wants.

More players on the field.

The patent rights on Invisalign’s aligner materials and systems expired in 2017. This opened the door for many new players in the aligner market. There are many options for the orthodontist who wants to use aligners. However, Invisalign has the advantage of decades of experience refining their product, systems, and software. Also, recently on the market are direct-to-consumer orthodontic aligner companies whose business model is to bypass a treating dentist or orthodontist entirely. Invisalign has committed itself to the doctor-prescribed and monitored model of care. Automating the process to the exclusion of the direct patient to doctor relationship may be a tantalizing business opportunity, but is ethically troublesome, is not in the best interest of orthodontic patients, and is not part of Invisalign’s vision. Direct-to-consumer aligners are simply dangerous. Direct supervision by an orthodontist is the safest way for you to experience orthodontics. More to come on this topic.

What’s next?

With the improvements in software analytics and design, artificial intelligence, digital scanner accuracy and efficiency, coupled with the cumulative data of over 30 years of treating patients with aligners and collaborating with orthodontists, Invisalign has positioned itself to continually improve on its vision of providing predictable, comfortable orthodontic treatment with a removable appliance that is hygienic, easy to use, and esthetically pleasing. We at Murray Orthodontics have treated hundreds of cases with Invisalign aligners over many years. Drs. Murray and Libby have spent dozens of continuing education hours learning how best to customize and deliver aligners for each patient’s unique needs. Stay tuned: more to come on what your experience would be like choosing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign.

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Warren Libby, DDS

We at Murray Orthodontics were pleased to visit recently with our dental colleagues at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Dr. Murray joined the dentists on base to review what we do at Murray Orthodontics to take care of enlisted patients and their families. We talked about our services with braces and with aligners for orthodontic treatment. We talked about how the technology we use in our office, such as the iTero digital scanner for Invisalign, help us take better care of our patients. A digital approach affords patients fewer visits in the office, a more comfortable experience, and more accurate treatment plans. The dentists at JBER found this information impressive and helpful.

Sometimes patients present with complex situations that require some research and planning to find the best path forward. Murray Orthodontics is a resource for our dental colleagues at JBER to help create better treatment plans. Collaboration, cooperation, and consulting between us as orthodontists and the general dental team improves results for our mutual patients, especially in situations that may require surgery or other dental procedures in addition to orthodontics. Even in routine cases, working closely with the general dental team that manages patients’ overall oral health is critical for successful orthodontic treatment. Connecting with JBER dentists allows us to do just that. Better outcomes for our patients come through such conversations.

Finally, having multiple locations gives our patients the option to choose which location is more convenient for them. We find it a privilege to serve our enlisted patients and their families at both our South Anchorage and Eagle River locations. Eagle River is especially convenient for those living in north and east Anchorage and on-base. 

Dental Options Outside of Military Dental Clinics

For dental care outside of a military dental clinic, TRICARE offers dental coverage for service members, families and survivors. TRICARE covers braces and clear aligners under some circumstances, please contact your dental professional for more information. To learn more and see which plan you may use, visit www.tricare.mil/dental

Murray Orthodontics appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with other dental providers at JBER and is excited about the mutually rewarding relationships that allow us to take better care of our patients.

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Warren Libby, DDS

Your Invisalign experience begins with your first phone call to our office. If you are interested or open to discussing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign we will make note to be prepared during your in-person examination. As a courtesy, we will check your insurance benefits to be prepared to give you a range of financial options. We will do as much as we can prior to your arrival to make your visit as seamless and efficient as possible.

Your Visit to Murray Orthodontics

When you arrive in the office you will be greeted by our treatment coordinator who will host you during your time with us. Your treatment coordinator will talk with Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby and with you to iron out any and all details as you prepare to begin Invisalign treatment. You will also meet a records technician. To prepare for your exam we will need several digital images. Your records technician will obtain digital x-rays, digital photographs of your teeth and face, and a digital scan of your teeth. Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby review these images with your treatment coordinator prior to meeting with you in order to better understand your situation, needs, and wishes.

Preparing for your Custom Invisalign Treatment

Dr. Murray or Dr. Libby and your treatment coordinator will then greet you for an in-person examination to get to know you better and understand what options might be best for you. We will be evaluating jaw function, jaw relationships, any dental issues, bite and alignment of your teeth, among other things. You will be presented with a treatment plan, or options for treatment plans. We will then allow you to consider your options. Your treatment coordinator will review and answer any questions that you may have.

You may have the option to see a digitized treatment simulation. This automated, computer-generated simulation is simple and quick. So, while not an exact representation of your finished result, it will allow you to visualize your finished smile. Depending on the complexity of your plan Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby may want to evaluate and customize your treatment simulations. If multiple options are available for you, then reviewing multiple treatment simulations will help determine your best plan.

Once we reach a decision about the plan we are pursuing and complete the necessary paperwork, the digital scan of your teeth will be uploaded to Align. Accompanying your scan will be detailed instructions from Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby as to what our goals are and how to move your teeth. Dr. Murray and Libby work through several revisions of your plan with the Align software called ClinCheck, collaborating with an Align technician to personalize and optimize your treatment plan. The details of how to move your teeth, attachment design, number and staging of aligners, etc. are all done behind the scenes, while you are away from the office.

VIDEO: The Benefits of iTero Scanning Technology

We scan your smile using iTero technology to make a custom plan for your Invisalign treatment.

Your Invisalign Treatment Takes Shape

Once we are happy with your plan, we approve it. At that point, the digital design process takes physical shape: Align begins the physical manufacturing and packaging of your aligners. The timing from your in-person examination until your aligners arrive in the office is typically no more than one month.

Once your aligners arrive in the office, we prepare them for delivery to you in order to minimize the amount of time you need to spend in the office. This means getting attachments ready to bond to your teeth. When you arrive in the office to receive your aligners your teeth are prepared by our orthodontic technicians and attachments are bonded to the teeth. The attachments help the plastic aligners move your teeth more efficiently. It takes some time to get used to feeling the attachments on your teeth. We will orient you to wearing your aligners.

Wearing Aligners and Retainers for a Successful Invisalign Treatment

Successful treatment with aligners requires 20-22 hours of aligner wear per day. Unless instructed otherwise, you will change your aligners every week. You will receive detailed instructions for aligner success the day you receive your aligners.

You will notice that the number of aligners you receive does not match the estimated number of months of treatment. When you finish your first series of aligners, Dr. Murray and Dr. Libby will scan your teeth again, carefully assess what needs to be done, and order additional aligners to continue your treatment. This “refinement scan” or reset is perfectly normal and is a planned part of the treatment process. It typically happens once or twice during the normal course of treatment. Don’t expect to be finished with treatment when you are done with your first series of aligners.

As you finish your Invisalign treatment, retainers are essential to keep your teeth straight. We will scan your teeth and order retainers which you will receive on the same day that your attachments are removed. Retainers should be worn every night during sleeping or as instructed by Dr. Murray or Dr. Libby. Enjoy the lifetime benefits of a healthy smile!

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Warren Libby, DDS

MAY 22, 2023