Invisalign Edmonton

At Signature Dental, we offer Invisalign treatment to our patients. It consists of wearing a sequence of clear aligners that progressively place teeth in the proper position to both straighten them and correct your bite. No brackets or wires are needed. The aligners are clear and can be removed to eat and drink, brush and floss, or for special occasions.

The process

1. Invisalign treatment begins with a consultation. During this consultation, we use a digital scanner to record a video of your teeth that is used to map out a treatment plan.
2. Once you approve the plan, your trays are made and we arrange a fitting. Each set of aligners gradually shifts your teeth. Treatment time depends on your teeth and goals.
3. At the end of treatment, you receive a set of Vivera retainers to help keep your teeth in their new positions.

Invisalign at Signature Dental is provided by a general dentist, not an orthodontist. Suitability and results vary from person to person.

What Invisalign treats, and what it does not

Invisalign is orthodontic treatment: it moves teeth with a series of custom clear aligners, each shaped slightly differently from the one before. Align Technology, the company that makes Invisalign, lists crowded teeth, gaps and several bite problems among the conditions aligners are designed to treat, including overbite, underbite, crossbite and open bite. Dentists group these under one word, malocclusion, which simply means the teeth or jaws do not meet the way they should.

Straightening teeth is not only about appearance. The Canadian Dental Association notes that crowded and crooked teeth are hard to clean, so cavities and gum disease can develop, and that teeth that do not line up can make some foods hard to chew and cause some teeth to wear down.

You may want to ask about aligners if you notice:

• Teeth that overlap or feel crowded, so floss catches or shreds
• Spaces between your teeth
• Front teeth that have drifted or tipped over the years
• Teeth that have moved since braces you had as a teenager
• A bite that feels uneven when you close

Aligners are not the right tool for every case. Align’s own patient instructions state that aligners alone may not be adequate for some orthodontic problems, and that an ideal result may not always be possible. Some bite and jaw concerns call for braces or for an orthodontist, a recognized dental specialty. Dr. Rafael Bustamante, General Dentist, will tell you plainly what he sees, including when a referral makes sense.

Your Invisalign consultation, step by step

• Your goals. We ask what you would like to change and why: appearance, comfort, or teeth that are easier to keep clean.
• A health check first. We examine your teeth, gums, existing fillings and bite. Align’s instructions caution that orthodontic treatment can aggravate the gums and supporting bone, so any active decay or gum inflammation is treated before teeth are moved.
• Imaging only when it adds information. X-rays are taken when they help diagnosis. CBCT, a 3D X-ray, is reserved for questions that regular X-rays cannot answer, in line with Health Canada’s Safety Code 30 for dental radiation.
• A digital scan. We use a digital scanner to record a video of your teeth, with no goopy impression trays. The scan is used to map out a treatment plan, so you can get a sneak peek at your new smile.
• A plan you can see. Your plan is shown in Align’s ClinCheck software, a 3D simulation of how each tooth is planned to move, stage by stage. Align describes it as a computerized approximation, so it shows the plan, not a promise of the final result. Once you approve the final look of your smile, your trays are made and we arrange a fitting to start treatment.
• Costs and next steps. We explain the benefits, risks and alternatives, and give you a written estimate, so you can decide without pressure.

Attachments and IPR, explained

Many plans include attachments: small, tooth coloured bumps of composite resin bonded to selected teeth. Align describes them as handles that give the aligner something to push against. They come off at the end of treatment. Some plans also call for interproximal reduction (IPR), which means polishing away a very small amount of enamel between teeth to make room. Align notes it can cause temporary sensitivity. We show you whether your plan includes either one before you commit.

Book an Invisalign consultation Call (780) 482-3636

Wearing your aligners: 20 to 22 hours a day

Aligners move teeth only while they are in your mouth. Align’s instructions are to wear them 20 to 22 hours a day, or as your dentist directs, and to take them out only for eating, drinking and oral care. Align’s care guidance adds that aligners should come out before you eat or drink anything other than water, because food and drinks can stain the aligners and trap sugar or acid against your teeth.

• Brush after eating, then put your aligners back in.
• Rinse your aligners whenever they come out, and clean them with a soft toothbrush and lukewarm water. Hot water can damage them.
• Keep them in their case whenever they are out.
• Switch to each new set as directed. Align designs aligners to be changed every one to two weeks, at your dentist’s discretion.

What to expect: teeth often feel tender for a short time after each new set, and Align notes that any lisp usually settles within one or two weeks. If you feel sharp pain or significant discomfort, stop wearing the aligner and call us. Skipping wear time can lengthen treatment and affect the result.

Invisalign or braces?

Both work the way the CDA describes all orthodontic appliances: gentle pressure that, over months, moves teeth into a new position. Braces are fixed to the teeth and adjusted at appointments. With Invisalign, no brackets or wires are needed. The aligners are virtually invisible and can be removed to eat and drink, brush and floss, which is convenient, and it also means results depend on how consistently you wear them. The Canadian Dental Association notes that teeth can be moved at any age, and that more and more adults are having orthodontic treatment.

Which option suits you depends on the movement your teeth need, your bite, your habits and your preferences. If braces or an orthodontist would serve your teeth well, we will say so.

What affects the cost of Invisalign in Edmonton

We do not quote a price before we have seen your teeth. Factors that affect it include:

• How much movement your teeth need and how long treatment may take
• Whether one or both arches are being treated
• Any dental work needed before you start, such as fillings or a cleaning
• Mid course adjustments, called refinements, if the teeth need more aligners to finish
• Retainers after treatment
• Your dental plan: some plans include orthodontic coverage, which may have a lifetime maximum. We can help you request a predetermination from your insurer.

For background on Alberta’s suggested fee guide and how insurance estimates work, see dental fees and insurance.

After treatment: retainers and finishing touches

Teeth tend to drift back toward their old positions after orthodontic treatment, a change called relapse. A 2023 Cochrane review, which pools the research on orthodontic retention, found that without retainers teeth tend to move back. Align’s instructions say the same and note that consistent retainer wear should reduce this tendency. Your attachments are removed at the end of treatment, and you will receive a set of Vivera retainers, with instructions on how long to wear them.

Once teeth are straight, some adults notice small dark triangles near the gums between the front teeth. Dentists call these open gingival embrasures, and published research describes them as common in adults after orthodontic treatment. Dr. Rafael Bustamante, General Dentist, is Bioclear Certified, Master Track, and teaches the Bioclear Method. Bioclear lists black triangle closure among the core uses of the method. Read more about Bioclear restorations.

Early morning check-ins before work

We are open Monday to Thursday from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM, so progress checks can fit before your workday in downtown Edmonton. Our office is at #406, 11523 100 Ave NW, in the LeMarchand Mansion. Dr. Rafael Bustamante, General Dentist, plans and oversees your treatment from consultation to retainers. Keeping up with regular dental exams and cleanings during treatment protects the teeth you are straightening.

Related care

Related care at Signature Dental: Bioclear restorations for worn, chipped or gapped teeth, root canal therapy intended to save a natural tooth, and Invisalign clear aligners. Dr. Rafael Bustamante, General Dentist, provides all of these.

Book an Invisalign consultation Call (780) 482-3636

Frequently asked questions