Will It Matter Which Orthodontist I Go to for Invisalign?

Invisalign makes the aligners but we design them and tell them what teeth to move. They are not dentists, we are.The misconception is that Invisalign does all the work and that we simply take the molds and send them in. We add attachments, strip teeth, pick which teeth to move, design the length of treatment and the list goes on and on. Sometimes, I work on a single case for over a week sending Invisalign numerouse daily email. As of 2010 there will be a list of dentists available called... more

Invisalign fabricates trays but the orthodontist is the one who determines the treatment course. Remember that the aligners are like any other appliance. They are used as tools by the doctor, to help move teeth, just like braces, an expander, or using elastics. Invisalign is a mass-made 100% customizable appliance. Impressions are sent in and scanned in Mexico. The digital images are sent to Costa Rica where the models are dissected digitally. There are over 500 techs with little to no... more

There really IS a difference between providers, but it may seem minor. Of course, there is the office part (staff greeting you, general feelings of office, convenient location etc), but a more experienced provider may be able to direct Align (Invisalign Inc) as to how the case should progress. One office might submit the case and accept whatever Align suggests, and another provider may have preferences that require some "tweaking" of the ClinCheck®. The differences may be... more