Bobby Ghandehari, DDS, MS

It varies with the patient. Also how long you're wearing the trays. Most common tray transition is between 7-10 days. If you wear 22 hours a day and only take out to eat or brush most orthodontists allow you to wear a week at a time. You can consult at your next visit and ask your doctor if you can transition sooner, especially if you notice your trays getting loose after 7 days. If they are still tight the longer you wear them the more comfortable the process is and less likely to avoid teeth not tracking. Hope this helps!

This is common in Invisalign especially with back molars. Usually you can use a chewie that your orthodontist can give you to help seat the tray better, they may also trim the tray and pick up that molar in your next scan but it's nothing to worry about, just consult with your orthodontist so they can note it in your chart and make sure to catch it at your next appointment. Hope this helps!

I would call and get a virtual consult at a local orthodontist near you. Most offices offer complimentary. Then they would take your info and be able to give you an accurate estimate on how much to expect out of pocket. This is not a dumb question as insurance questions can be tricky. I don't want to put false hope into a hopeful heart so it's best to get an evaluation first to know how much your overall treatment would be. Most offices are doing Invisalign at the same cost as braces if not cheaper. Hope this helps.

I always advise to take a before photo ALWAYS! Then start with crest whitening strips and mouth wash first. See how many shades it gets your tooth color to before you go with the more aggressive approach. We use ZOOM in our office and see great results but some patients have high sensitivity so that's why if you start with the crest first it helps get you to the ideal shade more comfortably. As far as chemical peels or fillers I would consult with your esthetician or nurse whoever is doing that procedure as they would know what affects it would have externally since we are only treating internally. Hope this helps.

Refinements are a normal part of Invisalign. Just as braces sometimes need to be repositioned to "refine" the results of braces treatment. Invisalign can also improve it's result with these refinements. Some treatment plans require multiple refinements.