Patient's informed consent and agreement regarding Invisalign® orthodontic treatment Your doctor has recommended the Invisalign® system for your orthodontic treatment. Although orthodontic treatment can lead to a healthier and more attractive smile, you should also be aware that any orthodontic treatment (including orthodontic treatment with Invisalign aligners) has limitations and potential risks that you should consider before undergoing treatment.
Device description Invisalign® aligners, developed by Align Technology, Inc. ("Align") consist of a series of clear plastic, removable appliances that move your teeth in small increments. Invisalign products combine your doctor's diagnosis and prescription with sophisticated computer graphics technology to develop a treatment plan which specifies the desired movements of your teeth during the course of your treatment. Upon approval of a treatment plan developed by your doctor, a series of customized Invisalign aligners is produced specifically for your treatment.
Procedure You may undergo a routine orthodontic pre-treatment examination including radiographs (x-rays) and photographs. Your doctor will take impressions or intra-oral scans of your teeth and send them along with a prescription to the Align laboratory. Align technicians will follow your doctor's prescription to create a ClinCheck® software model of your prescribed treatment. Upon approval of the ClinCheck treatment plan by your doctor, Align will produce and ship a series of customized aligners to your doctor. The total numberof aligners will vary depending on the complexity of your malocclusion and the doctor's treatment plan. The aligners will be individually numbered and will be dispensed to you by your doctor with specific instructions for use. Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, you should wear your aligners for approximately 20 to 22 hours per day, removing them only to eat, brush and floss. As directed by your doctor, you will switch to the next aligner in the series every two to three weeks. Treatment duration varies depending on the complexity of your doctor's prescription. Unless instructed otherwise, you should follow up with your doctor at a minimum of every 6 to 8 weeks. Some patients may require bonded aesthetic attachments and/or the use of elastics during treatment to facilitate specific orthodontic movements. Patients may require additional impressions, or intra-oral scans, and/or refinement aligners after the initial series of aligners.
Benefits
Risks and InconveniencesLike other orthodontic treatments, the use of Invisalign® product(s) may involve some of the risks outlined below: