Is Invisalign^® Painful? Your FAQs Answered

Orthodontics is a specialist field of dentistry focused on diagnosing and treating issues resulting from alignment problems with the teeth and jaws. Specialist Orthodontists have extra training in this field.

A Specialist Orthodontist is a specialist who has completed 2-3 years of additional study at a university dental school. After completing a five-year dental undergraduate programme, an orthodontist typically practises first as a general dentist before undertaking further postgraduate specialist studies.

After full-time study in orthodontics, orthodontists graduate with a Masters of Dental Surgery in Orthodontics. They keep their knowledge current through ongoing professional development. Orthodontic specialists can be members of the NZ Association of Orthodontists.

The cost of braces depends on the type and length of treatment. We won’t know the exact cost of your treatment until we see you for a consultation, but we can help you spread out the costs with our flexible payment plans.

No, braces aren’t painful. Most patients will feel discomfort or soreness after fitting and adjustment appointments, but this is short-lived and can be treated with over-the-counter pain relief.

Orthodontists usually recommend your child has their first visit at around age 7 or when their adult teeth start coming through. Your orthodontist will assess your child's teeth and discuss the best treatment process with you.

It may be that treatment should be delayed – the orthodontist will guide you as to the likely time frame and will offer regular check-ups. Some children with a range of issues may require early treatment, have a break, and then restart treatment once more adult teeth are through or their jaw has grown more.

To protect your appliance, you’ll need to make a few small adjustments to your diet. Sticky and crunchy foods can dislodge your brackets and lengthen your treatment time. It’s also best to stay away from sugary foods and beverages that can cause tooth decay during treatment.

Our team can advise you on which foods are safe and which ones are best to stay away from during your treatment.

The usual treatment time for a teenager with braces is around 24 months. However the duration of treatment can vary from 3 months for a simple cosmetic correction through to several years, split into several treatment stages.

As long as your teeth and gums are healthy, you’re never too old for braces – or even aligners! Your Specialist Orthodontist will be able to assess your smile and see if you are ready for orthodontic treatment or if it’s best for you to have some dental work done first.

No, Invisalign® treatment isn’t painful. When you switch to a new set of aligners, the pressure may make your teeth a bit sore, but this is completely normal and should go away after a few days.

Invisalign® aligners may affect your speech in the short term, and you might have a slight lisp for a couple of days, similar to other orthodontic treatments. This should disappear once your tongue gets used to having the aligners in your mouth.

Since you can remove your aligners for meal times, you don’t need to adjust your diet during Invisalign® treatment.

The length of your treatment will depend on the movement you require and can only be determined by your orthodontist. The average time for comprehensive Invisalign® treatment is 12 - 18 months.

Aligners are most effective when worn at least 20 to 22 hours daily. They should only be removed for eating, brushing and flossing your teeth.

Yes! We can easily use braces or clear aligners to fix teeth that have shifted slightly after orthodontic treatment. Patients can often see results in just a matter of months.

If you have fixed braces, you can expect to visit us every 6 to 8 weeks. If you have clear aligners, you’ll visit every 8 to 10 weeks for checkups.

At OrthodontiX we can treat even complex orthodontic issues with Invisalign® treatment. We will need to examine your smile in person to determine if you are a candidate for clear aligners, but if so, we are happy to switch treatments for you.

Every smile is different, but most patients will see results within a few months of starting treatment.