Invisalign treatment at myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge
How aligner treatment is planned and supervised by certified specialist orthodontists, and how to find out whether it suits your case.
Invisalign is a system of clear, removable aligners made by Align Technology, and it is a tool, not a treatment plan. The same product produces very different results at different offices because the outcome depends on the diagnosis and on the person planning each tooth movement. This page explains how that planning works at myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge, so you know what to expect before you book.
Who is a good Invisalign candidate?
Most people with crowding, spacing and mild to moderate bite problems, healthy gums, and the discipline to wear aligners at least 20 hours a day. Teens do well when the wear-time question is answered honestly, and adults of any age are treated provided the gums are healthy. Children as young as 7 are treated with Invisalign First in selected Phase 1 cases. Candidacy is a diagnosis, not a guess, which is where the consultation comes in.
What happens at the first Invisalign consultation
The complimentary evaluation takes about 45 minutes. You meet the clinical team, describe what bothers you, and the orthodontist examines the teeth, the bite, the gums and, for children and teens, jaw growth and the airway. No referral is needed in BC, and nothing is decided in that room; you leave with options, not pressure.
Records: scan, photos and x-rays
A digital scan replaces goopy impressions and produces a 3D model of your teeth in minutes. Photographs record the face and smile, and an x-ray, taken when indicated, shows the roots, the bone and any unerupted teeth. These records are what separate a planned medical treatment from a plastic subscription: the movements are designed around what is happening under the gums, not just what shows in a mirror.
How the specialist orthodontist reviews the plan
Align's software proposes movements; the orthodontist rewrites them. A certified specialist in orthodontics, with two to three years of full-time residency after dental school, decides which teeth move first, how much force each aligner applies, where attachments are placed and how the bite is corrected, then reviews the digital plan tooth by tooth before anything is manufactured. Refinements near the end of treatment are planned the same way and are included in the fee here.
When Invisalign works well
Crowding, spacing, many overbites, underbites, crossbites and open bites, and relapse after earlier treatment, particularly in growing patients. It suits people who want treatment to be discreet, athletes and wind players, and anyone who would rather eat without food restrictions.
When braces may be more predictable
Severe rotations of round teeth, large vertical movements, complex extraction cases and impacted teeth often finish better with braces, and severe skeletal problems in adults may involve jaw surgery regardless of appliance. The other honest reason is wear time: if aligners will sit in a pocket after lunch, braces are the kinder choice. Sometimes the answer is both, a few months of braces for the difficult movements, then aligners to finish. Our braces or Invisalign page explains how we decide.
Cost and insurance, discussed before you commit
Comprehensive Invisalign at Lower Mainland specialist offices generally costs about the same as comprehensive braces for a comparable case, and limited front-teeth treatment costs less. At myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge the full fee is quoted in writing at the evaluation, includes attachments, refinements and retainers, is billed directly to insurance, and can be paid monthly without interest. The cost and insurance page covers BC plans in detail.
After the last aligner: retainers and retention
The final aligner is not the final step. Retainers are fitted as treatment ends and are worn full time at first, then nightly for the long term, because teeth drift for life. The retainers page explains the types and wear schedules.
Common questions
Do I need a referral for an Invisalign consultation in Maple Ridge?
No. In BC you can book directly with a certified specialist in orthodontics. The first Invisalign evaluation at myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge is complimentary and includes a digital scan and an examination.
How many hours a day do I have to wear Invisalign?
At least 20 hours a day. Aligners come out only to eat, drink anything other than water, and brush. Wear time below that is the most common reason treatment runs long, and it is the first thing we assess honestly at the consultation.
Is Invisalign cheaper than braces?
At specialist offices the fees are usually similar for comparable cases. Limited aligner treatment for the front teeth only costs less than comprehensive treatment. The full fee is quoted in writing at the evaluation before you decide anything.
Will the orthodontist tell me if braces would work better for my case?
Yes. Some movements remain more predictable with braces, and some patients are honest that daily wear time is unrealistic. When that is the case, the recommendation is braces or a combination, not the option you arrived asking for.
Request a complimentary Invisalign evaluation
A 45-minute assessment at myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge with a digital scan, honest candidacy advice and the full fee in writing. No referral needed, insurance billed directly, interest-free monthly plans available.