“What’s the gist on Invisalign®? How does the process of Invisalign work at McKinney-Graham Dental Arts?”
“I think one place a lot of patients can get trapped, is thinking that Invisalign is just for cosmetics—and it’s really not. Tooth position, and tooth function is more important to me, as a dentist, than the cosmetic outcome. I love those things, and I’ll certainly put your case on Instagram, you can guarantee that, but when someone has shifted teeth we call that a “malocclusion”—just think of it as a bad bite, and the teeth don’t fit together the way they should. By offering a correction we’re preventing a chip, a break, bone loss, gum disease, etc.”
—Dr. McKinney with McKinney-Graham Dental Arts in Hickory, North Carolina
McKinney-Graham Dental Arts is a certified Invisalign provider offering everything you need to maintain and restore your healthy, beautiful smile – all in one location.
Here at McKinney-Graham, we take both traditional and state-of-the-art technology techniques, and we bring them both together to develop the best “smile design” plan for you.
“So, what exactly is Invisalign?”
“In what cases would Invisalign be ideal?”
“How can Invisalign transform my smile differently than traditional braces?”
“What kind of process can I expect?”
We’re excited to answer these questions for you!
Here’s the gist on Invisalign…
Invisalign uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you’re wearing. You’ll be able to smile more during treatment as well as after! Invisalign is made with 3D computer imaging technology and has been proven effective. Invisalign is the best clear alternative to braces!
“Dr. McKinney helped me to broaden my smile and align my bottom teeth. The reason that I chose Dr. McKinney to be my Invisalign provider is because I felt confident that he was on the cutting edge of dentistry, his staff there is very professional, and I just felt very confident with the whole practice… I can’t say enough good things about Wendy. I have been going to Wendy for over 25 years. Even though we’ve moved from Hickory to Charlotte I still drive to Hickory for my appointments, because I just love Wendy, she’s just so gentle and so personable and she’s just great. If I could summarize Dr. McKinney and his team in a phrase, I would just say that they’re amazing! They’re like family—they make you feel like family.” —Jennifer
When you visit our Hickory office and you’re interested in cosmetic dentistry, the first thing that we’re going to do is discuss your goals. We’ll sit down together and discuss important questions such as,
“What do you see about your smile that you would like to transform?”
“What do you like? What do you not like?”
“What is the smile you’ve always dreamed of?”
What’s really cool about the “smile design” process is we take your dreams—your vision for your dream smile, paired what we know works well—and we create a customized plan that will work uniquely for you.
“So, how does the process of Invisalign work at McKinney-Graham Dental Arts? What kind of process can I expect?”
With Invisalign, here’s how the process works at McKinney-Graham…
First, we’ll start by taking some photos of your smile—this is where we really start to dial in, and then we use our CEREC® Primescan Technology to scan your teeth. We then take the images from the scans, put them on a computer, and we can sit down and work together to design the smile you’ve always wanted. From there we can say, “Here’s where your teeth are, and here’s where we can get them to go.” It will give us a clear picture of what an Invisalign case would look like for you.
Next, you’re ready for your Invisalign trays! You’ll need to wear them 20-22 hours a day for maximum results. You will also need to progress through the different trays at a steady pace—normally one every week.
Q & A
“How long does the Invisalign process usually take?”
While every case is specific for each person, Invisalign treatment can take about a year for adults. For teens, the length is usually similar to that of traditional braces.
“How often will I need to come into the office?”
We recommend visiting our office about every 6 weeks for routine checkups so that we can ensure that your Invisalign treatment is on the right track. This could vary, depending on the case.
If you are ready to improve your smile with Invisalign contact us today for your personalized consultation! Improve your smile today with Invisalign in Hickory, North Carolina. Click the contact button on this page to get in touch, or go ahead and give us a call us at 828-328-5581. You can also send us an email admin@mckinneygraham.com to schedule your appointment, or to discuss other dental cosmetic options. Schedule your appointment today!
At your dentist appointment, we’ll go over your dental needs, and discuss a dental treatment plan that will be ideal for you— whether we use Invisalign or other methods. Here at McKinney-Graham Dental Arts, we are proud to be a trusted cosmetic and restorative dentist office right here in Hickory, NC. We look forward to walking with you on your dental transformation journey!