Invisalign uses a series of computer-designed clear plastic trays — called aligners — that fit precisely over your teeth. Each set of aligners is slightly different from the last, applying gentle, controlled pressure to move specific teeth in specific directions. You wear each set for approximately two weeks, then switch to the next set in the series. Gradually, over the course of treatment, your teeth move into their planned positions.
The aligners are thin, transparent, and fit so precisely that most people won’t notice you’re wearing them. They don’t change the shape of your face or make your lips look different. They’re worn 20 to 22 hours a day and removed only for eating, drinking (anything other than water), and brushing and flossing.
In some cases, small tooth-colored attachments are bonded to certain teeth to give the aligners additional grip for more complex movements. These attachments are barely visible and are removed when treatment is complete.
An orthodontist straightens teeth. A cosmetic dentist who offers Invisalign straightens teeth as part of designing a smile. The distinction matters when your goals go beyond just alignment:
Spacing teeth for golden proportions. Dr. Kriston uses Invisalign to position teeth so that their widths and proportions to each other achieve the golden proportion relationships that make a smile look naturally beautiful. This is smile design thinking applied to orthodontics — the movement isn’t just about straight, it’s about proportional.
Aligning before veneers. When teeth are severely tipped or rotated, preparing them for veneers or crowns could expose the nerve. Invisalign moves them just enough to make safe preparation possible. In other cases, Invisalign handles the primary alignment and veneers or bonding repair the worn, chipped, or uneven edges that resulted from years of being malpositioned.
Integrating with full mouth reconstruction. In complex cases, Invisalign repositions teeth into optimal positions before crowns, bridges, or implant restorations are placed — ensuring that the final restorations have ideal proportions and bite relationships.
Having one doctor who does the alignment, the veneers, the bonding, and the smile design means every step is coordinated toward the same aesthetic and functional goal.
This is one of the most common reasons adults seek Invisalign. You had braces as a teenager, but over the years — especially if retainers weren’t worn consistently — teeth have drifted back toward their old positions. Gaps reopen, teeth tip and rotate, and the alignment you once had is gradually lost.
Relapsed cases are the perfect application for Invisalign. The teeth have already been moved once, so the bone and tissues are familiar with the process. Treatment is typically faster — often six months or less — and the result restores the alignment you had before.
As with any orthodontic treatment, a retainer is needed afterward to maintain the result. Dr. Kriston has innovative solutions for retention that he discusses with each patient.
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Invisalign is frequently the first phase of a smile makeover or full mouth reconstruction. By moving teeth into better positions before restorations are placed, Dr. Kriston ensures that the final veneers, crowns, or bonding can achieve ideal proportions without excessive tooth preparation.
This is particularly important when teeth are so severely tipped or crowded that preparing them for veneers in their current position would risk exposing the nerve. Invisalign moves them just enough to make safe, conservative preparation possible — preserving more natural tooth structure and reducing the risk of needing root canals.
This is a clinical application most patients — and many dentists — don’t know about, but it’s one Dr. Kriston uses to significant cosmetic and health benefit.
Lower front teeth that are tipped forward toward the lip frequently have facial recession — the gum tissue and bone on the front surface have pulled away, exposing the roots. Most people don’t realize that when you tip these teeth upright with Invisalign, the gum tissue follows. The recession can improve simply by correcting the tooth’s position.
Additionally, lower front teeth are triangular in shape, with a strong taper from the biting edge down to the gums. As patients age, the papilla — the gum tissue that fills the space between teeth — recedes, creating dark triangles between the teeth. These dark triangles age the smile significantly and are a trap for plaque and tartar, contributing to further gum disease.
Dr. Kriston addresses this by combining Invisalign with cosmetic tooth reshaping: the sides of the triangular teeth are reshaped into more parallel contours (a technique called interproximal reduction or IPR), and Invisalign brings the teeth closer together, closing down the dark triangles. The result is a younger-looking smile that’s also healthier — aligned teeth are easier to clean, and eliminating the dark triangles removes the plaque and tartar traps.
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Some patients come to Dr. Kriston in their 50s, 60s, or older with a desire they’ve carried for decades: to finally have straight teeth. Perhaps orthodontics wasn’t available or affordable when they were young. Perhaps they never found the right time. Whatever the reason, Invisalign makes it possible at any age.
The clear, removable nature of Invisalign makes it especially appealing for adults who wouldn’t consider traditional metal braces. There’s no professional or social stigma — most people won’t even know you’re in treatment.
An open bite — where the front teeth don’t make contact when the back teeth are together — is one of the more challenging orthodontic problems. Dr. Kriston has treated open bite cases very successfully with Invisalign. Interestingly, open bites are notorious for relapsing after traditional braces are removed, partly because the interlocking nature of brackets and wires creates forces that can rebound when removed. The design of Invisalign, where teeth cannot interlock with the appliance, may offer an advantage in maintaining the correction.
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Dr. Kriston believes in being transparent about what Invisalign does exceptionally well and where traditional braces still have an edge:
Invisalign handles all three classes of orthodontic malocclusion (Class I, II, and III) in mild to moderate severity very effectively. But when there is a skeletal issue — where the problem isn’t just tooth alignment but the relationship between the upper and lower jaws themselves — cases become more complex and should be treated by a specialist. Dr. Kriston evaluates each case honestly and refers to an orthodontist or oral surgeon when the complexity exceeds what Invisalign can achieve.
Dr. Kriston no longer uses traditional brackets and wires for orthodontic treatment, with one exception: in an emergency where a tooth has been partially or completely knocked out of its socket, he will use brackets and wire to splint the tooth in place — like a cast for a broken bone — while it heals and reattaches.
Your Invisalign treatment begins with precise dental impressions that capture a detailed model of your teeth and bite. From these, the Invisalign treatment plan is designed digitally — you can see a simulation of how your teeth will move from start to finish before treatment begins.
If Invisalign is part of a larger cosmetic plan (veneers, bonding, or a smile makeover), the tooth movement is designed specifically to position teeth where the final restorations will achieve their best result. The alignment isn’t an end in itself — it’s a step in a coordinated design.
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During Treatment
You’ll wear your aligners 20 to 22 hours a day, switching to a new set every two weeks. You’ll visit Dr. Kriston periodically to check progress and receive your next sets of aligners.
A few practical tips from Dr. Kriston’s 20+ years of Invisalign experience:
• Remove aligners to eat anything other than water. Brush your teeth before putting them back in.
• Coffee, tea, and staining drinks can get between the aligner and your teeth — use a straw and brush soon after.
• The routine of removing aligners to eat tends to reduce snacking — many patients actually lose weight during treatment.
• Yes, you can kiss with Invisalign in. Better than with braces.
Treatment Timeline
Relapsed orthodontic cases (teeth that shifted after previous braces): typically 6 months or less.
Pre-veneer alignment (moving teeth just enough for safe veneer preparation): 6 weeks to 6 months depending on severity.
Moderate crowding or spacing (comprehensive alignment): 6 to 18 months.
Complex cases with attachments (significant movement, rotation correction, open bite): 12 to 18+ months.
After Treatment — Retention
As with any orthodontic treatment, teeth will tend to drift back toward their original positions without retention. A retainer is essential after Invisalign is complete. Dr. Kriston discusses retention options with each patient and has innovative solutions that make long-term retention practical and easy to maintain.
For patients whose Invisalign treatment leads into veneers or bonding, the final restorations themselves can help stabilize the teeth in their new positions — another advantage of having the alignment and the restorative work coordinated by the same doctor.
Invisalign is better than braces for the health of your gums. Because the aligners are removable, you can brush and floss normally throughout treatment. Traditional braces collect food around brackets and wires and make thorough cleaning significantly harder, increasing the risk of cavities and gum inflammation during treatment.
Beyond the hygiene advantage, the alignment itself improves gum health. Crowded, rotated, and protruding teeth are harder to clean and more prone to recession and periodontal problems. By straightening these teeth, Invisalign makes daily hygiene more effective and reduces the risk of long-term gum issues.
Aligned teeth are more cleanable teeth. And more cleanable teeth are healthier teeth.
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Many dentists and orthodontists offer Invisalign. What makes Dr. Kriston’s approach different is context: he sees Invisalign as one tool in a complete aesthetic and restorative toolkit, not as a standalone treatment.
His experience is unmatched in the Danville area. He took the very first Invisalign course ever offered to general dentists and has been treating cases continuously for over 20 years. He had already been trained in orthodontics before Invisalign existed. That depth of experience means he understands tooth movement at a level that goes far beyond following the software’s suggestions — he knows when to trust the digital plan and when to modify it based on what he sees clinically.
And because his practice also offers veneers, bonding, gum reshaping, teeth whitening, implant restorations, and full mouth reconstruction, Invisalign at Michael Kriston DDS isn’t just about getting teeth straight. It’s about getting teeth into position for the most beautiful, functional, lasting result — whatever that result involves.
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By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
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