It is obvious that the most desirable advantage of Invisalign over traditional braces is the fact that they are nearly invisible. Because you are straightening your teeth without unsightly brackets and wires, you will not feel embarrassed or self-conscious of your smile during your treatment. You do not have to wait until the braces are off to show everyone your improving beautiful smile.
At the very most, it could cost the same amount as traditional braces. In many cases, it is much less expensive. Invisalign’s cost depends on how long your treatment takes. Very short treatment will cost less. Cases which need longer treatment will cost more.
After a thorough orthodontic evaluation, your dentist will give you an estimate of how long your orthodontic treatment should take.
Not all insurance plans provide orthodontic benefits. If your dental insurance does provide benefits for orthodontic treatment, those benefits apply to Invisalign in the same way that they apply to traditional braces. It is important to know whether your coverage has an age limit. Many orthodontic benefits specify an age up to which they will cover orthodontic treatment.
The best scenario is a dental insurance plan with orthodontic benefits that have no age limit. If you are not sure what type of benefits you have, call your dental insurance carrier and ask specifically what type of orthodontic benefits are provided and if there is an age limit to them.
Many people think their teeth are “too crooked” for Invisalign to work. Actually, Invisalign is even better at straightening severely crowded teeth than traditional braces. It is difficult to fit a traditional bracket on teeth which are very crooked, overlapped or rotated.
Invisalign accomplishes movement of teeth without needing a specific amount of tooth surface exposed for bracket placement. Tooth rotation can begin much sooner (and therefore be completed much more quickly) in treatment with Invisalign than with braces.
All orthodontic treatment causes some tenderness and a pressure-type pain in the teeth.
This is normal.
However, traditional brackets and wires can leave the interior lining of the mouth riddled with cuts, scratches, and ulcers. The smooth plastic surface of Invisalign aligners are less irritating to the lips, cheeks and tongue.
In fact, the coverage of Invisalign aligners can be even smoother than the surface of natural teeth if they are chipped or jagged.
Unlike traditional braces, with Invisalign, a large portion of the responsibility for reaching your orthodontic goals lies with you. Your compliance is absolutely necessary for the success of the treatment. If you do not wear your Invisalign aligners, your teeth will not move.
If you wear them regularly, following your dentist’s recommendations as closely as possible, they will. This aspect of Invisalign means it is may not be the right choice for everyone. You must be honest with yourself and your dentist if you do not think you would diligently wear your aligners at least 22 hours each day.
Because the aligners are removable, you can take them out when you need to. This is both a pro and a con of Invisalign.
a. PRO– It is a pro because you have the flexibility to not wear your aligners for special events like weddings or photo shoots or speeches.
b. CON – It is a con because the aligners only work when they are in contact with your teeth. If you take a break for too long, you reduce your long-term success.
Our teeth are constantly moving and shifting. Crowding is a normal process of aging. Regardless of whether or not you have completed orthodontic treatment, your teeth will slowly crowd over time. The only way to combat this process is to retain (keep) the teeth where they are. If you do not want your teeth to relapse into crowding again after you have completed your Invisalign treatment, you must wear retainers regularly. There are several different types of retainers. Your dentist will help you choose which one is right for you.
a. Clear plastic retainers – These retainers are similar to Invisalign aligners and must be worn every night. They can deteriorate quickly if you clench or grind your teeth. On average, they need to be replaced about once every year.
b. Acrylic and wire retainer – Sometimes called a Hawley retainer, this type of retainer has the benefit of longevity. They do not need frequent replacement, and also must be worn every night.
c. Bonded wire retainer – Typically only placed on lower front teeth, this type of retainer consists of a metal wire conformed to the inside of the teeth and bonded into place with a dental cement. The advantage of this retainer is that you do not have to remember to wear it. The disadvantage is that it presents a challenge in cleaning that surface of the teeth.
d. Hard nightguard for nighttime clenching or grinding – If a nightguard is made from a hard acrylic material by your dentist from a custom mold of your teeth, it also performs the functions of a retainer and keeps the teeth in place. It also must be worn nightly.
Call today to set up an orthodontic consultation with one of our skilled dentists! They will evaluate your concerns and devise a customized treatment plan to help you meet your goal for a beautiful smile!
