Invisalign® Clear Aligners Throughout New England
Straightening Smiles in a Confident Way!
With traditional braces, you’re forced to learn how to accommodate metal brackets and other hardware into your daily life. This means making significant changes to the foods you can eat and the way you practice brushing and flossing. That said, Invisalign can be an ideal solution for those looking to obtain more freedom in their daily orthodontic routine. To learn more about Invisalign and how it might be able to help you achieve your smile goals, don’t wait to give our team a call!
How Does Invisalign® Work?
At the start of treatment, you’ll receive a series of clear plastic trays. They’re worn for about 22 hours per day, allowing them to slowly push the teeth into position; every two weeks, you’ll move on to the next stage of treatment, which means wearing new trays. Since all the aligners are made from the start, the number of times you’ll need to visit our orthodontic office will be kept to a minimum. Treatment can take several months, and a retainer will be required afterward so that the teeth stay in their new position.
Who Invisalign® Can Help
We typically recommend Invisalign for older children and adults only. Because young children’s mouths are still growing and developing, braces tend to be a much better fit. It should also be noted that severe orthodontic issues, such as pronounced overbites or underbites, can sometimes only be corrected using braces. Overall, most people who are interested in Invisalign are good candidates for it, but we can give you a definitive answer when you come to see us for a consultation. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more!
Crowded Teeth
Patients often visit us to improve the appearance of their smile. However, crowded teeth do more than take a toll on your self-esteem; they increase your risk of oral health problems, like cavities. So, it’s safe to say that investing your valuable time and money in Invisalign is well worth it!
Gaps Between Teeth
While some patients don’t have enough room in their mouth for their teeth to sit properly, others have the opposite problem: there is too much space! The good news is that Invisalign can gently guide your teeth into proper alignment if that’s the case – all without the metal.
Bite Alignment
If your upper and lower teeth don’t come together evenly, you could experience numerous problems – from chronic jaw pain to difficulty enunciating clearly. Fortunately, Invisalign can address mild to moderate cases of overbites, crossbites, underbites and open bites.
Life with Invisalign® Clear Aligners
Ideally, Invisalign trays should stay in your mouth for at least 22 hours a day; at the very least, you should never wear them for less than 20 hours. Otherwise, the necessary shifts won’t happen, and your smile won’t reach the straighter, healthier position you’re trying to achieve. You need to take your aligner out of your mouth whenever you eat or drink anything besides water; you will also remove it when you need to brush and floss your teeth. Also, to make sure the trays don’t become discolored, it’s important that you clean and store them in the provided case whenever they’re not in your mouth.
Invisalign® Clear Aligners Made Specifically for Teens
Invisalign Teen is comparable to the traditional Invisalign system, with a few distinct differences. With Invisalign Teen, each clear custom aligner includes a blue dot that fades as it’s used. This fading blue dot has two functions: to help our team gauge how well the treatment is working and to remind the wearer to switch to the next aligner in their set. Additionally, if an aligner is broken or lost, Invisalign Teen also allows a limited number of backup aligners, available upon request.
The Benefits of Invisalign®
Play Video Over the years, Invisalign has helped millions of patients achieve their smile goals – and more and more continue to choose this life-changing solution due to all of its unique benefits. These include:
- On average, the Invisalign process is faster than that of traditional braces.
- Since they’re made from a special type of clear plastic, the aligners are virtually undetectable when being worn.
- The aligners are fully removable, meaning that oral hygiene is much less of a hassle.
- Likewise, the aligners can be removed before eating, meaning that they don’t impose any dietary restrictions.
- Invisalign patients don’t have to attend quite as many routine orthodontic checkups as patients with braces.
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign®
You’ve learned about how Invisalign works and what life with clear aligners is like, but how much does it cost? Pinpointing an exact answer without a consultation is quite difficult. That’s because no two treatment plans look identical. Luckily, that doesn’t mean finding the answer will be stressful. To learn some helpful cost-related information, read on. Otherwise, you can contact our team directly!
Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign
To provide you with a cost estimate, one of our orthodontists will need to conduct a thorough dental exam. From there, they can determine:
- The severity of the misalignment
- Whether you need to straighten one arch or both
- How many clear aligners are needed
- If any additional accessories are required
Of course, other factors will come into play once you begin treatment. For example, if you neglect to wear your aligners for 22 hours a day, then you’ll likely fall off track with your original timeline. This can result in additional costs, so follow all of the Invisalign guidelines for the sake of your smile and your wallet!
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
Sometimes, yes! Of course, the answer will depend on your unique dental plan. However, many do include a once-in-a-lifetime benefit that covers a portion of the cost of your Invisalign treatment. If you’re unsure how to find this information, don’t hesitate to ask our team during your initial consultation. We have experience working with Guardian, Humana, MetLife and many others, ensuring we can make utilizing any available benefits you have as easy as possible.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
If you don’t have insurance, that’s okay too! This doesn’t automatically mean that getting Invisalign is out of your budget. In fact, there are financial options that are designed to fit the treatment you desire into your monthly budget, like CareCredit. To learn more about these solutions, reach out to our team.
Invisalign Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wearing Invisalign Aligners Hurt?
Traditional metal braces are a reliable orthodontic treatment, but their wires and brackets can irritate the lips, cheeks and tongue. With Invisalign aligners, you can expect a much more comfortable experience! Each one is crafted from a single piece of smooth, biocompatible plastic, allowing it to glide past your soft tissues instead of scratching them.
However, it’s normal to feel a little soreness in your teeth when first starting a new set of aligners. Thankfully, any discomfort you feel shouldn’t last for very long. If you need to, you can easily manage your symptoms by taking over-the-counter pain relievers, applying an ice pack or starting each new set of aligners right before bed.
How Are Invisalign Aligners Cared For?
The removable nature of Invisalign aligners makes them easy to care for with a few simple habits:
- Don’t use your normal toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your aligners—instead, soak them regularly, use an ultra-soft bristle toothbrush and clean them with whatever gentle toothpaste or cleaning solution your dentist recommends for you.
- Rinse off your aligners every time you take them out to prevent saliva, plaque and bacteria from drying out and hardening on them.
- Protect your aligners from discoloration by brushing your teeth before putting your aligners back in after eating.
Do I Have to Avoid Certain Foods During My Invisalign Treatment?
Unlike traditional braces that require you to adhere to certain dietary restrictions, you are free to eat and drink whatever you like during your Invisalign treatment! Simply remove your aligners, enjoy your meal or beverage, then give your teeth a quick brush before popping your aligners back into place. As long as you follow this pattern and practice great oral hygiene, you can continue to enjoy popcorn, apples and anything else on your plate.
Remember, eating or drinking anything besides plain water with your aligners can warp, weaken or break them, so you should always take them out!
Can I Get Invisalign If I’ve Had Metal Braces Before?
Did you complete a traditional orthodontic treatment years ago but find that your teeth have shifted out of place again? This is likely because many patients chose not to wear their retainer to maintain their results. In most cases, mild changes in bite and teeth alignment can be treated with Invisalign. However, every case is different. During your initial consultation, we’ll closely inspect your mouth and jaw to determine which orthodontic treatment will best help you achieve the straighter, healthier smile you deserve.
Will I Need a Retainer After Wearing Invisalign?
Yes, you will need to wear a retainer after completing Invisalign treatment. This unique oral device helps keep your teeth in their new location, preventing them from shifting back to their original spot. Our team will go over the necessary instructions regarding how to wear your retainer, as well as for how long. It is not unusual to wear your retainer all the time in the beginning; however, once we feel your smile is in a more permanent location, you may only need to wear it at night while you sleep.
Our orthodontists at Simply Orthodontics understand this is an added expense, but we will be happy to check with your dental insurance, as well as recommend flexible financing should you need it.
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