Also known as Invisalign, clear aligners are an orthodontic treatment used to, well, straighten your teeth. While these are an excellent alternative to brackets, archwires or bands, they’re not for everyone. So, before you spend your money here’s a couple of things you need to know to determine if Invisalign treatment is right for you.
The Cost
Orthodontics procedures come at a hefty price. More specifically, Invisalign costs relatively more in comparison to braces. Why? Well, because you may require longer treatment time to move your teeth into their correct position.
On top of that, you’ll have to part with tidy sum if you break or lose your clear aligners because they’re not available in a dental office. When you lose your band or bracket, on the other hand, you don’t have to pay additional repair charges.
Keep in mind that you may have to wear traditional clear braces for a couple of weeks before you transition to Invisalign retainers. Plus, there may be additional charges if you’ll undergo pre-treatment before you start to wear Invisalign braces.
On average, a complete Invisalign treatment will cost you anything between five to eight thousand dollars.
Your Speech
One of the reasons for Invisalign treatment’s popularity is because it is discreet. In other words, it is hard for people to notice that you’re wearing retainers (after all, they’re clear).
Still, it is essential to note that you may have speech problems because of the bulk on the back of your teeth caused by the retainers. On top of that, you may experience sessions of extra saliva.
Even then, your speech will go back to normal after seven to fourteen days after wearing the retainers. But, you may reencounter speech problems if you decide to upgrade to the next aligner.
Wearing the Retainers
As a rule of thumb, you have to wear the Invisalign retainers recommended to you by your dentist to get the desired results. Also, don’t forget to remove your aligners before eating. You need to brush and floss them as well.
Keep in mind that you might end up losing or breaking your aligners if you don’t stick to the directions of use as prescribed to you by your dentist. One more thing – remember to place your retainers back in your mouth after eating.
What if you Grind and Clench your Teeth?
Sure, you can clench and grind your teeth, even with the clear aligners in your mouth. Here’s the thing – Invisalign retainers can handle a beating. While grinding may cause the outer surface to wear out, it will take some time before you can puncture a hole through the plastic material.
Dentist recommends that you wear bruxism splint before you go to bed if you cannot stop grinding your teeth at night. The idea is to ensure that you keep a constant force on your teeth. Statistics indicate that your TMJ symptoms are likely to worsen if you’re unable to wear your bruxism splint at night.
Can you Drink Coffee?
Well, if you’re a coffee lover, here’s some bad news for you. Your Invisalign retainers will start to get stained from coffee or tea if you keep sipping your favorite beverages throughout the day.
Make no mistake about it though, you can still savor a cup or two, but you need to cut down the number if you want your retainers to last and most importantly, serve the purpose.
Besides, the temperature of your beverages may distort the shape of your retainers. The ripple effect is they’ll warp and not fit correctly.
Where to Find Treatment
A quick Invisalign near me search on the internet will give clues on where to get treatment. But, you need to make a couple of considerations, before you choose one orthodontist over another.
First, you need to make sure that he/she has the experience required to treat you. In essence, you’re better off with a dentist with over five years of experience – the more, the better.
Why is this essential? Well, you see, Invisalign treatment, at its very core, is a medical procedure. So, you need to be sure that you’re dealing with a person who knows what he/she is doing.
Other than that, ensure that the orthodontist has the license to operate in your state. There is nothing wrong with asking for a permit. You may consider telling the dentist to show you his/her academic qualifications too.
One more thing – remember to read reviews about the orthodontist to know what previous customers are saying about him/her.