Invisalign® Clear Braces for Lisle Families
Many patients who visit Arbor Dental Care in Lisle ask about getting a straighter smile. Some of these are adult patients who never had orthodontic treatment, some need orthodontic retreatment because their smile shifted after care, and teens and adults who want to achieve a straighter smile without the hassle that comes with traditional bracket and wire braces. For these patients and anyone interested in a more subtle form of orthodontic care, Invisalign® may be a great option. Our skilled dentists and caring team offer smile realignment using these innovative Invisalign® clear braces system. If you’d like to find out whether or not Invisalign® is an option for you, contact our team to schedule an appointment.
What is Invisalign®?
Invisalign® is an alternative orthodontic solution that uses clear, plastic alignment trays rather than brackets and wires to straighten teeth. We utilize the latest 3D imaging technologies to design the alignment trays and plan the entire course of treatment. The process takes about twelve months to complete from start to finish, and allows patients to maintain a more comfortable day to day life during treatment. Invisalign® trays are removable, so patients can simply take them out during meals or while they’re brushing and flossing.
How Does Invisalign® Work?
Traditional braces use brackets and wires to move teeth. These braces require regular adjustment by an orthodontist, and are very noticable. Invisalign® uses a series of custom crafted alignment trays to shift teeth into position. We use 3D imagining to design each set of aligners, and these trays represent one step closer to the desired end result of orthodontic care. Worn for about two weeks at a time, the trays place pressure on teeth shifting them towards their ideal position. Then, patients simply exchange their current aligners for the next set in the series.
Benefits of Invisalign
Millions and millions of patients have chosen Invisalign over other orthodontic treatments, like traditional braces. Why? Well, there’s more than one reason! From their discreet appearance to their improved comfort, keep reading to learn why clear aligners continue to be so popular.
Discreet Trays
Let’s start with one of the biggest benefits of Invisalign: the aligners are completely see-through. As a result, they blend in seamlessly with your teeth when worn, making them hard to detect by even those closest to you. The key to maintaining their discreet appearance is taking good care of them, implementing a solid oral hygiene regimen, and taking them off before eating or drinking anything other than water.
Improved Comfort
If you had traditional braces in the past, then you know all too well how uncomfortable they can be at times. Fortunately, Invisalign is completely metal-free, and there aren’t any brackets or wires. Instead, a series of clear aligners are used, which won’t irritate the soft tissue in your mouth since they are crafted from smooth, high-quality, and low-profile plastic. In short, the trays aren’t just clear; they are comfortable too!
Easy Dental Hygiene
In order to properly clean their teeth and their braces, patients with traditional orthodontics often need special oral hygiene tools, like interproximal toothbrushes. Since Invisalign aligners are removable, however, no changes to your dental care regimen are necessary; simply take off the aligners before brushing and flossing as you usually would!
Note: You might need to make one change: completing your dental care regimen after each meal. Even that is quite easy with the help of an on-the-go kit filled with travel-sized essentials like a toothbrush.
Quick Follow-Ups
If you’re a busy student, professional, or parent, then the idea of coming in for adjustment appointments for 30+ minutes every month might not be appealing. The good news is that Invisalign check-in visits are usually every 6-8 weeks instead, and, if your teeth are tracking properly, will probably only be 15 minutes from start to finish.
Shorter Average Treatment Timelines
Typically, patients with traditional braces need to commit to 2-3 years of orthodontic treatment. Patients with Invisalign, on the other hand, see results in an average of just 12-18 months. Plus, there won’t be any brackets or wires blocking the view of your progress, so you’ll have a first-row seat watching your smile transform in that time!
No Dietary Restrictions
Lastly, one of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is that there aren’t any dietary restrictions. In other words, you won’t have to worry about eliminating whole apples, cashews, celery, and other foods from your diet for the sake of your orthodontic treatment. The only thing you need to do is keep your consumption of added sugar to a minimum to help prevent cavities from forming.
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
As with any kind of dental care, one of the things that puts people most on edge when beginning orthodontic treatment is the prospect of payment. We know that the upfront cost of Invisalign may be a little bit daunting, which is we are completely transparent about every aspect of the associated finances.
If you’re currently trying to figure out how to budget for care, here are a few things you may want to keep in mind.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Invisalign
When thinking about what Invisalign is likely to cost you, there are a couple of variables to consider. The most important is the number of trays that you’re likely to need—while a certain number of extra trays at the conclusion of your treatment are likely to be included at no additional charge, exceedingly long Invisalign treatments may cost more.
For that reason, the severity of the misalignment that you’re dealing with can be a factor in the price of care, as can your compliance with our instructions for the duration of your treatment.
Invisalign VS Smile Direct Club™: Which Costs More?
You may have seen advertisements for DIY aligner kits, which have you take your own impressions and mail you aligners similar to what you’d get from Invisalign. These treatments also tend to be cheaper, why may have tempted you to purse them as opposed to professional aligner.
However, DIY aligners can cause all kinds of trouble. The limited professional oversight means that a lot can go wrong, and that issues with your smile may not be caught until it’s too late. As a consequence, many people wind up with worse teeth than they had before they began aligner treatment.
Repairing these problems will often require a lot more money and time than you would’ve spent on Invisalign in the first place. If you want a straighter smile, professional care is really the only way to go.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
It’s not a guarantee that your dental plan will cover orthodontic care at all, and even if they do, Invisalign typically isn’t included in that. However, that’s not necessarily guaranteed. We’ll be able to help you go through the details of your dental plan and will ensure that you’re getting the most out of your dental care that you possibly can.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
We know that not everyone has the money on hand to pay for the entirety of their Invisalign treatment at once, especially if their dental plan doesn’t cover it. That’s why frequently work with CareCredit, a health and wellness credit card company.
You can use CareCredit to pay for all kinds of dental care, then pay off the balance later in a series of monthly installments. Depending on the details of your plan, you may even be able to use it without any additional interest.
We’ll be happy to talk you through all of the financial options available to you, so give us a call today so we can discuss the details.
Invisalign FAQs
Does Invisalign Hurt?
Invisalign should not be painful. Compared to traditional braces, the smooth plastic design of the Invisalign aligners makes it a vastly more comfortable orthodontic solution. After all, there is no risk of the metal brackets and wires irritating or injuring the soft tissues in your mouth.
That being said, there is always a small amount of discomfort involved in moving the teeth. When you first begin Invisalign treatment, or when you switch to a new set of trays in the series, your teeth may feel sore. However, most patients would describe it more as “pressure” than “pain,” and it should be only temporary. To alleviate any discomfort during the adjustment process, you can use a cold compress or take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed.
Can You Eat with Invisalign?
One of the main benefits of Invisalign in Lisle is the fact that the aligners are easily removable. You can simply take them out before a meal or snack. In fact, you should definitely remove them before eating or drinking anything besides plain water. Eating with your aligners in will not only stain and crack your aligners, but it also places unnecessary stress on your teeth. Remember to always take your trays out before eating, and keep them stored in a safe place so that you don’t accidentally damage or misplace them.
Is Invisalign Cheaper Than Braces?
Because no two smiles are exactly alike, the cost of any type of orthodontic treatment – whether it’s braces or Invisalign – can vary greatly from one patient to the next. In most cases, though, the cost of Invisalign is comparable to the cost of braces.
Sometimes Invisalign may end up costing more because it isn’t eligible for as much insurance coverage as braces. However, many patients say it’s worth the investment due to the benefits that they enjoy throughout treatment. Also, some plans will partially cover Invisalign, so please check with your provider before making your final decision.
What Happens After Invisalign?
Once we’ve made sure that your teeth are sufficiently straight, we’ll provide you with tips on how to maintain your new smile. This will almost always involve wearing a retainer to preserve the results you have spent so much time and money attaining. This set of clear trays is designed to be much more comfortable than the ones you have been wearing. Depending on your specific needs, you’ll probably have to wear the retainer full-time for a while before gradually shifting to only wearing it at night.