One dental treatment that has become more and more popular in recent years is Invisalign. Invisalign is an alternative to braces in order to straighten misaligned teeth and create a beautiful smile. Invisalign is able to straighten crooked teeth using clear, flexible retainers that are made to fit like a glove over your teeth, thereby avoiding any unsightly metal brackets or wires used for traditional braces.
Prior to starting treatment, you will meet with the doctor to make sure you are a good candidate for Invisalign. Those with severe tooth alignment issues may require traditional braces or treatment by an orthodontist to achieve optimal results.
Once it is determined that you are a good Invisalign candidate, a series of records including photos, impressions, and x-rays will be taken and sent to Invisalign where they are scanned into the computer. Using these records, Invisalign will form a treatment plan that is then sent back to our office to review. Once the plan is finalized your retainers will be made and our office will insert the first retainer. You will be given 2-3 sets of retainers at each visit to our office which are typically worn for 2 weeks each. This will repeat until treatment is finished at which time you will be issued a retainer in order to maintain your new smile.
The first and most obvious advantage to Invisalign is that the aligners are not easily noticeable leading to better esthetics during treatment. Many people, adults especially, avoid braces due to the appearance of metal brackets on the teeth.
Secondly, a fantastic advantage to Invisalign is better oral hygiene. Because the aligners are removable, caring for your gums and teeth at home is no more difficult than normal. With braces, caring for your teeth at home can be extremely difficult and require special tools in order to clean in between the teeth. This helps to decrease your chances of developing cavities or periodontal problems while undergoing Invisalign treatment.
Lastly, most patients find Invisalign to be more comfortable than traditional braces. While there may be some slight discomfort when you progress to your new aligner, you are less likely to have any issues with the aligners rubbing on the lips and cheeks like you would with braces.
Many insurance companies do have coverage for Orthodontic treatment which includes Invisalign. However, most of these plans only have coverage for adolescents and all orthodontic coverage ends after age 18. There are occurrences where there is coverage for adult orthodontics but this is not typical. If you think you may have coverage our office will be more than happy to look into your individual plan to see if we can get you any reimbursement from your insurance company.
Give our office a call at 716-652-0600 to set up a free Invisalign consultation to see if Invisalign is the right choice for you!
