Invisalign – Temple, TX

Benefits of Invisalign

As a way to straighten smiles, Invisalign has only gotten more popular over the years. The reason is clear enough - its trays offer perks and upsides that traditional braces can't match! By wearing the clear aligners, patients get to enjoy a smooth and easy orthodontic journey. Our practice can even outline the advantages of treatment for you. Just keep reading to learn the benefits of Invisalign, or call us for the relevant details.

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Non-Invasive Care

Invisalign is much less invasive than metal braces. Even when you wear its aligners, the treatment shouldn’t disrupt your everyday life.

Indeed, Invisalign doesn’t require many changes to your daily routine. Since its trays are removable, it lets you brush and floss as usual, eat your favorite foods, and attend crucial events. The treatment also has shorter check-in visits and flexibility around the wear time. So, even patients with busy work or school schedules find it simple to manage.

Better Dental Hygiene

Invisalign is much less invasive than metal braces. Even when you wear its aligners, the treatment shouldn’t disrupt your everyday life.

Indeed, Invisalign doesn’t require many changes to your daily routine. Since its trays are removable, it lets you brush and floss as usual, eat your favorite foods, and attend crucial events. The treatment also has shorter check-in visits and flexibility around the wear time. So, even patients with busy work or school schedules find it simple to manage.

Improved Comfort

True enough, metal braces can cause aches with their brackets and wires. The good news is that Invisalign trays offer a comfier orthodontic experience.

You see, Invisalign uses smooth plastic for its aligners. That material has little risk of irritating your gums, lips, or the insides of your cheeks. Patients will only feel slight soreness from switching trays, not the tray texture. Plus, any aches you have will be short-lived; they’ll fade in a day or so.

Discreet Trays

Metal braces may give you a “metal mouth,” but you can skip that hassle with Invisalign. Its aligners are very discreet and don’t have a big visual impact.

Note that Invisalign trays are made with nearly invisible plastic. As a result, they blend in seamlessly with your smile and don’t distort its looks. Most people won’t even notice you have the aligners on your teeth, even when you’re attending a special event.

Boosted Confidence

Patients with standard braces will often feel awkward about the metal on their smile. However, Invisalign should leave you confident both during and after treatment.

Since Invisalign uses clear plastic, your smile should look normal when you wear its trays. The aligners won’t leave you nervous about how your grin looks to others. In that respect, Invisalign is ideal for teens and young adults who want to mingle and socialize.

Quick Follow-Ups

Invisalign doesn’t involve a lot of follow-up compared to metal braces. In fact, many patients say that its appointments are often less uncomfortable and extensive.

Generally, Invisalign check-ins only occur every six to eight weeks. The visits are also quite short – only about 15-30 minutes or so. In just that brief window, your dentist can ensure your treatment is on track, and your teeth are moving as they should.

Living with Invisalign Aligners

While Invisalign trays are easy to use, that doesn’t mean they’re effortless. You’ll need to be careful with them so your treatment goes as smoothly and quickly as possible. Given that fact, we at Dr. Fossum’s office are here with helpful tips on living with Invisalign. These ideas and suggestions should simplify your aligner journey, making it practical and enjoyable. Simply keep reading to learn them in detail, or call us for more advice.

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Wearing Your Trays

For them to work properly, you’ll need to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours daily. This “wear time” applies to each set of trays you’ll use as part of your treatment. If you don’t stick to it, there’s a good chance your teeth will revert to their earlier positions. That means you should only remove your trays briefly –  when you eat, drink something aside from water, or clean your smile.

Cleaning Your Aligners

Though they use clear plastic, clean your trays often; plaque and leftover food can cling to them. One way to do so is by rinsing them with room-temperature water. Alternatively, you could soak the trays in Invisalign cleaning crystals for 15-30 minutes once a day. There’s also the option of brushing the aligners with a toothbrush and clear hand soap. Really, these methods would keep your trays clean and reduce your risk of cavities or gum disease during treatment.

Eating & Drinking

You shouldn’t wear Invisalign trays during meals, as doing so would damage or stain them. Instead, remember to store them in a protective case before eating or drinking. Setting the aligners aside prevents accidents and stops food from getting caught in them. That latter point is especially good; having less debris in the trays will reduce your risk of cavities.

Losing or Damaging a Tray

Since they’re small and clear, Invisalign trays can be easily lost or damaged. Either situation could delay your treatment timeline if it isn’t resolved quickly enough. That being the case, always consult your dentist if you lose or damage your trays. They can order new ones as needed or advance you to the next aligners in your treatment. As for which option they choose, that’ll depend on their discretion and how close you already were to switching your trays.

Routine Check-Ins

Just as you would for metal braces, you’ll attend regular check-ins for your Invisalign treatment. That said, these visits aren’t painful or time-consuming; they’re simple and only take 15 minutes apiece. Your dentist will use each one to provide your next aligner set and keep your treatment on track. In other words, attending them every 4-8 weeks (depending on your Invisalign plan) will ensure your aligner journey goes just as it should!

Understanding the Cost of Invisalign

You’ll likely want to know Invisalign’s price before you get it. That’s only fair -  you can’t buy a treatment if it exceeds your budget. Even so, the cost of Invisalign varies from one patient to the next. You can only get a precise estimate by consulting Dr. Fossum. Once you have, we’ll outline ways to make your treatment more affordable. This guidance even includes Invisalign’s cost factors and payment options. For more details, just keep reading or call our office.

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Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign

You’ll first receive an oral exam at your consultation visit. By performing this step, our staff can assess factors that affect your treatment cost. The most notable of such elements are:

 

• Arch Number – Invisalign doesn’t have to treat both rows of teeth. In fact, a patient could get it for just one arch at a cheaper price.

• Treatment Complexity – Invisalign grows more costly when it involves more complex tooth movements.
• Treatment Timespan – If your Invisalign journey runs long, you’ll need a greater number of aligners. Thes increase in trays will lead to a pricier procedure.
• Patient Compliance – Your treatment results will be delayed if you neglect Invisalign's best practices. From there, the odds are that you’ll pay a higher expense.

 

Invisalign vs. Mail-In Aligners: Which Costs More?

In truth, Invisalign has a higher upfront price than mail-in aligners. The full procedure can charge $3,000 to $8,000, while the second option costs under $2,000. So, one might assume this latter service is the more cost-effective one.

 

All that said, note that mail-in aligners are basically a DIY kit. They won’t benefit from a certified dentist’s expertise and oversight. To that extent, using them can lead to many issues – poorly-made dental impressions, bad aligner habits, etc. You’d then need professional care anyway, defeating the purpose of the mail-in choice.

 

Fortunately, Invisalign doesn’t have this oversight problem. It benefits from Dr. Fossum’s constant input and feedback re: patient troubles. As a result, it usually leads to high-grade impressions and very successful care. Invisalign’s cost then becomes well-justified.

 

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

Sadly, dental insurance normally won’t cover Invisalign. It often doesn’t apply to orthodontic work at all. Even in cases where it does, the given plan is likely to exclude Invisalign.

 

Still, there are exceptions. Some dental plans may cover up to 50% of Invisalign’s cost. You should thus confirm your benefits before anything else. We’ll help you do so by reaching out to your plan provider.

 

Options for Making Invisalign Affordable

Of course, insurance isn’t the only way to make Invisalign affordable. You can also depend on a dental practice’s various payment options. Here at Dr. Fossum’s office, we offer:

 

• In-House Savings Plan – By paying an annual fee, our office will give you a 15% discount on specialty work. This price reduction also applies to Invisalign.
• Flexible Financing – Our practice happens to work with CareCredit – a third-party financier. Through them, you could pay for Invisalign in monthly installments. That means you would cover the treatment cost gradually.

 

In the end, we at Dr. Fossum’s office want to make Invisalign affordable for you. Learn how we can help you finance it by visiting us soon!