Invisalign – Mt. Pleasant, WI
The Metal-Free Way to a Straight Smile
For decades, patients with crooked teeth and misaligned bites had one option: metal braces. Although effective, the aesthetic drawbacks resulted in many patients forgoing orthodontic treatment. Today, image-conscious teens and adults don’t have to compromise; they can straighten their teeth with reliable, safe, and virtually invisible aligners! If you want to learn more about Invisalign, including how the teeth-straightening process works, read on or get in touch with our Mt. Pleasant dental team to schedule an appointment.
Why Choose Sweet Smiles Family Dentistry for Invisalign?
- Bilingual Dental Team
- Precise, Mess-Free Digital Impression System
- Convenient Hours, Including Saturdays
How Invisalign Works
Traditional braces are adjusted every month, ensuring that continuous pressure is applied to your mouth. Invisalign takes a different approach. Instead of using metal brackets and wires, a custom series of clear aligners are made from impressions of your teeth. Each set moves your teeth a step closer to their ideal positions, and the next one in the series picks up from there. This process repeats until you have straight teeth, a healthy bite, and an absolutely beautiful smile!
Who Invisalign Can Help
Our talented team of dentists are proud to offer several cosmetic dentistry services, ensuring that patients in and around Mt. Pleasant can achieve their smile goals no matter what their aesthetic goals are! If you are interested in improving the alignment of your teeth and bite, then you shouldn’t hesitate to schedule a consultation to find out if you’re a candidate for Invisalign. In the meantime, you can read on to learn about some of the orthodontic problems clear aligners can address.
Crowded Teeth
Crowded teeth don’t just negatively impact the appearance of your smile; they impact your oral health. If you’re a candidate for Invisalign, we can move your teeth from where they are now to their ideal positions – without any metal too!
Gaps Between Teeth
Spaces between your teeth pose a similar problem: they can trap food particles, plaque, and other debris. That’s why we recommend exploring your treatment options now! With Invisalign, you won’t have to worry about “metal mouth,” and the treatment timeline is usually only 12-18 months.
Bite Alignment
If your bite is misaligned, then you’re at-risk of experiencing chronic jaw pain, premature wear and tear on your teeth, and numerous other problems. Fortunately, clear aligners can be used with other orthodontic accessories, like rubber bands, to fix common bite issues, like overbites.
The Benefits of Invisalign
After all these years, Invisalign continues to be one of the most popular orthodontic treatments because:
- The average treatment timeline is shorter
- There aren’t any dietary restrictions
- The aligners are smooth, low-profile, and completely clear
- There are fewer check-in visits
- The aligners are easy to clean
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
Have you been searching high and low for the cost of Invisalign online? While there are some estimates available, they can be quite misleading since there are so many factors that need to be considered, including how many aligners are needed to achieve the desired results. The good news is that we can provide you with an estimate at your consultation and, in the meantime, you can read on to learn more on the topic.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign
As we mentioned above, there are several factors that impact the price, including:
- The complexity of the case
- If single-arch treatment is possible
- If rubber bands and other orthodontic accessories are needed
- How many aligners need to be made
- How well the patient sticks to the treatment guidelines
- The type of retainer needed
The good news is that we review all of this information with you at your consultation. Then, of course, we will provide you with an estimate of the cost and discuss the financial solutions available.
Invisalign vs. Mail-In Aligners: Which Costs More?
Almost always, mail-order alternatives cost less. While that might initially draw you in, it’s important to consider why that’s the case. Not only do these companies often skip the initial exam and rely on DIY impressions, but the treatment process usually isn’t supervised by licensed dental professionals. So, although they are cheaper, they certainly aren’t better.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
While dental insurance providers don’t typically cover treatments that fall under the cosmetic dentistry umbrella, many do cover a portion of the cost of Invisalign. So, if you aren’t familiar with your benefits, take some time to read through the fine print on your plan. If you need any help, you’re more than welcome to ask us for assistance as well! We’re proud to work with many of the nation’s leading providers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Guardian.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
What about the patients who don’t have dental insurance? Fortunately, there’s another financial solution: CareCredit. This trusted third-party financier offers convenient payment plans, and many of them have little-to-no interest attached. So, if you’re interested in straightening your teeth with Invisalign, but you don’t want to pay for the entire cost in one lump sum, let us know! We’d be happy to answer any questions you have, show you where to sign up, and help you get the care you need without stressing about the cost.
Invisalign FAQs
Can You Get Invisalign After Braces?
Possibly. It all depends on your specific needs and smile goals. However, there are plenty of cases of dentists and orthodontists using a combination of both braces and Invisalign aligners to help patients achieve their desired results.
Braces can correct more severe overbite, underbite, and crossbite than Invisalign can, which Is why some patients opt for traditional braces until they can switch over to Invisalign.
In some cases, a patient’s teeth may have grown crooked or misaligned years after they initially completed treatment with braces. Invisalign can often help with this problem and bring their smile back to alignment.
Always check with your dentist to determine the best way to achieve your goals. The great news is that when you choose Invisalign, your treatment can be customized with attachments and buttons to help correct a variety of misalignments.
Who is a Candidate for Invisalign?
When deciding whether to choose Invisalign aligners for your orthodontic treatment, there are several important factors to consider:
The jaw and teeth are constantly changing and growing from childhood to your teens. Most teenagers (starting at age 13) and adults are good candidates for Invisalign; however, your commitment to the process will also determine your candidacy.
In order for your treatment to be successful, you must wear your aligners for at least 20 hours a day. Those who are younger or less responsible may want to consider braces because they are fixed to their smile and therefore lower maintenance.
Invisalign can correct crooked, gapped, crowded and misaligned teeth in the upper and lower arches. When used in conjunction with interproximal reduction and Invisalign attachments, more complex cases can be resolved. However, please be aware that some bite problems may simply be too severe to treat with Invisalign aligners alone.
Who is Not Eligible for Invisalign?
Invisalign is an excellent option for any patient who has their full set of permanent teeth. This means kids can enjoy this treatment as early as 13 years old! In fact, most healthy teens and adults can receive Invisalign treatment, but there are some exceptions.
In some cases, bite misalignment may be too severe to be corrected with Invisalign, making braces or other orthodontics a better choice.
Patients who smoke cigarettes and are unable or unwilling to quit may not be good candidates for Invisalign. Smoke and tobacco can stain your aligners as well as put your oral health at risk.
Finally, patients with extra small, misshapen or eroded teeth may not be a good fit for Invisalign treatment. In these cases, you may require additional dental work first.
Can You Eat with Invisalign Trays In?
One of the main advantages of Invisalign treatment is that your aligners are completely removable, allowing you to take them out when it’s time to eat.
Wearing your aligners when eating will not only damage your trays, but it can also cause cracks and stains in your aligners and put unnecessary pressure on your teeth.
The only thing you should consume while wearing your Invisalign trays is room-temperature water. Otherwise, be sure to take them out first.
Remember, Invisalign trays allow you to eat whatever foods and beverages you want. However, they should always be removed first and stored in a safe place until you have brushed and flossed your teeth.