Invisalign treatments offer a discreet way to bring your teeth into proper alignment, so many patients prefer them over traditional fixed braces. However, you can now find many alternative treatments online.
These treatments also use clear aligners to move your teeth, but you take a mould at home and then send it in to have aligners created and sent back to you. In contrast, Invisalign treatments always involve an orthodontic professional who you will see before, during, and after treatment. While online aligners typically cost less, that lower cost does come with several drawbacks that ensure Invisalign remains the smarter option.
Here are just four reasons why you should choose Invisalign over online aligners.
1. Eligibility Check
When you want Invisalign, the first thing a dentist will do is check your teeth and gums. Some issues, such as cavities and gum disease, need to be addressed before your teeth are aligned. If they are not, moving the teeth can aggravate those issues. To make sure this doesn't happen, your dentist will perform a complete check of your oral health. This doesn't happen when you opt for online aligners, so it's possible underlying conditions and other eligibility issues will go unidentified and negatively impact treatment.
2. Clear Goals
With Invisalign, a dentist will take scans and X-rays of your teeth and then use 3D technology to provide an accurate picture of how your teeth are currently aligned and how they should look when the treatment has been completed. Online services clearly cannot provide the same images of probable results, so you won't know what you're getting until the treatment is actually over.
3. Faster and More Accurate
Since dentists perform so many scans and checks before providing Invisalign trays, they can ensure more accurate results. They can also fit small attachments to your teeth that aligners can grab onto to help with more complex movements and deliver faster results. Such attachments will not be available with online aligners, so your results may be slower and the movement of your teeth may not be optimal.
4. Regular Monitoring
You'll visit your dentist every two weeks or so during Invisalign treatment to change your aligners and perform checks. These checks help ensure no problems are developing and that teeth are moving as they should. With an at-home treatment conducted using online aligners, you won't have anyone providing physical checks, so there will be nobody to help with anything from excessive discomfort to worn enamel.
Contact your dentist for more information about Invisalign.
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