Now that direct-to-consumer orthodontic aligners are available, you may be considering giving them a try to save some money. But is straightening your own teeth really a good idea?
WHY INVISALIGN?
Invisalign stands out from the competition for several reasons. It starts with a 3D image of your teeth captured with an ITERO 3D scanner (made for Invisalign). Using Invisalign’s software, we then customize a smile and bite that is best for you. Many of the most common direct-to-consumer aligner companies state in their consumer agreements they are not able to correct the bite. Also, their customers typically make a putty mold of their own teeth to mail in, which is not as accurate as the 3D scanner. Even as a dentist, I do not do any dental procedures on myself, as it is very awkward.
Invisalign aligners are manufactured via 3D printing and made of a patented SmartTrack® material. It is designed to move teeth more efficiently and comfortably than other aligners.
Just like orthopedic devices, the aligners should be checked by a professional for proper fit and monitored on a regular basis. In our office your progress is monitored with visits every six to eight weeks to ensure the teeth are moving the way they should be.
NO PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE WITH AT HOME ALIGNERS!
With direct to consumer aligners, there is no initial comprehensive exam, including x-ray evaluation, to ensure the patient’s teeth and gums are healthy and ready to start treatment. We have had patients where they had untreated cavities, easily detectable on x-ray, but aligners were made to fit over them, accelerating the decay. Other patients have noticed no tooth movement because they still had bonded retainer wires in place from previous orthodontics, and were not informed the wires needed to be removed first, before starting with their aligners.
Direct to consumer aligners may potentially have some success in minor tooth straightening, but they are not created to deal with complex bite issues or malocclusions. In fact, using generic aligners with no supervision can cause more serious dental problems than a patient started with. No aligner company has as much research to back up its product than Invisalign, and your smile deserves the best!
CONTACT US TODAY!
If you need a Dentist in the Juno Beach, North Palm Beach and the Jupiter area, we would love the opportunity to earn your loyalty. We take great pride in not only being a state-of-the-art facility, but also treating our patients as friends and family. We have designed our office to be relaxing so that there is no fear for you when you visit. If you have any questions or need to schedule an appointment, please contact us today!
Call or Text us at 561.627.5552 , email us at DrKuhl@DrKuhl.com or use our contact us page. We look forward to hearing from you!