Invisalign® – Dallas, TX

Who Can Invisalign Help?

If you’re looking to straighten teeth in Dallas, Invisalign might be just the treatment you need. It can correct a wide variety of mild to moderate orthodontic issues, and you can typically see your results four months sooner than with traditional braces, on average. Here are some of the most common complications that Invisalign aligners can help with.

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Crowded Teeth

If your teeth are too close together, they can be difficult to properly brush and floss. This increases your risk of developing cavities and gum disease, which can lead to the need for costly treatments down the line. Invisalign can straighten your teeth up for more efficient cleaning as well as a boost to your self-esteem.

Gaps Between Teeth

A gapped smile is much worse than just being considered unattractive. Bits of particles can get trapped in these spaces and promote bacterial growth, which causes bad breath among other oral health problems. Invisalign in Dallas can more evenly space out your pearly whites, minimizing the accumulation of germs and debris.

Overbite

Whenever the top teeth protrude further out compared to the bottom row is known as an overbite. Since the upper arch doesn’t easily come into contact with the lower one, you can end up experiencing issues with jaw discomfort, difficulty speaking, trouble closing and opening your mouth, and uneven dental wear. Without the support of the bottom teeth, your top pearly whites can also be more susceptible to damage and injury. With Invisalign, you can help move the two arches in proper alignment for improved stability and strength.

Underbite

As the opposite of an overbite, an underbite can leave your bottom arch exposed to more wear and tear. Furthermore, you may struggle with various issues like trouble eating and talking, mouth breathing, and a higher risk of sleep apnea if left untreated. If you have an underbite, you might be able to correct it through the use of Invisalign and elastic bands.

Crossbite

Do some of your bottom teeth cover the front of your top teeth and vice versa? This is considered a crossbite, and it can leave you vulnerable to a variety of oral health problems, such as teeth grinding, tooth decay, gum disease, speech difficulties, and jaw pain. By undergoing Invisalign, we can help gradually shift your teeth into their proper positions so that you can enjoy a more aesthetic and healthier smile.

Open Bite

An open bite is whenever your top and bottom front teeth refuse to touch whenever you bite down. Not only can this make it more difficult to chew certain foods, but it can also lead to issues like increased enamel wear and tear as well as difficulty speaking. With Invisalign and elastic bands or other oral appliances, you can shift your upper and lower teeth so that they can meet properly when closing your mouth.

Am I a Good Candidate for Invisalign®?

If you’re looking to straighten teeth in Dallas, Invisalign might be just the treatment you need. It can correct a variety of smile issues, such as:

• Crowded Teeth - If your teeth are too close together, they can be difficult to properly brush and floss. This increases your risk for developing cavities and gum disease. Invisalign can line your teeth up for more efficient cleaning.
• Spaces Between Teeth - A gapped smile is much worse than just being considered unattractive. Bits of particles can get trapped in these spaces and promote bacterial growth, which causes bad breath among other oral health problems. Invisalign in Dallas can more evenly space out your pearly whites.
• Bite Alignment - If you have an overbite, underbite, or crossbite, it can cause you to grind your teeth and clench your jaw, leading to sped-up wear and tear of the tooth enamel. Invisalign can correct these bite problems.

Benefits of Invisalign

Invisalign offers a whole world of benefits when compared to traditional braces. That’s why more than 12 million people around the globe have opted for this discreet teeth-straightening solution! If you’re interested in learning more about the perks, then read on; we’re covering a few noteworthy ones right here.

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Safety and Comfort

Although effective and reliable, metal brackets and wires can irritate your tongue, gums, and lips. Fortunately, Invisalign is completely metal-free! In fact, the smooth and low-profile plastic trays are designed to avoid soft tissue irritation. Plus, they are custom-made so they fit the contours of your mouth perfectly.

Note: If one of your aligners has a sharp edge, you can always bring it to our office to have it filed down. Or, you can place some dental wax over it to prevent/alleviate any discomfort.

Cosmetic Superiority

With Invisalign, you can receive orthodontic treatment without anyone even having to know! In fact, even your closest family members, friends, and colleagues will have a hard time telling when you are and aren’t wearing them. The key is adopting good habits to keep your aligners clean, including rinsing them every time you remove them.

Daily Maintenance

The subtlety of your aligners depends on you keeping them clean. If you don’t brush your teeth between eating and placing your aligners back in, bits of food can get stuck in them, causing not only stains, but infections as well. To prevent this, you’ll have to clean your aligners regularly, which only requires a few steps. Make sure to use only lukewarm water and not hot water, as that could change the shape of the plastic. At least once a day, brush your aligners gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Just be sure to not use toothpaste, as that could actually be abrasive.

Shorter Average Treatment Timelines

Typically, patients spend 24 to 36 months wearing traditional braces. Patients with Invisalign, on the other hand, usually only need 12 to 18 months. There are even some cases where the treatment plan is even shorter, like if your case of malocclusion is relatively minor. Simply put, clear aligner treatment has a shorter average timeline, which means you won’t have to wait as long to achieve the gorgeous results you desire.

No Dietary Restrictions

The fact that there aren’t any dietary restrictions is one of the most underrated benefits of Invisalign. This means that you don’t have to cut out whole apples, raw nuts, tortilla chips, popcorn, and other foods from your diet during your teeth-straightening journey. In fact, the only thing that we ask is that you do your best not to over-indulge on foods and drinks with added sugar in an effort to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment!

Living with Invisalign Aligners

You might know some things about Invisalign – including what the clear aligners look like – but what does life with braces actually entail? Do you need to alter your diet or change your oral hygiene regimen? How can you ensure that you’re wearing your trays enough to see results? In this next section, we’re covering what you need to know about living with Invisalign.

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Wearing Your Trays

You want to see the results of your Invisalign treatment as quickly as possible, right? The best way to make sure this happens is by wearing your aligners as much as possible. The general rule of thumb is 20-22 hours a day, which really only leaves enough time to take them out during mealtimes and while completing your oral hygiene regimen. If you’re not sure if you’re meeting this goal, then use the stopwatch on your phone to keep track!

Cleaning Your Aligners

It’s important that we start this section with what you shouldn’t do, like using bleach or hot water to clean your aligners. While bleach contains toxins that shouldn’t be ingested, hot water can cause your trays to warp (rendering them virtually useless in the process). What you should do is rinse them thoroughly with clean, cool water each time you take them out and gently scrub them with a soft-bristled toothbrush before putting them back on.

Eating & Drinking

It really boils down to this: you have to remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything other than water, including coffee. That’s the best way to ensure that they don’t stain, warp, or crack, negatively impacting your treatment experience in the process.

Tip: To avoid losing or damaging your aligners, always put them in their designated case when you aren’t wearing them!

Losing or Damaging a Tray

If you do lose one of your aligners, then do your best to remember where you had them last and retrace your steps from there. Since they are clear, it’s important to really take your time, and look in the places that may not initially be obvious, like the pockets of the pants you were wearing earlier. If you genuinely can’t find them, then do the same thing you would if they broke: call our Dallas dental team to explain what happened.

Routine Check-Ins

Although your routine check-in visits will only take 15 minutes or so, each one is incredibly important. In addition to touching base with you on how your treatment is going and answering any questions you have, we will take new scans of your teeth to monitor their movement. This is crucial because we need to make adjustments to your treatment plan early on if they aren’t moving as anticipated.

Understanding the Cost of Invisalign®

Invisalign in Dallas is a great alternative for metal braces, which is why it’s an incredibly popular treatment option among both teens and adults. However, many patients wonder whether it’s worth the cost. Below, we’ve broken down a few different factors that will help you better understand how much your treatment will be.

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Every Treatment is Different

Since no two smiles are the same, it makes sense that Invisalign treatment wouldn’t have a set, default price. Some patients may only need to wear 12 sets of trays to straighten their teeth, while others may need to wear 28 to address bite problems and more severe orthodontic issues.

During your initial consultation, Dr. Barnett will take X-rays of your smile and examine the alignment of your bite and teeth. Based on our team’s findings, we’ll outline a customized treatment plan, including details like how many aligners you’ll need and how long your treatment will take. With this information, we’ll be able to provide you with a breakdown of the cost so you know exactly what to expect financially.

Save Money By Avoiding Future Oral Problems

Even though Invisalign may cost you up-front, it can help save you money down the road. With straightened teeth in Dallas, it’ll be easier to effectively brush and floss, helping you avoid plaque and tartar buildup that can put you at a higher risk of developing cavities and gum disease. Additionally, bite problems can also increase your risk of grinding your teeth or developing TMJ dysfunction, which could impact your day-to-day life and cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

Not every dental insurance plan covers Invisalign treatment, but some may pay for a portion of your orthodontic aligners. The best way to find out whether your plan does is to contact them directly. If you have any questions or need help getting a hold of your insurance provider, our dental team near Lake Highlands is more than happy to assist!

Other Options to Make Invisalign Treatment Affordable

In addition to dental insurance, you may also benefit from our in-house membership plan, which provides patients with $500 off Invisalign treatment. Alternatively, we offer additional financing through CareCredit and LendingClub. Both of these trusted, third-party financers provide flexible monthly payment plans that can fit nearly any budget, so you don’t have to break the bank to get the orthodontic treatment you need.

Invisalign® Frequently Asked Questions

Before you begin your Invisalign treatment, you need to fully understand the process and what to expect from it. The more you know, the easier it is to make good decisions about your oral health. Dr. Barnett has answered some common Invisalign FAQs in Dallas, which are listed below. Take the time to get more familiar with the concept of clear aligners, and be sure to think of any questions of your own that you’ll want to bring up during your consultation!