Invisalign Spring
Ditch Metal Braces For a More Comfortable Alternative
Are crooked and misaligned teeth making your smile look unattractive? Invisalign in Spring, TX, is a modern orthodontic treatment that utilizes a more comfortable oral appliance to gently nudge your teeth into their ideal position. Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, these clear braces allow you to maintain the appearance you want so you can continue making a great impression on friends and coworkers. To find out if Invisalign is the best cosmetic dentistry solution for you, contact us today!
Why Choose Spring Dentist For Invisalign?
- Custom-Tailored Treatment Plan for Each Dental Patient
- Advanced Dental Technology for Comfortable Aligners
- Dedicated Team of Dental Professionals
How Do Invisalign Aligners Straighten Teeth?
Invisalign treatment utilizes a clear, plastic, FDA-approved material to custom-make your oral appliances. These aligners are thin, smooth, and fit comfortably over your teeth. Using a gentle amount of force, they will slowly shift your teeth into their ideal positions to fix misalignment, overcrowding, gaps, and even bite problems. Each person’s mouth is unique, and treatment plans vary drastically, but the average timeframe for completion is 8-14 months.
With traditional braces, patients may have to wear them for up to three years. The unsightly metal brackets and wires can feel and look cumbersome, impacting your ability to maintain a professional image at your workplace. However, with Invisalign aligners, they’re so discreet that few people will even notice that you’re wearing them. All they’ll see is your beautiful smile!
What Are the Benefits of Invisalign Treatment?
Many patients choose Invisalign over traditional metal braces because it offers a laundry list of advantages. Not only is the treatment all-around more convenient, but you won’t have to deal with the discomfort and hassle that you would if you crowded your mouth with brackets and wires. Some benefits you can enjoy when you choose Invisalign to straighten your teeth include:
- More Comfortable. Metal wires and brackets can scrape against oral tissues and cause irritation. With Invisalign aligners, they’re smooth and fit snugly over your teeth.
- More Flexibility. Whenever you need to, you can remove your Invisalign aligners. This makes it easier to do basic tasks such as brushing, flossing, and eating the foods you enjoy.
- Custom-Formed to Your Smile. Each Invisalign treatment plan is custom-tailored to each patient’s unique smile to deliver the best results.
- Fewer Follow-Ups. Throughout the treatment, you won’t need to take a day off to get your braces tightened and have to deal with intense discomfort afterward. Instead, you’ll have short, 15-30-minute checkups with your dentist every four to six weeks to pick up your next set of aligners.
Natural Appearance
As an adult, the last thing you want is to look like a teenager again by wearing a mouthful of metal. Because Invisalign’s trays are translucent, they shouldn’t be noticeable in the slightest. You’ll be able to confidently smile in public with the knowledge that onlookers don’t even know about your treatment.
Increased Comfort
The brackets and wires of traditional braces are notorious for irritating your lips, tongue, gums, and cheeks. Invisalign, on the other hand, is designed with your comfort in mind. The smooth plastic aligners are personalized to snugly fit over your teeth, preventing the soft tissues in your mouth from becoming irritated.
Added Convenience
While you should try to wear your aligners for at least 20 to 22 hours a day, you can take them out on special occasions. If you need to play a musical instrument or your favorite sport, or even if you just want to look your best for a wedding or job interview, simply remove your trays and place them back in your mouth once you’re finished.
Oral hygiene is also much easier with Invisalign than with braces. Brackets and wires get in the way of proper brushing and flossing, but once you take out your aligners, you can clean your teeth as normal.
No Dietary Restrictions
Metal braces come with a litany of foods you shouldn’t eat because they can get trapped in the brackets and wires. With Invisalign, you are free to enjoy all of your favorite foods. Just remove your aligners and brush your teeth before putting them back on.
Easy Maintenance
Patients with traditional braces must often invest in a water flosser or other special instruments to clean their teeth during their treatment. With Invisalign, all you need is lukewarm water, clear antibacterial soap, and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Scrubbing your trays at least once daily will remove harmful bacteria that could stain the aligners and contribute to tooth decay. Keep in mind that you should never use hot water to clean your aligners, as it could change their shape.
Faster Average Treatment Time
While metal braces typically take 24 to 36 months to straighten teeth, the average treatment time for Invisalign is just 8-14 months. Not only can you enjoy the benefits of a straight smile much sooner, but you’ll also spend less time in the dentist’s chair throughout your treatment. You’ll still visit us every few weeks, but we won’t need to adjust any wires. Instead, all we’ll do is briefly evaluate your progress and give you your next few pairs of aligners.
Am I A Good Candidate For Invisalign?
The best way to find out if Invisalign clear braces are the best orthodontic treatment for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Joshua Kuykendall. He has completed advanced training in clear aligner therapy and Invisalign and can help you determine if it can improve your smile and oral health. Typically, patients who can benefit from the procedure would like to fix the following issues:
- Crooked teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Mild bite problems
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
The cost of your treatment will depend on a variety of factors, including the severity of your orthodontic issues, your oral health, and your ability to stick to the treatment plan. When you come in for a consultation, we’ll be able to provide a custom estimate for your specific situation, including the approximate length and cost. We’ll also be happy to review your dental insurance benefits and go over your payment options to help you see how affordable your new smile can be. We’re proud to offer Invisalign for as low as $99 a month, so give us a call today!
Factors that Affect the Cost of Invisalign
A few of the most important factors that will determine the cost of your Invisalign treatment include:
- The severity of the case: More complex orthodontic issues naturally cost more. For example, closing a small gap between one or two teeth will cost less than straightening an entire arch.
- Patient’s oral health: Issues like cavities and gum disease can hinder your treatment, so they’ll need to be treated beforehand and will add to the overall cost.
- Treatment length: The longer a treatment is, the more aligners it will require, which will increase the price.
- Patient compliance: It’s important that you stick to your treatment plan by keeping your aligners safe and wearing them for 20-22 hours a day. If you don’t, you could experience a delay, resulting in a higher cost.
Invisalign VS DIY Clear Aligners: Which Costs More?
Have you heard of mail-in aligner services? DIY orthodontics may seem like a quick, convenient, and cheaper alternative to visiting an orthodontist, but remember cheaper is not always better, especially when it comes to your smile.
Mail-in aligners have no oversight from a professional, which means plenty can go wrong, including undiscovered cavities or gum disease that can worsen or incorrect impressions that create aligners that move your teeth into the wrong positions. These can cause serious problems that need to be corrected by a professional anyway.
On the other hand, if you come to visit us for an Invisalign treatment, you’ll have Dr. Kuykendall and his experienced team with you every step of the way. They’ll give you high-quality aligners and ensure that your treatment goes as smoothly as possible. They’ll also be there to answer any questions you may have along the way! In the end, your peace of mind for reliably beautiful results is worth the extra cost of skipping DIY orthodontics.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
Some dental insurance companies cover orthodontic services; however, even among those who do, Invisalign is not always covered. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to review the details of your insurance plan. We have years of experience helping maximize our patients’ benefits and minimizing their out-of-pocket expenses.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? Unhappy with your coverage? At Spring Dentist, we’re proud to offer other options for making Invisalign affordable, such as:
- Flexible Financing Through CareCredit: These flexible payment plans allow you to break up the cost into smaller amounts that easily fit into your monthly budget.
- Our In-House Invisalign Special: We’ve partnered with CareCredit to offer payment plans as low as $99 a month for Invisalign. Give us a call today to learn more!
Invisalign FAQs
Is Invisalign Treatment Painful?
Invisalign is more comfortable than conventional braces. Invisalign works by exerting gentle pressure on your teeth to shift them into a more aligned position. For this reason, you may feel a slight soreness when wearing a new set of aligners for the first time. You can mitigate this discomfort by switching to your new pair at night, so you can sleep through the adjustment process.
How Do I Care for My Aligners?
You can purchase a special cleaning kit directly from Invisalign to keep your aligners in good condition. Alternatively, you can use a clear antibacterial soap and lukewarm water to rinse them off every morning and evening and gently scrub them with a toothbrush. Also, drinking darkly colored beverages will stain your aligners, so it’s best to only sip water while you have the trays in.
What If I Lose or Damage an Aligner?
If you damage an aligner, don’t try to force it back onto your teeth, as that could cause more harm than good. Instead, call our office and ask about what steps you should take. We might suggest temporarily reverting to your previous aligner to keep your teeth from shifting back to their original, crooked position. Or we might decide to send you a replacement or have you move on to the next aligner in the series.
Will I Need to Wear a Retainer After Invisalign Treatment?
Yes. Wearing a retainer will help ensure that your newly aligned smile stays in its desired place. Depending on your case, you may need to wear a retainer 24/7 for a few months after your last set of aligners to keep your smile from shifting. After a certain period of time, we’ll likely suggest that you only wear your retainer at night.
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
You can likely expect your Invisalign treatment to last anywhere between 8-14 months. Every Invisalign patient’s journey to a straighter smile is slightly different. Factors like the severity of your misalignment and your commitment to your treatment plan will influence how quickly or slowly your teeth shift into the desired positions. Regular dental visits during the Invisalign process and strictly following instructions will allow you to complete treatment efficiently.
What Are Invisalign Attachments?
Invisalign attachments and buttons help patients with more severe alignment problems or bite issues enjoy this type of orthodontic treatment.
- Attachments – These small bumps are strategically placed on the smile to grip the teeth as they are guided into place by the clear aligners. Invisalign attachments are typically bonded to teeth by using tooth-colored resin.
- Buttons – The main function of buttons is to attach or anchor rubber bands. This method allows patients with bite issues to still benefit from Invisalign treatment.
It’s important to note that attachments do not damage or alter the natural tooth enamel in any way. Moreover, the bonding process is incredibly simple and quick.
Patients who require Invisalign attachments and buttons can still enjoy the advantages of completely removable orthodontics, which makes eating, drinking, and dental hygiene simple.
Can You Eat with Invisalign?
One of the main advantages of Invisalign in Spring is that they are completely removable. Whenever you want to eat, you can just pop your aligners out of your mouth and into their container. Eating with your Invisalign clear braces will not only damage your aligners, causing cracks and stains, but it also puts unnecessary pressure on your teeth. It is safe to consume water while wearing Invisalign, but that’s it.
How Is Invisalign Made?
Invisalign aligners are made from smooth, clear plastic that is both comfortable and safe to wear. Each set of aligners is custom-made based on the digital or physical impressions provided by your cosmetic dentist. An advanced 3D printing process is utilized to craft the aligners in a lab, which are then shipped to our office. The manufacturing process for all the aligners in the series will typically take 3 to 4 weeks, so we’ll notify you when your clear braces are ready for pickup!
Who Invented Invisalign?
Invisalign was first created in 1997 by Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth in San Jose, California. Zia Chishti underwent traditional orthodontic treatment while studying for his MBA at Stanford University. It was during this process that Chishti realized there must be a better, more comfortable way to straighten teeth. He worked on the concept of clear aligners in his dorm room before graduating from Stanford and founding Align Technologies, LTD with other students.