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(310)424-3100Invisalign Clear Braces – Torrance, CA
The Clear Choice for a Straighter Smile!
If you have misaligned teeth, it can be easy to feel stuck. On one hand, you’re tired of hiding your teeth in pictures and worrying about them whenever you meet somebody new, but on the other hand, you don’t want to deal with the annoyances and inconveniences of braces to get them straightened. Fortunately, you can now get a viable alternative that has all the benefits of braces with none of the drawbacks: Invisalign clear braces! Keep reading below to learn a little more about Invisalign or feel free to contact us today for additional assistance.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a new kind of orthodontic treatment that can help patients with an overbite, underbite, or generally misaligned teeth bring them into a straighter and more comfortable orientation. It accomplishes this by using a series of clear plastic aligner trays that fit over your teeth. The trays are meant to be worn in a specific order, and each one is a different shape that gradually applies gentle pressure to straighten your teeth.
The individual trays are meant to be worn up to 22 hours a day for about 2 weeks before progressing to the next one. Treatment can take anywhere from 8 - 18 months depending on your degree of misalignment, which is still only a fraction of the time required by metal braces. Invisalign has advanced over the years to be able to address more and more complicated orthodontic issues, so if you’re looking to fix your crooked teeth, you are probably a good candidate for Invisalign.
The Invisalign Process
When preparing for Invisalign, you’ll probably want to know more about the process and how to get started with your clear aligners. We’re here to walk you through every step so that you can feel confident about committing to treatment!
Scheduling a Consultation
During your initial consultation, we will discuss your goals and what you hope to achieve with Invisalign. Apart from sharing your medical history, we will take the time to thoroughly examine your smile to determine if Invisalign is the right course of treatment for you. Depending on the severity of your individual problem (i.e., overcrowding, spaces between teeth, bite alignment), you may or may not be eligible, as some situations require traditional braces for desired results. After your examination, if we feel you are a qualified candidate for Invisalign, we will get you ready for the next step, which is digital impressions.
Capturing Impressions
In order to ensure your aligners match up perfectly with your smile, it is necessary for us to take digital impressions. These will offer precise, clear images for the dental lab technicians to use when crafting your custom-made aligners. These images will also allow us to craft your smile’s sequence, which is the step-by-step process your smile will go through during treatment. You’ll be able to see how your smile progresses along the way until the desired results are achieved.
Getting Fitted for Treatment
Once your aligners are finished, we will have you come in to have your first set properly placed in your mouth. We’ll show you exactly how you need to wear them and explain how long you’ll wear each set before switching to the next in the series. During your fitting, we will make sure everything fits comfortably and there is no rubbing or irritation to the soft tissues of your mouth.
While treatment can last anywhere from 8 - 18 months, you’ll need to continue seeing us throughout your treatment to make sure everything is moving along as it should. These quick appointments should take up very little of your time, and before you know it, you’ll be done with Invisalign and on to wearing your retainer.
Invisalign for Crowded Teeth
Not only can crowded teeth make your appearance less appealing, but they can also lead to problems with your oral health. When your teeth are too close together, they are much more difficult to keep clean. That’s because they create nooks and crannies that aren’t easily accessed in brushing and flossing, which allows plaque and bacteria to accumulate, eventually causing potentially serious problems like tooth decay or gum disease.
Also, crowded teeth can interfere with your upper and lower teeth aligning with each other properly, wearing down your teeth’s enamel excessively in some parts. When you address your crowded teeth, you can have a significantly positive impact on your oral health.
Through a series of alignment trays, Invisalign applies gentle pressure to guide your teeth gradually into an ideal position. For more severe cases of crowded teeth, additional dental work, such as extraction or a special oral appliance, may be needed to ensure the mouth has sufficient space for all your teeth.
Invisalign for Bite Alignment Issues
If your bite is misaligned, you can suffer from lowered self-confidence, but what’s more, you can struggle to eat efficiently, wear down your teeth’s enamel more quickly in certain spots, and even have problems with speech. You can also experience pain in your temporomandibular joint (TMJ); this complex joint is responsible for moving your jaw up and down, side to side, and back and forth.
Instead of using metal brackets and wires to force your teeth and bite into place, Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic aligner trays that progressively guide your teeth into the desired position. This system allows our team to correct the following bite issues:
- Overbite, which occurs when the upper teeth are positioned far over the lower teeth.
- Underbite, or lower teeth that appear in front of the upper teeth.
- Dental midline, which is an issue in how the back teeth fit together.
- Crossbite, when the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth.
- Open bite, which happens when the upper and lower teeth don’t overlap.
Invisalign VS. Traditional Braces
Invisalign helps patients undergo orthodontic treatment discreetly and easily. It has a number of advantages when compared to metal braces, such as
- The clear plastic makes the aligners practically invisible when worn.
- The trays are removable, which allows a patient to eat and care for their teeth as they would normally.
- The smooth plastic fits comfortably with your lips and gums and doesn’t cause irritation like metal braces.
- The trays often work faster to correct issues than traditional braces.
- Invisalign requires less frequent visits to the dentist’s office and never has to be adjusted like braces.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
Invisalign is known for its safety, effectiveness, and popularity, but it is the price tag you will need to know before moving forward with treatment. When it comes to determining the cost of Invisalign in Torrance, you can expect your dentist to consider various factors before providing a definitive cost estimate. Because each patient is different, you can expect your experience and financial responsibility to differ from another patient. Fortunately, our team is here to help you navigate insurance and other available payment options.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign
During your initial consultation, a member of our dental team will fully examine your smile and deliver an approximate estimate for the cost of treatment. Many factors are considered, including:
- The number of clear aligners you will need throughout your treatment.
- The severity of your orthodontic problem.
- Any dental work that must be completed beforehand (i.e., tooth extraction, periodontal therapy).
- The timeline for your treatment.
- The number of teeth that need to be straightened.
Invisalign VS. Smile Direct Club™: A Cost Comparison
If you’re looking for a “quick fix” for a few slightly crooked teeth, you may have looked into Smile Direct Club or other mail-order clear aligner kits. While Invisalign treatment tends to cost between $3,000 and $8,000, these DIY aligner systems very rarely cost more than $2,000. Keep in mind, though, that when it comes to your smile, cheaper is NOT always better.
Although Smile Direct Club has a lower price tag, it also comes with very little, if any, supervision from a dental professional. Instead, you alone are responsible for taking accurate impressions of your teeth and carefully following the treatment instructions. It’s all too easy for something to go wrong and cause a dental issue that would have to get treated by a dentist anyway.
By investing in Invisalign from the start, you can save yourself a great deal of time and money. Our dentists will be with you every step of the way to ensure your treatment is progressing as planned. You can expect high-quality impressions, precise aligners, and a smoother treatment process overall.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
At Blue Coast Dental, we are pleased to be in-network with Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, and Delta PPOs, as well as many others. Most dental insurance plans will cover your Invisalign treatment much in the same way they will cover traditional orthodontics (up to 50%), but it is best if you contact a representative you’re your insurance company to find out how much your out-of-pocket expenses will be. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you may be able to apply these funds toward your Invisalign treatment as well.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
Even if you are uninsured or need help paying the remaining balance after filing your insurance, you can apply for CareCredit, which is a third-party financier that offers low-to-no-interest payment plans. Right now, you can pay as little as $169 per month for Invisalign when applying (and being approved) for 24-month financing with 0% APR through CareCredit!
Invisalign FAQs
Many people have questions about Invisalign clear braces and the treatment process because it is a newer orthodontic service than traditional braces. That’s why we’ve included some of the most frequently asked questions about Invisalign in Torrance as well as their answers for your convenience. Now you can get the information that you need without even stepping into our dental office. Read on to learn more about Invisalign treatment and contact us today if you have any further questions or want to schedule an appointment.
Why Should I Feel Confident About Invisalign Treatment?
Over 6 million people and counting have used Invisalign clear braces to receive the smile of their dreams. Unlike mail-order aligners, Invisalign treatment will be conducted under the supervision of one of our expert dentists to make sure that you enjoy an easy and beneficial process. You will visit our dental office every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure the success of your treatment.
What If I’ve Had Braces or Other Types of Dental Work?
Invisalign treatment can be done even if you’ve already had other orthodontic work. It is common for patients to use braces as a way to correct more serious bite issues and then switch to Invisalign to shift their teeth into alignment. Many times, teeth can shift after orthodontic treatment, which makes Invisalign clear braces a comfortable and discreet option for correcting your smile.
How Will Invisalign Treatment Affect My Life?
The best part of Invisalign treatment is that it doesn’t dramatically affect your life. Unlike traditional braces that make you self-conscious to smile and alter your diet, Invisalign offers discreet and removable aligning trays. You can eat all of your favorite foods and navigate through your professional and personal lives with confidence. While they’re removable, you should still wear them 20 to 22 hours a day to keep your treatment on track.
How Do I Take Care of My Aligners?
You can clean your aligners with the Invisalign Cleaning System, but you can also brush them with a non-abrasive brush and lukewarm water. It’s important to avoid using hot water because it can warp the plastic. You should also brush your teeth after eating and before putting your aligners back in. Foods like pasta sauce, blueberries, and wine can permanently stain your aligners, making them not so discreet after all.
What Happens When I’m Down with Invisalign Treatment?
Once you’re done with Invisalign treatment, we will give you a retainer to wear, which prevents your teeth from gradually shifting back into place. This ensures the success of your treatment to give you a beautifully straight smile for the future.