Straightening Your Smile Without Changing Your Image
Are you unhappy with the appearance of your smile and feel embarrassed by the alignment of your teeth? Living with crooked, gapped, and crowded teeth can have a heavy impact on your self-confidence and make you hyper-aware of your appearance every time someone starts a conversation with you. If you’ve been avoiding orthodontic treatment because you thought the only way to improve your smile was by getting metal braces, you’ll be pleased to know that is no longer the case! With Invisalign in Irving, Dr. Rafiq can straighten smiles without using metal brackets and wires that can be uncomfortable and unappealing. To learn whether clear braces are right for you, schedule a consultation at Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental and Orthodontics today!
Why Choose Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental and Orthodontics for Invisalign Clear Aligners?
Qualified Dentist with Years of Experience
Professional Impressions Taken Using Digital Technology
Your PPO Dental Insurance in Welcome
How Invisalign Works
Invisalign clear braces in Irving use the same orthodontic principles as conventional braces, just with different hardware. You will receive a series of clear aligners that are custom crafted to fit over your teeth comfortably and securely. Each set is worn for one or two weeks at a time and places a focused amount of pressure on different areas of your mouth to correct the alignment of your teeth. The average Invisalign treatment takes place over the course of eight to 14 months, which is significantly less time than traditional metal braces. Once your treatment is complete, Dr. Rafiq will let you know how long you’ll need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth from drifting back out of place.
Who Can Invisalign Help?
Invisalign treatment doesn’t just straighten your smile to look prettier, it also can correct several other orthodontic problems. If you suffer from some of the following indications, Invisalign could be a great solution for you.
Crowded Teeth
Having crowded teeth in Irving doesn’t just make your smile appear clunky; this issue can also make it difficult to effectively clear food particles and plaque from your pearly whites. As a result, you’re more likely to experience many common oral health issues, like tooth decay and gum disease. If you have a tooth that’s rotated or protruding from the others, you also have a heightened risk of an oral health emergency because it can take the brunt of the impact if there’s trauma to your mouth. Invisalign can shift your teeth into their ideal positions, making it easier to brush and floss them.
Gaps Between Teeth
Some patients have gaps between their teeth that make them feel unattractive or cause them to become self-conscious of their smile. Not to mention, having gaping spaces in your mouth can provide harmful oral substances like food particles with a good hiding place. Invisalign aligners can close gaps and make it easier to prevent cavity formation.
Overbite
An overbite is most easily denoted by the top row of teeth sticking out far past the bottom row. Ideally, your natural bite will resemble a very minor overbite, but when your top row of teeth protrudes too much, it can cause issues. An overbite can make the top teeth constantly exposed, putting you at a higher risk of damaging your teeth as well as causing speech issues and jaw pain. Invisalign can help bring your two rows of teeth into alignment to minimize these issues.
Underbite
An underbite occurs when your bottom row of teeth juts out past your top row while your jaw is in a resting position. This can make it difficult to chew food and lead to issues like sleep apnea. Invisalign aligners, usually paired with elastics, can help gradually pull the lower jaw into alignment with the upper.
Cross Bite
Cross bites are mainly caused by genetics or losing your teeth too early as a child, and it occurs when the bottom teeth rest in front of the upper teeth. You can have either a back or a front cross bite. Invisalign aligners pull either the back or front teeth that are shifted out of alignment into their ideal positions to address the bite problem. If cross bite is the result of jaw development, other procedures may be required in addition to Invisalign.
Open Bite
Open bite is characterized when the top and bottom rows of teeth aren’t able to touch or overlap whenever you close your mouth. This can make it difficult to pronounce certain sounds, as well as cause rapid wear-and-tear on your back teeth. Invisalign aligners are able to shift the jaw’s position with the help of elastics to correct your bite.
The Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign clear aligners in Irving are a top choice for patients of all ages, from teens to adults, because they offer a number of unique benefits as opposed to traditional braces. Some of the advantages that you’ll be able to enjoy during your treatment include:
More Comfortable Than Metal
Your Invisalign aligners are crafted from smooth plastic, which means you won’t have to worry about carrying orthodontic wax with you everywhere you go. Instead of bulky metal brackets that can scratch the inside of your lips and cheeks, your aligners slip right over your arch of teeth, making it so you’ll barely be able to feel them.
Discreet, Transparent Trays
Whether you’re a teen in high school or an adult in a professional setting, Invisalign trays are transparent and discreet, allowing you to maintain your unique expression. That means that your orthodontic appliance won’t be what people picture when your name comes up in conversation!
Easier to Maintain Good Dental Hygiene
Oftentimes, patients that need metal braces also have to purchase special dental hygiene tools, like water flossers, interdental brushes, and more. These can be pricey, ranging from $25 to $60, and they take some time to learn how to use. With your removable clear aligners, all you need to do to effectively brush and floss your teeth is take your trays out of your mouth. Then, you can brush for two minutes with a regular electric toothbrush and floss with string dental floss, making it easier to maintain good dental hygiene throughout your journey.
Quick Follow-Up Visits
Every six to eight weeks, you’ll return to Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental & Orthodontics for a quick 10 to 15-minute check-in appointment. These can be completed on your lunch break and won’t have your mouth feeling sore for the rest of the day, like would be the case during braces follow-ups. Dr. Hirji will make sure your aligners are continuing to shift your teeth, ask you if you have any questions, and provide you with the next series of trays in your treatment before sending you on your way!
Boosted Confidence Throughout Treatment
Along with maintaining your professional or unique expression during your treatment thanks to the discretion of Invisalign trays, many patients feel much more confident as well. From feeling comfortable smiling in photos to not thinking twice about accepting a business dinner invitation, having higher self-esteem while you straighten your smile will ensure you don’t hold yourself back from experiencing important life events!
Minimal Impact on Daily Life
The removability, discretion, and comfort of Invisalign clear aligners mean that the treatment has little impact on your daily life. You won’t have to change your dental hygiene routine, cut foods out of your diet, or dramatically alter your day-to-day during your treatment.
Living with Invisalign
Invisalign clear aligners are one of the most convenient and hassle-free ways to straighten your smile, but you’ll still need to make a few changes to your daily life to make sure your treatment goes smoothly. These changes can include cleaning your trays every day and incorporating your check-in visits with your dentist in Irving into your schedule. To learn a little more about what it will be like living with your aligners, read below or ask our team during your consultation!
Wearing Your Trays
One of the most important parts of your treatment will be wearing your Invisalign trays for between 20 and 22 hours every day. This will allow your teeth to continue shifting into their proper alignment, allowing you to make progress towards your treatment finish line every day! If you don’t wear your aligners for this amount of time each day, it will continue to set back your treatment timeline.
Cleaning Your Aligners
Cleaning your aligners is easy, but remember to do it every day to keep them from becoming stained or developing a smell. All you need to do is use a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear hand soap, as well as some cool or lukewarm water. Brush the trays thoroughly to clear away any lingering debris, saliva, and plaque and rinse them off. Don’t use hot water to clean your trays, because this can cause them to warp and ultimately set back your treatment timeline.
Eating & Drinking
One of the best benefits of going with Invisalign aligners over traditional metal braces is the fact that you can continue eating and drinking all of your favorite beverages and snacks without having to worry about breaking a bracket or wire. Instead, all you’ll need to do is simply remove your Invisalign aligners from your mouth before a meal, snack, or drinking anything besides water. Be sure to brush and floss after you’re finished and before putting your trays back in your mouth.
Losing or Damaging a Tray
Keeping track of your trays is easy, so long as you remember to keep them in their protective case whenever they aren’t in your mouth. However, our team at Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental & Orthodontics understands that accidents happen. You may have a tray that gets left out in the Texas summer heat and warps, or your teen may accidentally throw their aligners away at lunchtime. In these cases, all you need to do is call our team. We’ll help replace your aligner so you can stay on track with your treatment timeline.
Routine Check-Ins
Every four to eight weeks, you’ll return to our dental office in Irving for a quick check-in visit with Dr. Hirji. Our team will check your progress and make sure your teeth are tracking, or moving in accordance with your treatment plan, and we’ll provide you with the next series of aligners. You’ll continue coming back for regular check-ins until your treatment is complete!
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
Invisalign treatment is customized to fit the needs of each patient and can vary greatly depending on the severity of the orthodontic issues that you face. That’s why, to find out the cost of your treatment, our team will need to first examine your mouth and outline some important, cost-determining factors, like how many aligners you’ll need to wear throughout the process. Once we do, we’ll be able to provide you with a detailed cost breakdown and discuss any financing options with you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask our team during your consultation.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign
Every patient’s needs are different, which is why the price of Invisalign can vary. Here are three important factors that can affect the cost of your treatment:
Treating One or Two Arches. Sometimes, patients only need to straighten one arch of their teeth, which requires fewer aligners and a shorter treatment period.
Complexity of Orthodontic Problems. More complex orthodontic issues, like bite misalignment, can take more aligners to correct.
Length of the Treatment. Longer treatments typically require more aligners, which will result in a higher cost.
Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club™: Which Costs More?
Today, other orthodontic treatment options are available, like Smile Direct Club, which can make it hard to determine which solution to use. Even though mail-in aligner treatment options like this typically have a lower cost compared to Invisalign, it’s important to consider the quality of care you’re receiving. These DIY-esque options may help you save, but there’s little to no oversight by a dental professional throughout it, which could lead to failed treatment or complications that cost even more to fix. So, although Smile Direct Club may be cheaper, it’s not necessarily the better option.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
If you’re concerned about the cost of Invisalign treatment, you’ll be pleased to know that Dr. Rafiq accepts all PPOs, Medicaid, and CHIP. Some dental insurance plans include benefits that cover orthodontic treatments, although it’s a good idea to double-check with your specific provider beforehand. If you need help learning about whether Invisalign is covered through your insurance, our team of dental professionals will be more than happy to help you find out. We also process and file all necessary claims and paperwork to make sure your insurance benefits are maximized.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
Our team at Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental and Orthodontics is dedicated to making high-quality dental care accessible, which is why we offer affordable payment options for patients getting a treatment that isn’t covered by their dental insurance (or they don’t have dental insurance). Through CareCredit, we’re able to offer flexible monthly payment plans at little-to-no interest that fit a wide variety of budgets. To learn more, please reach out to our team.
Invisalign FAQs
Do you still have questions about getting Invisalign in Irving? Our goal is to make sure that you feel confident and comfortable in your decision to straighten your smile, which is why we’ve answered some common questions that we receive from our patients below.
Are Invisalign Aligners Uncomfortable to Wear?
Traditional braces are made from metal, which can stab and cut the inside of your cheeks and lips, causing uncomfortable irritation and wounds. With Invisalign aligners, you won’t have to worry about any of this, because they’re crafted from a smooth, clear plastic.
Even though treatment is virtually discomfort-free, some patients do report feeling slight tenderness when they switch over to the next series of aligners in their treatment. Fortunately, this can easily be remedied with over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen. You can also switch your trays at night so you can sleep through the majority of the adjustment period.
How Often Will I Need to Come in for Checkups During My Invisalign Treatment?
Depending on your treatment plan, we typically have patients visit us every six to eight weeks throughout the process for a quick, 15 to 30-minute progress check. This is to make sure that your mouth remains healthy over the course of the process and to make sure that you remain on track with your timeline. During your appointment, we’ll also provide you with the next sets of aligners in your series.
How Do I Clean My Invisalign Aligners?
Cleaning Invisalign aligners is a relatively easy process, all you need to do is follow these tips:
Rinse your aligners before placing them in your mouth each time.
Brush and floss your teeth after you eat.
Soak your aligners in a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar for 15 minutes to sanitize them.
Brush your trays using a soft-bristled brush and clear antibacterial soap to regularly remove plaque and food debris.
Regularly cleaning your aligners is important and can help you avoid developing oral health problems over the course of your treatment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team of professionals.
