Invisalign – Dallas, TX

Crowded Teeth

Do you feel like you have too many teeth in your mouth? If so, you might be wondering if Invisalign can fix crowded teeth. Oftentimes, the answer is “yes.” So, don’t hesitate to schedule an Invisalign consultation with our team at Soleil Dental! The sooner you do, the sooner we can determine if you’re a good candidate for this convenient and comfortable clear aligner treatment.

Gaps Between Teeth

Having spaces in your smile isn’t just unsightly – they can put you at risk of cavities and gum infections. That’s mainly because food can more easily get trapped in these gaps, causing decay and bad breath. Don’t get discouraged though! After all, Invisalign clear aligners have proven to be effective at correcting mild to moderate spacing issues.

Overbite

Are you struggling to smile confidently, chew properly, and enunciate clearly because your upper teeth protrude beyond your lower ones significantly? If so, you may benefit from Invisalign in Dallas! If that’s the case, then we will use a custom series of clear aligners (as well as any other orthodontic accessories that are needed) to gradually guide your teeth and your bite into alignment.

Underbite

A misaligned bite can place unnecessary pressure on your temporomandibular joint, causing problems like TMJ disorder and teeth grinding/clenching. For this reason, we recommend scheduling an Invisalign consultation with us, even if your underbite is relatively mild. The sooner you do, the sooner we can determine if you’re a good candidate and, if you are, create your custom treatment plan.

Crossbite

Since they usually aren’t as talked about, you may not know what a crossbite is. In short, it’s when some of the upper teeth sit behind the lower ones. In addition to having a negative impact on your self-esteem, this orthodontic problem can lead to premature wear as well as chronic jaw pain. So, it’s important that you don’t take the “wait and see” approach.

Open Bite

An open bite is when the upper and lower teeth don’t meet when the patient bites down. This bite problem can form for several reasons, including genetics and prolonged thumb-sucking. No matter what the case is for you, Invisalign may be the solution! If we determine that’s the case during your consultation, then we will use a custom series of clear aligners to form a healthier bite.

Wearing Your Trays

Of course, one of the most important aspects of life with Invisalign is wearing the aligners. Patients are encouraged to wear theirs for a minimum of 20 hours a day (although 22 hours is preferred). If you’re not quite sure whether or not you’re meeting the mark, consider using the stopwatch on your phone. After a few weeks, you’ll have a general idea of what you need to do to meet the recommended wear time day after day.

Cleaning Your Aligners

Fortunately, you don’t need anything special or expensive. In fact, there’s a good chance that you already have the three things you need to clean your aligners: cold or room-temperature water, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and clear, mild dishwashing liquid. You can also use the cleaning crystals that came in your welcome kit (just dissolve a packet in a clean container filled with slightly warm water for about 15 minutes).

Eating & Drinking

When it comes to eating and drinking with Invisalign, there’s really only one rule: you need to remove your aligners first (with the exception of water). Outside of that, just do your best to eat mostly healthy, well-balanced meals that are filled with smile-friendly foods, like scrambled eggs, fresh apples, and cottage cheese. That way, you’re less likely to experience significant treatment plan delays due to the development of a cavity or another common oral health problem.

Losing or Damaging a Tray

If you accidentally misplace or break one of your aligners, it’s important that you act fast. First, call our Dallas dental team so we can learn what happened and take a look at your treatment plan. From there, we can determine how to get you back on track. Oftentimes, it’s moving on to the next set in the series. However, there are some cases where we need to have a replacement made instead.

Attending Progress Visits

With traditional braces, patients need to commit to monthly adjustment appointments. With Invisalign in Dallas, that’s not necessary. Since you’ll be given several sets of aligners at once, you’ll only need to come to our office every 6-8 weeks so we can monitor your progress. If your teeth are moving as anticipated, then you’ll likely be in and out of our office in less than 30 minutes!

Factors that Affect the Cost of Invisalign

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to Invisalign because the cost depends on several unique factors. It will vary from person to person based on the following components:

• Number of aligners needed. Most patients have to straighten both their upper and lower arches. However, there are instances where only the top or bottom teeth need to be addressed. If that’s the case for you, you can expect your overall cost to be lower.
• Severity of orthodontic case. The complexity of your dental misalignment can drive up the cost. If you have more extreme issues, your treatment will likely be a bit pricier.
• Length of treatment. A longer treatment time means having more sets of aligners and a higher cost.

Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club™: Which Costs More?

Patients wanting a “quick fix” may explore do-it-yourself clear aligner options like Smile Direct Club™. Although the lower price point is tempting, it’s important to remember that you get what you pay for! Smile Direct Club™ typically comes with little-to-no oversight from a dental professional, leaving more room for errors to be made. Eventually, you may end up with complications that will need to be addressed by a professional anyway.

By choosing Invisalign, you can have the trusted oversight of our team every step of the way. Plus, the clear aligners are professionally made using highly accurate impressions, resulting in a more successful overall treatment process. While it’s a bit more costly than DIY aligners, it’s worth every penny for a smooth-sailing orthodontic journey.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

You’ll be happy to know that most dental insurance plans offer coverage for orthodontic treatment! However, every policy is unique, which means you should reach out to your provider to see what your benefits entail. If needed, our team will gladly help you navigate this step in the process. We’re in-network with some of the most popular plans!

Options for Making Invisalign Affordable

We understand that not everyone has dental insurance. Because of that, we offer an in-house dental savings plan to help you avoid breaking the bank. For one low annual fee, you can get basic preventive care and enjoy sizeable discounts on multiple other treatments. With our help, you don’t have to worry about going outside of your budget for Invisalign!

Does Invisalign Hurt?

As with any kind of orthodontic treatment, there’s going to be an uncomfortable adjustment period when you first get your aligners. However, this should fade after a few weeks of wearing them.

Long term, the low-profile design of Invisalign aligners makes them very comfortable, especially when compared to traditional braces. For most of the time that you’ll be wearing your aligners, the only time you should feel any discomfort is when switching out one set of aligners for another.

In these in-between periods, you should be able to get by with over-the-counter pain medication until the discomfort fades.

What Does Invisalign Look Like?

Invisalign aligners are startlingly thin and made of transparent plastic. Once they’re on your teeth, it’s incredibly hard to tell that they’re there.

That said, if you don’t take care of your clear aligners, they may start to become discolored over time. This is especially true if you make a habit of eating or drinking with your aligners in. If you want your Invisalign trays to be as subtle as possible, be sure to take them off before eating.

Can Invisalign Fix an Overbite?

Usually, when you have any level of misalignment, you’re usually also dealing with either an overbite or an underbite. When your Invisalign aligner moves the teeth, it also subtly changes the alignment of your bite—in this way, these aligners can be used to slightly alter the way that your teeth fit together.

However, this approach is somewhat limited compared to what traditional braces are capable of. We’ll talk to you about whether Invisalign would be able to address the problems you’re facing once we meet you in person.

Can You Get Invisalign After Braces?

It’s also worth noting that a hybrid approach may be possible which entails wearing traditional braces and then switching to Invisalign. This is especially popular in cases where you have severe bite misalignment but prefer the long-term aesthetics of Invisalign.

There are also some instances where a patient’s teeth come out of alignment after having worn braces when they were younger. This is usually true if you don’t like to wear your retainer. In these cases, Invisalign may be perfect for correcting your misalignment without compromising your appearance.