Invisalign – Lady Lake, FL
Your Days with Crooked
Teeth Are Numbered
These days, if you’re an adult, you don’t have to get metal braces to straighten your teeth. Instead, Invisalign allows people to correct crooked, crowded, and gapped teeth while maintaining their normal appearance and lifestyle throughout the process. RP Dental & Implants has already used Invisalign in our Lady Lake, FL dental office to give countless patients the perfectly straight smiles they desire, and we’re eager to do the same for you! To schedule a consultation, contact us today.
Why Choose RP Dental & Implants for Invisalign?
- Custom-Designed Treatment for Each Patient
- Extremely High Quality of Work
- Often Faster Than Traditional Braces
How Does Invisalign Work?
Invisalign actually shares a lot of similarities with metal braces, in that it uses a small amount of force to gently push the teeth into their new positions. Instead of using bulky brackets and wires to do this, however, Invisalign has a patient wear a progressive series of clear plastic aligner trays. Each one brings someone a step closer to their ideal smile. They are expertly designed based on a 3D impression of a patient’s teeth, and on average, treatment only takes about 12-18 months (as opposed to 24-36 months with braces).
Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign offers a range of benefits that traditional metal braces cannot match, allowing patients to enjoy superior comfort and easier treatments as well as the confidence that comes with a smile free of conspicuous metal parts. Here’s a brief guide to the many advantages Invisalign patients enjoy, but please contact the team at RP Dental & Implants if you’d like to know more.
Improved Comfort
Since Invisalign clear aligners are made from thin transparent plastic, they add much less mass to the teeth and are far smoother than the pointy brackets and metal wires that come with traditional braces. This dramatically reduces the likelihood that they will scrape against or otherwise irritate the soft tissues in your mouth, and orthodontic wax is usually completely unnecessary during treatment. While you may experience some soreness, tenderness, or a sense of tightness in your teeth when you start wearing a new aligner, this usually lasts for a day or two at most and can be easily managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Discreet Trays
Many people are interested in Invisalign because of how they are virtually invisible when worn, allowing many patients to smile more confidently at work or in social situations. This is especially beneficial for those who are looking forward to a special event such as a graduation or wedding in the near future since they won’t need to worry about their orthodontic appliances showing up in photographs.
Better Dental Hygiene
Traditional metal braces require patients to observe a strict and specialized oral hygiene routine to ensure that they clean between and around their wires and brackets. Invisalign clear aligners, on the other hand, are completely removable, meaning that the teeth require no special daily hygiene considerations beyond brushing, flossing, and using antibacterial mouthwash. This easy oral hygiene regimen doesn’t require any special tools and can make a patient much less likely to develop oral infections.
Quick Follow-Ups
Invisalign checkups happen every six to eight weeks, usually last between fifteen and thirty minutes, and are far less uncomfortable and intensive than those required by traditional braces. These appointments allow our team to ensure that your treatment is progressing as intended.
Boosted Confidence
Because Invisalign clear aligners are made from transparent plastic, they are practically invisible when compared to the conspicuous metal parts that comprise a set of traditional metal braces. This discreet appearance helps many patients to smile more confidently and maintain a professional appearance and can make Invisalign especially attractive to image-conscious teens.
Non-Invasive Treatment
Invisalign treatment is generally much less invasive than traditional metal braces because it requires far fewer changes to a patient's life. A person can continue brushing and flossing normally while enjoying their favorite foods and attending special events without fear of their orthodontic appliances showing up in photographs. The flexibility Invisalign offers along with the brevity of the check-in appointments it requires can also make the treatment great for patients with busy school or work schedules.
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
Now that you know how the process works and the benefits, it’s time to answer one of the most common questions we hear from patients: How much does Invisalign cost? Since there is no flat fee, it’s best to answer this question during your initial consultation with our dentist in Lady Lake. However, we know that many patients like to do some research online beforehand, which is why we are discussing a few common factors that influence the price below!
Factors that Affect the Cost of Invisalign
As mentioned above, Invisalign isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. To determine the cost of Invisalign for your particular dental needs and smile goals, a number of factors will be considered, including:
- How many aligners are needed to straighten your teeth.
- Whether you are straightening one or both arches.
- Compliance with treatment.
- Whether any accessories are needed, like elastics.
A Quick Comparison Between Invisalign and Smile Direct Club™
Upfront, opting for DIY orthodontics may seem like the obvious choice for your wallet. After all, while Invisalign can cost anywhere from $3,500 to $8,000, the initial cost of Smile Direct Club™ is around $2,000. With that being said, it’s important to remember that cheaper isn’t always better, especially when it comes to your smile. In fact, there have been numerous accounts of DIY orthodontics actually worsening alignment. Furthermore, the cheap plastic and no supervision from a skilled orthodontist are very risky as well. Invisalign, on the other hand, has successfully helped more than 8 million patients achieve the smile of their dreams.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
It’s possible! The answer ultimately comes down to your dental insurance plan. While some don’t include any orthodontic coverage, others include a once-in-a-lifetime provision. In short, this means this benefit does not renew each year. Instead, you use the pre-determined dollar amount to cover a portion of your treatment and reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. If you’re unfamiliar with your benefits or would like to double-check, don’t hesitate to let our team know! We would be more than happy to help you utilize any unused coverage.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
If you don’t have dental insurance benefits that you can use toward Invisalign, don’t worry – there is another way to make your treatment more affordable. Our team is proud to welcome Wells Fargo Financing, which offers low-to-no interest payments and no unexpected charges. As a result, straightening your smile with Invisalign can fit into nearly every budget! To learn more, get in touch with our knowledgeable team today.
Invisalign FAQs
Our team at RP Dental & Implants understands that you might have a few initial questions or concerns about the Invisalign process before you’re ready to commit to it—and we’re happy to help! We’ve gathered a few of the most frequently asked questions that we receive about Invisalign along with their respective answers for your convenience. Of course, if you have any other questions about Invisalign or would like to arrange a consultation to see if it’s right for your smile, feel free to give us a call for assistance.
Who Is a Candidate for Invisalign?
You’ll need to schedule a consultation with us to determine if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign treatment. Typically, Invisalign is used to correct crooked, crowded, gapped, and misaligned teeth of the upper and lower arches, as well as some bite problems. But it’s not ideal for everyone—age is a pretty important eligibility factor, and the treatment is typically better for teens and adults, as the jaw and teeth are still rapidly changing while transitioning from childhood to teenage years. Since patients must also wear their aligners frequently, younger patients might have trouble adhering to the mandatory wear time of 22 hours every day.
Does It Hurt to Get Invisalign?
One of the biggest concerns that some patients have with any sort of dental treatment is pain, but with Invisalign, you’re embarking on a significantly more comfortable path than traditional braces! Since your teeth are being shifted into new positions, you can expect some minor soreness as you become accustomed to wearing the trays. However, this discomfort can be managed using over-the-counter pain relievers and cold compresses.
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
Simply put, the timeline for Invisalign varies between patients because everyone has different dental needs. On average, the entire process can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months, which is significantly shorter than the traditional braces timeline that’s often well over 24 months. That said, one of the biggest factors that contributes to the length of the treatment process is patient compliance; the trays need to be worn for 22 hours every day in order to successfully shift your teeth as intended. Patients must also advance to new sets of aligners as instructed.
What Happens After Invisalign?
Once you’ve completed the last aligners in the series, you’ll visit us to verify your results. We need to ensure that your teeth have moved into their optimal positions before briefing you on what maintenance your new smile will need. You’ll be given a retainer, and based on your specific needs, we’ll instruct you on how often it needs to be worn. Over time, you’ll have to wear it less frequently.