Breaking Down the Cost of a Perfect Smile
An investment in cosmetic dentistry and new payment plan options makes achieving a stunning smile more affordable than ever before.
Smile Direct Club provides mail-in alternatives that bypass dentist offices by having you make impressions yourself at home, usually more affordably than standard Invisalign but may not provide as effective results, according to Dr. Eckhardt.
1. The Initial Consultation
At the start of any dental treatment process is an initial consultation. Here, patients meet with dentists to assess their smile and decide if Invisalign is an appropriate solution. If it is, a series of 3D digital impressions will be taken that allow the https://palmettofamilyortho.com Invisalign lab to create precision aligners.
OrthoFi’s free online insurance verification tool makes it easy to identify which plans offer orthodontic coverage.
If you don’t have insurance, many dentist offices provide affordable payment plans that help spread out the overall cost of Invisalign over more manageable monthly payments. Depending on your employer, Invisalign could even be paid for with pre-tax dollars in an FSA or HSA account.
2. Treatment Plan
After making an appointment, a dentist will conduct a comprehensive dental exam to ascertain whether a patient meets the criteria for Invisalign treatment. This process may include taking X-rays and impressions to create digital 3D images of their teeth that will later be used as guides during Invisalign treatment.
Drs can use these models to provide doctors with an outline of the teeth alignment process, which may take as long as a year or more to complete. Patients will wear their trays for two weeks at a time before switching out for new trays every month or so.
Based on their treatment plans, some patients may require more or fewer aligners than others. Furthermore, certain may need buttons or attachments added to their trays which can increase costs considerably.
Some dental insurance plans cover clear aligners for adults only – it is best to confirm with your dental insurer before scheduling any appointments.
3. Aligners
An integral part of Invisalign treatment lies with patient compliance with its guidelines, which means wearing and replacing aligners on time and as advised. Failure to do this could prolong treatment and cost more in time and money.
At their initial appointment, dentists will take photos and digital x-rays of both lower and upper teeth as well as impressions. This data is then sent off to Invisalign manufacturers where aligners will be made from it.
Dependent upon your insurance coverage, dental plans may cover some or all of the cost of Invisalign treatment. Orthodontists and dentists frequently offer monthly payment plans to make Invisalign more manageable; additionally some dental schools provide discounts through their clinics for this procedure.
4. Checkups
Traditional metal braces may intimidate some individuals due to dietary restrictions and regular visits to an orthodontist; but when patients opt for Invisalign instead, they can enjoy its freedom by creating an appointment-driven schedule that best fits them.
Orthodontists will typically set appointments every few months, coinciding with when their collection of aligners runs out. At these meetings, orthodontists can track progress and modify treatment plans as necessary.
These appointments give patients the chance to ask any questions they have about their experience with Invisalign, including any results that have not met expectations or noncompliance issues with wearing their trays regularly. Orthodontists can then offer tips to increase compliance – which ensures teeth move properly towards creating a straight smile faster while saving both time and money!
5. Cleanings
Invisalign may be expensive, but you can make payments more manageable with payment plans offered by many orthodontist offices. By spreading out payments over multiple months instead of paying one large upfront bill all at once, it becomes more feasible and more manageable financially.
Cleansing your aligners correctly is vital for successful treatment. Without adequate cleaning, your teeth may move more slowly than expected and could even start to smell; additionally, dirty aligners may stain more easily than intended.
No longer will just rinsing your aligners be enough; for optimal results you must cleanse them at least twice per day using warm water, dental cleaner or mouthwash without dyes (colored mouthwash can stain the aligners), and an antiseptic.
Be wary if you fail to keep up with cleaning your aligners properly; otherwise, your treatment could take longer and may necessitate additional aligners which would increase the overall cost. Be careful in wearing and caring for them and you’ll achieve beautiful straight smiles at less expense!
6. Additional Treatments
For an invisalign treatment to make your smile shine even brighter, we offer teeth whitening. Simply apply the whitening gel directly to the same aligners that are straightening your smile – you’ll be surprised how dramatically your teeth lighten over time!
If your smile needs additional work beyond what Invisalign can handle, we may suggest traditional metal braces as a possible solution. You could even inquire with your physician about lingual braces – these will be placed behind your teeth so as to not show when you smile.
If your dental insurance doesn’t cover all the costs associated with Invisalign, our partner CareCredit can be invaluable. With them, you can spread out the payments without incurring interest or down payments; additionally we accept FSAs (flexible spending accounts), which allows you to use pre-tax money taken directly out of your paycheck as payment for Invisalign treatment.
