Are You an Ideal Candidate for Invisalign?

You may have been embarrassed by your crooked smile for years, but you likely don't want to wear obvious metal braces, especially as an adult. The most common type of crooked tooth issue adults face is misaligned bottom teeth, although ongoing dental issues, such as overlapping front teeth or other dental problems are also a concern. 

Most people by now have heard of Invisalign, which are custom removable braces that you wear over your teeth for an extended period of time that are nearly invisible in their appearance. Unlike traditional braces, you can take Invisalign braces out for a few hours a day. 

Are you a candidate for Invisalign to realign your teeth? Use this guide, along with the advice of your dentist, to find out more. 

Before you can get Invisalign, your oral health needs to be in check. If you have cavities, gingivitis or severe gum disease, or an abscessed tooth, your dentist or orthodontist will have to correct these issues before you can work on realigning your teeth. 

Your initial assessment for Invisalign will include a traditional oral exam, including x-rays of your teeth if you haven't had an x-ray done recently. Your dentist will need to do any dental work you need done before discussing braces. 

Previous dental work that may not work well with Invisalign. If you have bridges, a false tooth, or other dental work that may interfere with Invisalign's ability to correct your crooked teeth, your dentist may wish to temporarily remove or reschedule dental work to make this treatment work well for you. 

If you have veneers, you are still a good candidate for Invisalign. Veneers, while cosmetic in their appearance, won't strengthen teeth but work well with Invisalign. Your teeth will shift with ease if you have veneers in place already. 

Any missing teeth can affect how braces in general will work, and Invisalign is no exception. The reason for this is due to the spaces in your teeth that will change when Invisalign is applied to your teeth; your teeth may shift to fill in the missing spaces, creating gaps that can be uneven. 

However, if your missing teeth are in the back of your mouth or far on the sides, Invisalign can still work for you, especially if you are just straightening your front teeth or lower teeth. Your dentist will let you know what your teeth straightening options are, including replacing missing teeth with bridges, caps, or spacers. 

Invisalign often works within a years' time, although you may need to wear the invisible aligners longer if your teeth are particularly crooked. If your expectations for teeth straightening are realistic and you are committed to the time frame required to make the treatment work, talk to your dentist about what your end results will be. 

Braces, unless they are needed for a concern other than cosmetic reasoning, are not usually covered by dental insurance. Invisalign typically costs around $4,000 or more (compared to around $3,000 or more for traditional metal braces) so refer to your finances to see if Invisalign works for your budget. Your dental practitioner may be able to assist you with a payment plan if you have a down payment for treatment. 

Invisalign can straighten your smile and give you confidence without changing the appearance of your teeth with metal brackets. Our dental specialists will examine your teeth to see if this treatment is best for your needs. Call to schedule with us at Royal Oak Dental for all of your oral health needs today.