If you’ve been looking for a flexible way to straighten your smile, Invisalign clear aligners can be a fantastic solution. Alborzi Orthodontics is a Top 1% Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider, which means we treat more patients with Invisalign than 99% of orthodontists across the country. To qualify for this status, Dr. Alborzi must see at least 200 Invisalign patients each year, along with providing at least 800 patients with Invisalign throughout her career. However, she has personally gone way beyond and now she has treated over 2000 patients successfully with satisfaction and she is Peninsula’s top provider. When you choose to trust your smile to us, you can rest assured you’re putting your oral health into the most experienced hands!
Invisalign clear aligners are the most popular alternative to traditional braces we have, and it’s not hard to see why. This innovative system offers patients the same exceptional results as braces but doesn’t require any brackets, wires, or bands to shift the teeth. While Invisalign has been in use for about twenty years now, there are still a few misconceptions out there about what clear aligners are and how they actually work. We’re going to separate the fact from fiction below, so keep reading to learn the real truth about Invisalign!
Fiction #1: Invisalign takes longer to work than traditional braces
To understand why this is fiction, it helps to know a bit about orthodontic appliances. In general, these will be either fixed or removable. Traditional braces are a fixed appliance, with the brackets attached directly to the front of the teeth. Invisalign aligners are a removable appliance, meaning no part is affixed to the tooth surface. This removability is one of the system’s most desirable features! The aligners are designed to be removed any time you eat and when you brush your teeth, so there’s a bit more flexibility than you’d have with braces.
It’s also important to understand that orthodontic treatment of any kind requires patient compliance and it is essential for success with the Invisalign system. Because the aligners are removable, it’s up to the patient to wear them as directed. That means keeping the aligners in for 20-22 hours each day throughout the treatment process. Patients are also in charge of switching the aligners out every week to the next in the series. This allows the aligners to keep up with the movements the teeth are making. If these guidelines aren’t followed, it can result in longer treatment times and may even affect the overall results.
One of the questions we hear most frequently from patients is how long treatment will take. Whether you’re in braces or Invisalign, there’s no concrete answer for that! Every case is different, and all patients will respond to treatment in their own way. On average, however, the total treatment time for most compliant Invisalign patients will be about 6-18 months. This means that the treatment time for Invisalign can even be faster than it is with traditional braces!
Fiction #2: The Invisalign system is more difficult to maintain than braces
We’ve already looked at why patient compliance is an important part of any orthodontic journey. Oral hygiene is another factor in how successful your treatment will be! A good dental hygiene routine is essential for all patients, but it can come with a bit of a learning curve for those in braces, especially at first. It can take some time to learn how to navigate around the brackets and wires, which create pockets that are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and plaque. You never have to worry about that with Invisalign, though!
Invisalign aligners are designed to be removed before you brush and floss, then replaced once you’re done. We recommend that all of our patients brush thoroughly after every meal and floss every night before bed for the best results. You’ll need to take good care of your aligners, too, by gently brushing them with water and a soft toothbrush. There are also special kits available for cleaning them if you prefer a more ready-made solution.
Food restrictions are also a thing of the past with Invisalign! Since crunchy and chewy foods can damage brackets and wires, braces patients need to avoid them throughout the orthodontic process. But Invisalign aligners are designed to be removed before eating, so you’re still free to eat all the things you usually would!
Invisalign can be useful in ways you might not normally consider, too. Because you can take them out for short periods, they can be an excellent option for athletes, musicians who play certain instruments, and for any special occasion when you want your natural smile to shine through, like senior photos, weddings, and prom.
Fiction #3: Treatment with Invisalign costs more than traditional braces
Compared to braces, which have been around for centuries in one form or another, the Invisalign system is relatively new. When clear aligners first hit the market, they were quite pricey. But as the treatment became more popular and accessible, the cost decreased accordingly. Several factors will go into determining the overall cost of your treatment, but today Invisalign costs less than braces in our practice because of Dr. Alborzi’s ability to make your treatment more efficient and reduce your visits to her office saving you time as well.
Once you’ve decided on a treatment plan with Dr. Alborzi, we’ll walk you through your payment options. In addition to accepting most major California insurance plans, we offer the following:
- Interest-free financing: We can customize a payment plan that will work for your family’s budget!
- In-office, no-interest pick-a-payment options: Extended monthly payments and reduced down payments.
- HSA/FSA: Spend from your Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account.
- Paid-in-full discount: Get a discount when you pay the full amount before treatment begins.
- Credit cards: We accept all major credit and debit cards.
We also offer Splitit, so you can use your credit card to pay over time without any interest, applications, or fees! Automated monthly payment options can also be scheduled for your convenience. You’ll never have to worry about hidden fees or unexpected charges with our practice! Our team will always ensure you know what to expect before we begin the active phase of treatment.
Fact: you’ll find your best smile with Alborzi Orthodontics
Dr. Alborzi has successfully treated many hundreds of patients with Invisalign in San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, and the surrounding communities. This expertise allows her to use Invisalign to treat a wider variety of patients, including many that have been told by others that Invisalign aligners would not work for them!
When you schedule a FREE consultation with us, Dr. Alborzi will examine your mouth and determine which treatment would be the best fit for your unique smile. If you’d like to learn more about how the Invisalign clear aligner system could transform your smile, get in touch with us today to schedule a visit with our Half Moon Bay or San Mateo office!