What is Invisalign and how does it work?
I'm here to answer the most common Invisalign questions to help guide you on your Invisalign journey. Invisalign is a modern technique that we use to fix crowding, to fix gaps between your teeth and align your teeth, moving them into their proper positions. So you can bite well, you can chew well, and very importantly, you can smile happily and proudly.
How are Invisalign and traditional braces similar or different?
Invisalign and traditional braces are similar for us in two ways. They both often treat the same conditions, whether it's crowding, gaps in your teeth, misaligned teeth, or a misaligned bite, and they both result in your teeth being properly aligned and your bite being healthy and functional, as well as having a smile that you're proud of. But while braces use brackets that are glued onto the teeth and then wires and rubber bands to move the teeth to their proper position, Invisalign actually uses clear plastic trays that just snap onto your teeth. They're almost invisible. Therefore, Invisalign and these trays gradually, yet quickly and efficiently, move your teeth into their final and proper position. Invisalign can often be faster than braces.
What makes Invisalign a high-tech digital technique?
Invisalign is a very high-tech digital technique. What happens is we send Invisalign the company a mold of your teeth currently, then Invisalign will actually create and design your final smile. So when we start Invisalign, we actually have the end product ready to go and in mind so we can get from start to finish often very efficiently and many times faster than braces.
Is Invisalign more comfortable than braces?
Invisalign can be more comfortable than braces because there's no brackets, metal brackets glued to your teeth. There's no wires, there's no rubber bands. Invisalign is very smooth; it snaps right onto your teeth, and you can actually take it off if needed when you're eating and things like that. So it doesn't get in the way of yourself eating, drinking, and things like that. So Invisalign is really much more comfortable than braces.
How long does Invisalign treatment usually take?
Invisalign can take anywhere from three to four months to about 12 to 18 months to straighten your teeth. The length of Invisalign depends on how much teeth we're moving, how much changes need to be done, as well as how much you wear the Invisalign.
Can you explain the Invisalign process?
The Invisalign process is very smooth and easy. First, we'll take a scan or mold of your teeth, we'll send that to the company Invisalign, and they will then turn that into a digital computerized version of your smile. We will then, with Invisalign, design what we want the smile to look like at the end. Then what Invisalign does is they say, all right, let's look at the smile as it is today. Let's look at the smile as it is at the end. How many individual trays will it take us to get there? Each tray moves your teeth a little more and more. And then Invisalign will manufacture however number of trays that you need; they'll send it to us. Then, in the first appointment, we'll prepare your teeth to be properly moved with the Invisalign. We'll give you the first few Invisalign trays. Then you come in every month or so to get your next set of Invisalign trays. When you're on your last tray, we smooth your teeth out and get them ready to be done with Invisalign. At which point we take another scan or impression or mold of your teeth to make what's called a retainer so your teeth don't move any further once we've got them in their perfect position.
How do Invisalign trays look and function?
Invisalign trays are clear, almost invisible plastic trays. They look kind of like a retainer, but very thin, very clear, and very strong. They snap onto your teeth. Each tray moves your teeth a little more towards our final result. The amount of trays that someone needs depends on how their teeth look like in the beginning and what our end goal for the teeth is. So if we have to move the teeth a lot, if we're moving a lot of teeth such as all the teeth in the mouth, then we may need more trays. And if we're just fixing one or two minor gaps or crowdings and we're only working on, let's say, the front teeth, we may only need a few trays. So the amount of trays actually depends on how much the teeth are moving.
How long should Invisalign be worn each day?
Invisalign needs to be worn to work perfectly 22 hours a day, which means you would wear Invisalign during the day and, very importantly, sleep with it. But you do take your Invisalign out to eat or if you're drinking anything, except water.
What are the qualifications or requirements for someone to be a good candidate for Invisalign?
Invisalign does have some requirements in order for you to be a good candidate and to qualify for Invisalign. If your gums are not healthy, if you've got loose teeth, or the bone around your gums is not strong, or if your teeth have cavities or infections or they're broken, or sometimes if you've got wisdom teeth that are coming in sideways, all of those things may be reasons you're not qualified for Invisalign. But the really good news here is the majority of the problems that might stop you from getting Invisalign we can treat and fix for you in our office. So even if you're not qualified for Invisalign immediately, we can get you to a point where your mouth is healthy and happy and you can qualify for Invisalign.
Can Invisalign fix a crossbite?
Invisalign can often fix crossbite. You'd have to see our dentist or orthodontist, which is a braces and Invisalign specialist in the office, to evaluate that. A crossbite is when your teeth are the opposite of where they're supposed to be. So usually, our top arch of the teeth are supposed to be on the outside of our bottom arch of the teeth; they should be overlapping on the outside. But let's say your top tooth, instead of being outside, is on the other side of your teeth; we can usually flip that with Invisalign.
Is Invisalign painful?
People often ask if Invisalign is painful. Invisalign overall is a very comfortable procedure. What can happen is the first time you put in an Invisalign tray for a day or two, your teeth might be just a little tender to eating hard foods such as very hard breads and things of that sort, biting into things like an apple. But overall, Invisalign is considered very comfortable and often maybe more comfortable and less painful than braces.
Does insurance cover the cost of Invisalign?
Many insurances will cover the cost of Invisalign for their patients. It varies from insurance company to insurance company, but you can rest assured that our highly qualified and skilled insurance department will get that information for you. And if your insurance may cover Invisalign, we'll try our hardest to get them to cover it for you.
Does Medicaid cover Invisalign?
A lot of patients may ask if Medicaid covers Invisalign. Unfortunately, Medicaid will not cover Invisalign. The good news is we do have a lot of plans for our patients for them to get Invisalign and to work it out financially even if they don't have coverage for it.
What is the price range for Invisalign?
Invisalign can range anywhere from $4,500 to about $7,500. The differences in price for Invisalign depend on how many teeth we're moving, how complicated the case is, and also whether you have the general dentist doing Invisalign or the orthodontist who's a braces and Invisalign specialist. So really, the complexity of the case and how long it's going to take will vary the price, but anywhere from $4,500 for if you're just shifting your front teeth and closing up some gaps or straightening out some crowded teeth all the way to $7,500 if you're doing essentially what we would have to do with metal braces but doing Invisalign.
How can someone schedule an appointment to see if they are a good candidate for Invisalign?
Scheduling an appointment to see if you're a good candidate and if you're qualified for Invisalign is very easy. Our dentists are very highly trained in Invisalign. We have multiple dentists and specialists who are Invisalign certified, so we can get you in pretty much on weekdays, weekends, evenings, early in the day. We've made ourselves available for you to help you on this smile journey to getting Invisalign and getting the smile of your dream.
Invisalign Braces
What is Invisalign? The clear alternative to teeth-straightening braces!
Have you always wanted straight teeth, but dread the thought of wearing traditional metal braces? Now, there's a modern alternative to wire-and-bracket braces. Our Flushing dental office offers Invisalign Clear Braces (Invisible Braces) to move teeth into their optimal position.
How Does Invisalign Work?
When you come in for your appointment, our Invisalign dentist will take digital images of your teeth, and use the Invisalign software to determine the potential outcome of your smile. With Invisalign, our doctors can correct a variety of orthodontic problems, including:
- Crowding
- Overbites, under bites, and cross bites
- Diastemas (wide spaces)
Invisalign vs Braces for Adults
Patients who receive orthodontic treatment with Invisalign enjoy the option of removing the clear aligners to eat, brush, or for special occasions. In addition, Invisalign treatment is generally completed in a shorter time frame than traditional braces, and patients avoid the discomfort caused by metal wires and brackets. We only provide Invisalign for adults; children should see our specialty orthodontist to discuss teeth-straightening options for them.
Contact Preferred Dental Care today at (718) 445-7600 to hear more about The Invisalign Clear Braces alternative and experience the difference a well-trained, caring dentist can make in your life. New Patients are always welcome and we work with many insurance plans. You'll never regret choosing us! Preferred Dental Care serves General Dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry, and Emergency Dental Care in the following locations of Queens NY: Bayside, Little Neck, Fresh Meadows, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Woodhaven, College Point, and Whitestone with state-of-the-art amenities and top-quality dental treatments.