What Are Aligners?
To get a better understanding of what aligners are, you must first understand what they’re NOT: traditional metal braces.
With traditional metal braces, an orthodontist will attach a small metal bracket to each one of your teeth – both on the top and bottom row of your mouth. A metal wire will then connect those brackets. Periodically, the orthodontist will adjust the strength of that metal wire – thus gently shifting the teeth into the desired position over many months.
With aligners, on the other hand, you’re talking about a series of clear trays that are constructed using precise measurements of your mouth. Because of that, they’re incredibly comfortable – to the point where most people forget they’re wearing them after just a few days! Every few weeks, you swap out one set of aligners in the sequence for the next – a set that is slightly different than the one that came before it. This is what gently moves your teeth into their intended position throughout treatment, thus creating a much more enjoyable experience as well.
Types of Aligners
Dressler Orthodontics offers two different types of clear aligners.
Clarity™ Aligners
Offered by the team at 3M™, Clarity™ Aligners are a system that was designed with orthodontics in mind – one that helps our team meet the needs of patients like you more easily than ever. They’re fully customizable from the ground up to meet the needs of each patient and they’re one of the most effective forms of aligners available on the market today.
Clear Correct Aligners
Clear Correct aligners come with significantly lower lab fees than a lot of competing options, which allows us to pass the savings directly on to customers. Likewise, rather than sending all aligners at once, they are shipped in phases of 12 aligners at a time – allowing us to check your progress more frequently than we would with competing services.
If you’re having a hard time making a decision right now, don’t worry – we’re here to help. The team at Dressler Orthodontics will sit down with you and make sure you fully understand the pros and cons of each one, allowing you to have the confidence that only comes with knowing you’ve made the best possible choice for your health.
How Much Do Aligners Cost?
The actual cost of aligners is going to vary depending on a few key factors – including the type you select and the total length of treatment that you require. In other words, it’s very difficult to say exactly how much you’ll need to pay without knowing more about you – at least, before your initial consultation.
Having said that, in most cases aligners work out to be just about the same cost as traditional braces, all for something that is far more comfortable and low profile as well.
How Long Does Treatment Take With Aligners?
Most people can expect to wear their aligners for about two years, although this is going to vary depending on the specific issues you’re trying to correct. If you’re only using clear aligners for aesthetic purposes (meaning you only want to correct crooked or crowded teeth), you’ll be able to do so faster than if you were also concerned with something like a bite issue. Your orthodontist will go over everything with you well in advance so that you know exactly what to expect before treatment begins.
Am I a Candidate for Aligners?
While it’s true that most people are ideal candidates for aligners, certain people won’t be. If you need any other type of significant dental work, for example, you’ll have to take care of those things first. Likewise, you may not be an ideal candidate simply because what you’re trying to accomplish cannot be met with clear aligner technology.
Again, don’t feel overwhelmed – Dr. Dressler will go over absolutely everything with you well in advance so that you know exactly what to expect before you make any decision one way or the other. Even if you’re not a candidate for aligners, there IS an option out there that will give you the perfect, healthy smile you’ve always wanted, and Dr. Dressler can help you achieve that goal.
How Do Aligners Work?
As stated, each aligner in your sequence is not only fitted specifically to your mouth – it is also slightly different than the one before and after it. When you swap out one set of aligners for the next, your teeth move ever-so-gently – to the tune of just a few millimeters every few weeks. But throughout your treatment, they shift exactly into place – thus finally giving you that perfect smile you’ve always wanted.
The Dressler Difference
In the end, understand that dental and orthodontic technology has come a long way since traditional metal braces – and the same is true of our practice.
At Dressler Orthodontics, we understand that most of our patients lead incredibly busy lives. That’s why, rather than force them to change up their daily routine to make time for an appointment, we’ve changed the way we run our practice to be as convenient and as straightforward as possible.
While it’s true that certain events will need to be handled in-office, we also offer virtual appointments to our patients as well! If you ever have a question or a concern, you can just text us for the answer – to the point where we do on average 40% fewer in-office visits than a lot of our competitors!
We always put patient convenience first and foremost – but we refuse to sacrifice patient care to do it. That’s why we offer high-quality care that is both super convenient and incredibly affordable, and we have absolutely no plans of stopping anytime soon.
