Advanced Dental Care is proud to be a certified Invisalign orthodontics provider in Costa Mesa, CA, serving teenaged and adult patients in Irvine, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Huntington Beach and the surrounding communities in Orange County. No longer do you have to suffer through years of painful, unattractive metal braces!
Invisalign can be a fantastic way to address a wide range of mild to moderate dental misalignments, which can help a person chew more comfortably and avoid dental injuries and infections. Here’s a quick look at a few of the issues Invisalign can resolve, but please feel free to contact the friendly team at Advanced Dental Care if you’d like to know more about his amazing orthodontic method.
Dental crowding happens when too many teeth are located in too small a space on the jawbone, and it can leave a person susceptible to a range of issues like infections, gum disease, jaw pain, and difficulty eating. Some people are born with crowded teeth, but others may develop crowded smiles over time due to the way their teeth shift with age. Invisalign can spread the teeth out along the jaw so they sit evenly next to one another, which can make chewing and oral hygiene much easier.
Some people have gaps in their smile due to their teeth being small or their jaws being especially large, and spaces between teeth can also form due to childhood habits like thumb-sucking and tongue-thrusting. Gaps can expose the gums to injury and make it easier for food debris and plaque to accumulate, but using Invisalign to bring your teeth closer together can help you preserve your oral health.
An overbite, also called an overjet, is when the top teeth rest too far in front of the bottom ones when the mouth is closed. This can lead to jaw pain, speech difficulties, and uneven enamel wear, and it can leave the front teeth especially vulnerable to injury, but Invisalign can bring the teeth into a healthier and more functional alignment.
An underbite is when the bottom teeth rest in front of the top teeth when the mouth is closed, and it is usually the result of genetic factors, oral injuries, tumors, or non-nutritive habits during childhood such as thumb-sucking. An underbite can lead to an increased risk of sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and trouble speaking and chewing. This issue is usually easier to treat in younger patients, but older patients can also benefit from resolving it with Invisalign. Treatment may require appliances like rubber bands that will help shift the teeth into better positions.
A crossbite happens when the bottom teeth are slightly in front of the top teeth and is usually caused by genetics, poor oral habits, or early loss of baby teeth. Invisalign can often fix this problem, but doing so may require accessories like elastics to help shift the jaw into a healthier position. An unaddressed crossbite may lead to increased risk of oral infection, jaw pain, speech problems, headaches, bruxism, or facial asymmetry.
An open bite is an alignment issue characterized by the front teeth not overlapping or touching when the mouth is closed. This often happens due to poor bone development or excessive thumb- or pacifier-sucking as a child. An open bite can make it difficult to speak clearly and may lead to excessive enamel erosion on the back teeth. Invisalign can draw the upper and lower teeth closer together, which can allow the patient to chew more easily and avoid oral injuries.
Invisalign is approved for adults and teenagers who have fully erupted, permanent teeth with no major skeletal malocclusions, severely rotated teeth, multiple missing teeth, or open bites that need to be closed. If you have any of these issues, traditional orthodontia may be a better path towards dental health for you. Advanced Dental Care is happy to consult with you to see how we can best meet your orthodontic needs.
Most Invisalign treatment plans proceed with the following timeline:
Advanced Dental Concepts will work with you to create a personalized Invisalign treatment plan that suits your needs, budget, and insurance plan. We pride ourselves on providing you with the friendliest, most relaxing dentistry in Orange County and only use cutting-edge dental technologies to ensure comfortable, long lasting results. Call us today to schedule an Invisalign consultation!
If you are in need of orthodontics to correct crooked teeth and/or an improper bite, Invisalign is a speedy solution.
In just a few short decades, Invisalign aligners have earned the reputation of being more comfortable, discreet, and convenient than traditional braces. However, to make the most of your treatment, you’ll still need to follow a few simple guidelines. Here’s a closer look at some best practices for living with Invisalign to help ensure that your beautiful new smile stays on track during treatment!
Each set of Invisalign aligners will need to be worn for 20 to 22 hours each day. Every one to two weeks, you’ll then need to switch to a new set of aligners as your teeth shift into their new positions. Because every patient is different, the exact timeframe of how soon you’ll upgrade will depend on your dentist and your personalized treatment plan.
If your aligners aren’t worn for at least 20 hours a day, it could set back your treatment timeline, so be sure to adhere to this as closely as possible. As a rule, the only times your aligners should be out of your mouth are when you are eating, drinking anything but water, and brushing and flossing your teeth / cleaning your aligners.
It’s very important to keep your aligners clean but be sure to only use lukewarm or room temperature water to clean them. Because your trays are made of plastic, water that is too hot could cause them to warp or lose shape, which will affect their ability to properly move your teeth.
Be sure to rinse your trays each time you put them back in your mouth. You can properly clean them by soaking them in Invisalign cleaning crystals for 15 to 30 minutes at least once a day, or by scrubbing them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear hand soap.
Excellent oral hygiene is also a must. You’ll need to brush and floss your teeth each time you remove your aligners to eat, and brush after drinking anything but water.
One of the best things about Invisalign is that you can eat and drink whatever foods and beverages you want throughout your entire treatment, but it is important that you remove your aligners first.
Before eating or drinking anything other than water, remove your trays and store them in their protective case. This will prevent them from getting damaged or lost, and from food becoming stuck between the trays and your teeth, which can cause oral health problems like cavities and gum disease.
Furthermore, eating or drinking colored beverages while wearing your trays can cause them to become discolored, ruining their discreet appearance.
Accidents happen, and losing or damaging an aligner isn’t the end of the world. However, if you do misplace or break one, it’s very important to address the situation and contact your dentist as soon as possible to keep your treatment timeline on track.
Misplacement typically occurs when patients remove their trays to eat, especially if they don’t store them in their protective case.
If your tray becomes lost or damaged, your dentist may order a new one for you, or they could instruct you to advance to the next one in your treatment. This will depend on how close you are to already needing to upgrade, as well as the discretion of your dentist.
With Invisalign, you’ll need fewer check-ins with your dentist during treatment. In most cases, check-ins will occur every four to eight weeks, but this will depend on your individual treatment plan. Most check-ins are about 15 minutes each. At your check-in, your dentist will provide you with the next series of aligners, as well as make sure you’re on track to complete your treatment on schedule.
When determining if Invisalign is the best option for you, there are a number of things to consider. One aspect of treatment that patients are most curious about is the price. And, while there is no all-encompassing answer, there are some factors that play a role across the board. With this in mind, keep reading to learn more about the cost of Invisalign in Costa Mesa.
As mentioned above, Invisalign isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. During your initial consultation, our Invisalign dentist in Costa Mesa will consider the below factors:
From there, they can put together a detailed treatment plan and provide you with an accurate price estimate.
Since DIY Aligners markets itself as a cost-effective teeth-straightening option, it’s not too surprising that many patients ask us about it. While the upfront cost is usually less, the DIY approach to orthodontics often leads to costly mistakes, resulting in time and money spent on further restorative and cosmetic care. Therefore, cheaper isn’t always better, especially when it comes to your smile. On the other hand, Invisalign typically costs anywhere from $3,500 to $4,500 and includes the cost of x-rays, routine maintenance appointments, case refinements, retainers, and any necessary follow-ups. You’ll have peace of mind knowing a skilled dental professional is overseeing your treatment every step of the way without worrying about any additional hidden fees.
More often than not, the answer is no. With that being said, it is possible your benefits will cover a portion of your treatment, so it doesn’t hurt to double-check! If you need help understanding the fine print on your dental plan, our knowledgeable team is here to lend a helping hand. We’d be more than happy to handle the paperwork, explain your benefits, and help you understand the cost every step of the way.
Dental insurance isn’t the only way to make your dental care affordable! At Advanced Dental Care, we offer our patients two other ways to save: Be Smile Smart Plans and flexible financing through CareCredit or our in-house financing. Be Smile Smart Plans works similarly to insurance, providing you with valuable savings (but without the annual red tape, like annual maximums and deductibles). Financing through Care Credit or our in-house financing, on the other hand, allows you to break up the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly chunks with payments as low as $299 a month. Don’t worry – we will cover all of these options in-depth during your initial consultation. That way, you can make an informed decision on which payment option is best for you.
Before you begin treatment, you may have lots of questions on your mind. How long does Invisalign take? Will the trays hurt? What happens afterward? Of course, our team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have during your initial consultation. But, if you’d like to learn more about Invisalign in Costa Mesa in the meantime, you can read on!
Once our team learns more about the severity of your misalignment, your smile goals, and other important factors that will impact your treatment, we’ll provide you with a general timeline. On average, it takes between 12 and 18 months to complete. However, it could be significantly shorter if you want to address minor crowding or spacing issues – as little as six months, in fact!
It’s important to note that whether or not you follow all of your orthodontist’s instructions will also play a role in your treatment timeline. If you don’t wear your trays for 22 hours a day, you consistently lose your aligners, or you don’t prioritize your follow-up visits, there is a good chance you will need to prolong your treatment.
Fortunately, Invisalign is significantly more comfortable than traditional braces. With no metal brackets or wires, the custom-made aligners are designed to NOT irritate your gums and tongue. Of course, you may experience some slight soreness in the hours following your transition to each new set of trays, but don’t let that discourage you. It’s a reminder that your treatment is working! Plus, any discomfort that you feel can be alleviated with a cold compress, over-the-counter pain medication, or a mixture of the two.
Once you’ve worked through your entire series of aligners, you’ll be given a retainer. Remember, braces can certainly straighten your teeth, but they won’t keep them in their properly aligned positions forever. That’s why wearing your retainer is so important – it’s one of the best ways to prevent orthodontic relapse. With this in mind, your dentist will let you know how often you need to wear yours. Typically, full-time for the first six months or so and then gradually transitioning to wearing it solely at night.
One of the biggest perks of Invisalign is that there are no dietary restrictions. In other words, you can eat whatever you’d like! Of course, you will need to remove your trays beforehand to ensure they don’t get damaged. While they aren’t in use, place them in their designated storage case and then put them back in as soon as you’re done enjoying your meal.
Fortunately, cleaning your aligners isn’t a cumbersome task. On a daily basis, you should rinse them each time you take them out of your mouth and clean them with a soft-bristled toothbrush after each meal. For a deeper clean, you can use the cleaning crystals, which can remove food particles, debris, and the like. Note: do NOT use hot water to clean your trays since this can warp their shape. It’s also a good idea to avoid using household cleaners, like bleach.
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