While we appreciate a creative mind, orthodontics is one area to leave to the experts. Some people opt for DIY or at-home treatment for their aligners. Rhoads Orthodontics is here to tell you why you should see a professional for clear aligner treatment.
Bad Ideas = Bad Results
It’s easy to be tempted by kits you can buy online, which typically consist of materials for taking an impression and sending it to a remote dental lab to create your aligners. There are many reasons why we don’t endorse this type of treatment. Here are just a few of them:
- Lack of Professional Supervision: DIY treatment is deficient in that it lacks professional intervention and monitoring. Without regular observation, adjustments, and supervision, treatment can be ineffective and harm oral health.
- Inaccurate Impressions: Taking impressions of the teeth at home without guidance can (and usually will) result in discrepancies that can fail to move teeth properly or cause discomfort or injury in the process.
- Limited Treatment Options: DIY kits almost always include a one-size-fits-all approach. This can mean that more complex orthodontic issues are completely ignored. People’s mouths vary dramatically due to individual anatomy, which makes this an especially poor method.
- Risk of Complications: When aligners don’t fit properly, the risks of damage are extensive. Oral health issues that can arise include tooth misalignment, gum recession, enamel damage, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
- Legal and Ethical Concerns: This approach bypasses the oversight and ethical standards established by most professional orthodontic organizations, which means jeopardizing patient safety, quality of care, and accountability.
- Financial Issues: While this may seem like a good choice at first for being cost-effective, the potential poor outcomes and subsequent corrective treatment can result in much higher long-term costs.
The Right Way
The alternative is a professional method like Invisalign. If you aren’t aware of how these work, here’s a brief overview:
- Customized Treatment: We will assess your condition with advanced 3D imaging technology, which is highly accurate.
- Comfortable: The material is a lightweight, comfortable plastic that is much less likely to cause irritation to your cheeks and gums. The accuracy of the fit also means increased comfort.
- Effective for Various Issues: Invisalign effectively treats a wide range of orthodontic issues, including crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite.
How We Support You
If you opt for Invisalign treatment, these are some of the ways we are able to make it an exceptional process with great results!
- Treatment Planning: From the get-go, we are able to set out a comprehensive plan of treatment so that you know what to expect. This can include things like estimated duration of treatment, visual examples of how your teeth will be moved, and open access to answering any questions you have along the way.
- Monitoring: This is a hugely important step in every single orthodontic process and is the main element of DIY that makes it dangerous. We schedule periodic appointments with you to allow for early detection of any issues that might arise so that they can be promptly addressed.
- Guidance and Support: Orthodontic professionals like Dr. Rhoads can also talk to you about the best ways to make the most of your treatment. This means caring for your aligners and managing discomfort or offering bespoke dietary advice.
- Safety and Efficacy: Professional, clear aligner treatment means it’s being conducted by an expert who has training in safe, effective treatment, all tailored to the patient’s specific needs. We will always adhere to strict standards of care to ensure the best care possible.
FAQs
Q: How long will Invisalign treatment take?
This is highly dependent on your situation. If you have a more complicated orthodontic situation, your progress might naturally be affected. On average, treatment will last from 12 to 18 months.
Q: Can I remove my aligners when I feel like it?
No—just because they are removable doesn’t mean they should be removed at will. For meals and beverages other than water, they should be taken out, as well as for cleaning, brushing, and flossing. But the baseline for wear is 20-22 hours per day. Failing to follow that timeline can jeopardize your treatment.
Q: Is Invisalign suitable for all orthodontic issues?
Not necessarily. Dr. Rhoads will be able to explain what sort of conditions are most suitable for clear aligners as opposed to traditional wired braces.
A Clear Path Ahead
We hope you now understand why it’s never a good idea to try and tackle orthodontics on your own! We proudly serve the Cranberry Township community and can’t wait to meet you! You can reach us at 724-370-8693.