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Even if you’ve never had orthodontic treatment before, you probably have some idea of what kind of commitment metal brackets and wires usually entail. The aesthetic issues and various inconveniences associated with traditional braces drive many older patients to look for an alternative. Here at Grand Dental in Channahon, you’ll find just that in the form of Clear Aligners from our Channahon, IL orthodontic team, a different kind of orthodontic treatment that straightens your smile and corrects your bite while staying virtually invisible so that most people only notice your ever-improving smile.
The Clear Aligners process begins with a digital scan of your teeth. The aligners will be made ahead of time so that you can change to the next one every one or two weeks. Unlike braces, Clear Aligners trays can be taken out of your mouth at any time, which means you can eat and drink what you want without risking damage to your orthodontic appliance. Furthermore, you won’t have to adjust your oral hygiene routine to account for brackets and wires.
The trays are made out of a transparent plastic that practically vanishes when against the teeth. The trays will adjust the teeth a little at a time, but they work best when they remain in your mouth for at least 20 to 22 hours every day.
Your first Clear Aligners appointment will start with a dental examination. During this time, we’ll also take a number of pictures and X-rays that can be used as a basis for a three-dimensional model of your mouth. Not only will this model help us create aligners that fit as comfortably as possible, but they also allow us to show you what sort of adjustments your smile is going to go through over the course of the treatment. You’ll get a preview of how often the treatment will last and how often you’ll need to switch to a new aligner. After a separate lab has made the aligners and sent them to us, you’ll come in for another appointment where we can teach you the best Clear Aligners care techniques. Periodic visits to check your progress will be held every six to eight weeks.
To be considered a candidate for Clear Aligners treatment, you need to have the self-control to not take out the aligners when you don’t need to. Thus, the treatment is usually reserved for teenagers and adults. Anyone who has aesthetic concerns regarding braces can feel more confident when wearing Clear Aligners instead. Clear aligners are usually more suitable for minor to moderate oral health issues; that said, our orthodontic specialist is accustomed to handling a wide variety of difficult cases while helping you achieve the results you want.
Both adults and teenagers can benefit from Clear Aligners. The process is largely similar for both age groups, but Clear Aligners Teen has a couple of additional features that makes it easier for parents to make sure that the treatment is being adhered to as needed.
Like the normal treatment, Clear Aligners Teen requires the patient to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours every day to keep the treatment on track. But how can you be sure that your teenager will stick to the plan? Studies indicate that teens are actually more responsible on average than adults when it comes to sticking with Clear Aligners treatment. If you’d like more assurance, though, there is a blue indicator on each alignment that will slowly fade as the aligner is properly used; this can be used to make sure that the treatment is still on track.
The Clear Aligners Teen process is more or less the same as the normal one. A model of your teen’s mouth will be created by combining a series of photos and X-rays. We can then go over the treatment plan and show you what sort of adjustments are expected. Your teen will learn how often they’ll need to switch out aligners and how long the entire process is expected to take. This is also a chance for us to go over any concerns you might have as a parent. The aligners will be made outside of the dental office; we’ll get in touch with you once they arrive so that you can set up another appointment. During this visit, we’ll teach your teen how to clean the aligner and go over the best strategies for taking care of them.
We may recommend Clear Aligners teen in mild to moderate cases of bite problems or misaligned teeth. It’s generally a good option if your teen has reason to be concerned about their appearance and don’t want to be stuck with metal braces for the next year or so. Some cases are more complicated than others, but our team will be here to help guide you through the process and personalize the treatment based on your teen’s needs. The blue compliance indicator makes it more likely that your teen will wear the aligner for as long as necessary.
There isn’t a set cost for Clear Aligners in Channahon. Every treatment is custom-made to address the unique needs of the individual. The number of aligners needed, the severity of the orthodontic issue, and the duration of treatment will vary from patient to patient and influence the final price. At Grand Dental – Channahon, we will walk you through your personalized treatment plan and explain all the associated costs. We’ll help you determine what the expected price is and discuss your available payment options.
When estimating your cost, we will factor in the following:
Do-it-yourself (DIY) mail-in clear aligners are becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, this method comes with the potential for serious complications, including worse orthodontic problems than when you started. Services like Smile Direct Club™ are cheaper than Clear Aligners, but the lack of direct oversight from a trained professional can lead to a wide variety of oral health problems.
At Grand Dental – Channahon, we recommend that individuals consider the following before buying into mail-in, DIY aligners:
Clear Aligners offers peace-of-mind and confidence that your treatment is being handled professionally, safely, and effectively. Our team will oversee the entire process to ensure optimal results.
While some dental insurance plans include orthodontic coverage, others do not. Many companies offer coverage for patients under the age of 19, and some will only cover the cost of traditional braces. It is up to the individual to review their dental insurance policy and determine what the stipulations are. Patients looking for assistance to do so can reach out to one of our team members. Our experienced administrative staff will be happy to answer your questions when it comes to the financial side of dentistry.
At Grand Dental – Channahon, we offer several options to help make Clear Aligners more affordable. Our in-house Grand Advantage Plan offers coverage for basic care and 20% off dental treatments within the first year of enrollment for one flat yearly fee. Additionally, we provide flexible financing options through CareCredit, which allows patients to break up the cost of their Clear Aligners treatment into smaller monthly payments.
Clear Aligners in Channahon presents a removable, comfortable alternative to metal braces, and it is a viable option for adults as well as teenagers. Despite its growing popularity, many people are not as familiar with Clear Aligners as they are with traditional orthodontics, and consequently it is not uncommon to have questions at the beginning of Clear Aligners treatment. The information below covers some of the most common questions that we receive when recommending Clear Aligners as a solution for crowded, misaligned, or unevenly spaced teeth.
Many patients report a small amount of discomfort when they receive Clear Aligners for the first time. This is only temporary; the mouth needs time to adjust to the constant presence of the appliance. The pain should only last for a few days, after which the trays become much more comfortable to wear. It should be noted that the discomfort will return each time new trays are worn. Compared to traditional metal braces, Clear Aligners causes less discomfort because there are no metal wires that need to be tightened or brackets irritating the gums.
Like most orthodontic treatments, Clear Aligners can yield permanent results as long as a retainer is worn afterwards. A retainer’s purpose is to prevent the teeth from shifting and returning to their original positions. Some retainers are permanently fixed to the teeth while others are removable. If a removable retainer is used, it is important to closely follow the instructions given by our team.
Patients need to be proactive about protecting and keeping track of their Clear Aligners trays because losing one could end up disrupting the treatment. You will need to take your trays out of your mouth for every meal, and as such it is important to keep a protective case with you at all times so that you have a place to put them without the risk of leaving them behind or throwing them away on accident. In the event that one or both aligners are lost, our team may recommend wearing a previous set of aligners to try and keep the teeth from reverting to their previous positions. An examination is then required to determine whether it is safe to move on to the next set of aligners or if a new aligner needs to be created.
It is not uncommon for people who wore braces in the past to undergo Clear Aligners treatment to address any orthodontic issues that have appeared. Depending on the severity of a particular issue, Clear Aligners may be a viable option for correcting common orthodontics issues, such as overcrowding, gapped teeth, misaligned bites, and crooked teeth. We use advanced dental technology to determine whether or not a patient is a candidate for Clear Aligners, and we create personalized treatment plans based on our findings.
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