Invisalign in East Amherst, NY

Invisalign is an excellent cosmetic orthodontic treatment for adults who are worried about drawing attention to their misaligned teeth with metal wires and brackets. 

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While it was previously thought that Invisalign could only treat very minor aesthetic issues with the teeth such as small gaps and slightly crooked teeth, Invisalign has come out with new advancements such as Invisalign attachments to correct more severe malocclusions. 

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Attachments are buttons made out of composite resin that come in various shapes and sizes and are bonded directly to your tooth enamel. Not every patient requires attachments for their treatment, but when tooth movements are more complex or harder to achieve with aligners alone, attachments are a great tool. They can even correct bite problems.

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Here’s what Invisalign can correct:

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• Gaps
• Crooked/misaligned teeth
• Overcrowding
• Underbite
• Open bite
• Crossbite
• Overbite

What Invisalign can’t fix:

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• Severe bite problems
• Gaps larger than 6 mm
• Intrusion and extrusion
• Teeth that need to be rotated past 20 degrees
• Midline movements
• Severely tilted teeth

You need to wear your aligners for 22 hours per day without exception if you want the treatment to work properly and on schedule. Your aligners are removable for your ultimate convenience to eat a restriction-free diet and more easily clean all of the surfaces of your teeth. 

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However, this ease of removability also means you will need to hold yourself accountable for keeping them in as long as you can. Avoid removing them too often or for too long. Try to remove your aligners only when necessary, for example, to eat or clean your teeth.

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If you don’t wear your aligners often enough, they won’t be able to shift your teeth. You may think you’ll be able to get away with wearing them for less than 22 hours per day but you will notice that as you keep doing this, your next set of aligners will be very tight or won’t fit at all. This will delay your treatment because you will need to backtrack to the last set of aligners and wear them for longer.

While insurance will not cover the full cost of your orthodontic treatment, they may cover a certain percentage or dollar amount of your treatment. 

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However, this depends on what insurance you have and whether or not they consider Invisalign to be a medically necessary orthodontic treatment or something purely cosmetic. Cosmetic treatments are considered elective and not medically necessary so dental insurance will not cover them. 

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To find out if your insurance will cover Invisalign, you should contact them directly and ask them about any lifetime caps that exist on orthodontic coverage. This is the maximum amount they will cover for orthodontic treatment.

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At The Ivory Dental Company, we accept all insurance plans and are in-network with many popular insurance companies. However, if you don’t have insurance, we offer a variety of financing options to help you afford treatment. If you’re concerned about the cost of treatment, contact us today and Dr. Sweeney can discuss your options with you.

You should clean your aligners twice a day, in the morning and before bed, just as you would clean your teeth. Every time you remove your aligners, rinse them out. To clean them, you will need to use a soft bristle toothbrush and an aligner-safe cleaner. 

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This can be a denture cleaner, clear liquid soap, or Invisalign cleaning crystals. However, studies have shown that cleaning crystals are the most effective way to clean your aligners. Thoroughly brush the surfaces of your aligners and then rinse them off.

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When you aren’t wearing them, place them in their storage case. After eating and drinking, brush and floss your teeth before putting the aligners back in. Don’t consume food, flavored beverages, or hot liquids while wearing your aligners. 

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This can stain and damage them. Never run your aligners under hot water because this can morph the mold. We recommend soaking your aligners for up to 15 minutes once a day before brushing them for a deeper clean.