Invisalign Con North Tampa
We want to give our patients a full picture of what to expect when they come to Miller Orthodontics to talk about their options for straightening their teeth. There are a lot of good things about Invisalign, but we also think it’s important to tell you about some of the challenges and restrictions that come with it. You can make the best decision for you if you know the pros and cons.
Self control is one of the biggest things to think about when using clear aligners. You can take clear aligners out, which is different from traditional braces. Braces stay on your teeth all the time, even when you don’t think about them. You have to wear them for at least 22 hours a day, which is a lot. It sounds simple, but life gets in the way. You take them out to lunch, but then you get a call and an hour goes by before you remember they’re still in their case. If this happens a lot, your treatment will take longer than you thought. Some of our patients have had problems with this and had to stay in treatment for a few more months because they didn’t wear their aligners long enough.
It’s also important to know that clear aligners aren’t the magic solution to all orthodontic problems. They work well for a lot of common issues, like mild to moderate crowding, spacing and even bite problems. But some more complex cases still need traditional braces to get the best results. If your teeth are really crowded, your bite is way off or you need to turn your teeth a lot, brackets and wires may be the only way to get the level of control you need. When you come to see us in North Tampa for a consultation, we’ll look at your case and honestly tell you if clear aligners can get you the results you want or if another treatment would be better. Clear aligner treatment can cost more than traditional braces, but that depends on your situation and how long the treatment takes. Some patients find that their dental insurance will pay for part of their orthodontic work, no matter how it’s done. Some find that their plan has restrictions. We always go over the financials with you in detail before you start treatment. But you should know that clear aligners may cost more than you thought.
You have to do some extra work to keep the aligners clean. You have to rinse them often and brush them softly to prevent them from getting cloudy or smelling bad. If you drink anything other than water while wearing them, the plastic could get stained, which is the opposite of what clear aligners are supposed to do. This means every time you want to drink something other than water, whether it’s coffee, tea, soda or whatever else, you have to take them out. Some people don’t like this especially if they drink a lot of liquids at work or school.
Pain is another thing to consider. Clear aligners are generally more comfortable than traditional braces but they don’t eliminate all the pain. When your teeth start to move, you might feel pressure and pain every time you switch to a new pair of aligners. This soreness usually goes away in a day or two but it can be annoying when you first start using a new tray. Some people feel irritation on their tongue or the inside of their cheeks from the edges of the aligners but this is not as common as the sensitivity from metal brackets.
It can also take some time to get used to talking. You might notice that your speech sounds different or that you have a lisp when you first start using aligners. Most people get used to it in a few days and their speech goes back to normal. But this first phase of getting used to it can be annoying especially if you have to give presentations at work or talk on the phone a lot.
You can lose or forget aligners because you can take them out. People have lost their aligners by leaving them in restaurant napkins, throwing them away by mistake or forgetting them while they were on vacation. Getting new aligners to replace the ones you misplaced can add to your treatment time and cost. Be careful where you put your aligners when you take them out. You should also always keep them in their case. At Miller Orthodontics near North Tampa, we have given clear aligners to many patients and most of them are very happy with the results. But we want you to know what to expect when you start treatment.
What we’ve talked about doesn’t mean clear aligners are a bad idea. In other words, you need to be committed, disciplined and willing to make changes to your lifestyle for this treatment to work. When you’re ready to talk about whether or not this is for you, we recommend you come in for a consultation. We’ll go over all of this in detail and help you understand how this would impact your orthodontic journey compared to other options.
Dr. Zack Miller, DDS, of Miller Orthodontics, earned his dental degree from the University of Maryland and completed his orthodontic residency at the University of Colorado. As an active member of the American Association of Orthodontists, he is dedicated to creating healthy, confident smiles through personalized and transparent care.