Recently, you may have seen a number of companies offering DIY, or at-home, clear aligners. These aligners sound like a convenient alternative to professional orthodontic treatment, because they don’t require visits to the orthodontist—but that’s the problem.
Orthodontic treatment that isn’t designed, supervised, or monitored by a doctor is incredibly risky! Our orthodontists have years of specialized training and experience providing high-quality orthodontic care with Invisalign®.
Your smile deserves the absolute best quality of treatment, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less! Don’t take risks with you or your child’s smile.
We know that no two smiles are the same. Each person has a unique orthodontic condition, a unique lifestyle, and unique preferences. A single, generic treatment plan will not fit everyone.
When we create a treatment plan for you, we take every factor into account—your current condition, the smile you want to achieve, your lifestyle, the needs that come with your lifestyle, and any preferences you have. Our orthodontists will develop a treatment plan, personalized to you, based on our years of expertise and past successful cases.
Teeth can be unpredictable, and sometimes your treatment plan may require some adjustments. We continue to monitor your progress throughout your treatment to make any necessary adjustments to your plan. This could mean an extended treatment period, a shortened treatment period, or an appliance added to your treatment. While DIY companies take a one-and-done approach after they create your general treatment plan, we will continue to assess your progress to ensure that your teeth are on the most efficient track to their new position.
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Many problematic orthodontic conditions originate below the gumline and may be embedded in the jaw bones. Because DIY aligners don’t require a professional orthodontic exam, X-rays, diagnostic photos or scans, these below-surface conditions are likely to go undetected. Treating the aesthetics of the teeth without treating the source of the condition can exacerbate the problematic condition and create further problems.
Reports of DIY clear aligner damage include tooth loss, tooth and jaw pain, bleeding gums, difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing, loose teeth, and more! When you choose DIY clear aligners, you’re putting yourself or your child at risk of irreparable, serious damage to your teeth, gums, and jaw.
Aligner companies advertise their DIY teeth straightening at a flat, low cost to entice people to begin treatment. Many people have reported additional fees added on during their treatment plan. You become obligated to these fees if you want to continue with your treatment.
At Blue Wave Orthodontics, we don’t believe in hidden fees and additional costs. Once you decide on a payment plan that fits your budget, you can rest assured that we won’t secretly adjust these numbers. We will discuss all of your costs with you at your first visit to our office.
With the additional, hidden fees of DIY treatment, professional Invisalign treatment often ends up costing the same, or less, than DIY treatment! Not to mention, if your DIY aligners damage your teeth and worsen your condition, you’ll be paying the cost of DIY treatment and the cost of professional treatment to correct the damage.
Most DIY aligner companies send you an impression kit and ask you to take impressions of your smile on your own, and send them back to the company so they can use these to create your aligners. With this method, you’re trusting that you took accurate impressions of your own teeth, and you’re trusting that these impressions aren’t damaged through the mail.
With Invisalign treatment at Blue Wave, our highly-qualified orthodontists will perform a complimentary, professional exam to ensure that your aligners are created from accurate, precise impressions of your teeth. We take X-rays and diagnostic photos, and discuss any symptoms you may be experiencing, to create a personalized treatment plan that leaves you with a beautiful, healthy smile in the end.
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With Invisalign, your treatment length will depend on your specific condition, the severity of your condition, your diligence in wearing your aligners daily, and your end smile goals. Your treatment may be less than 12 months, somewhere between 12 and 18 months, or more than 18 months. However long it takes to get your smile to the desired position is how long your treatment will be.
With DIY aligners at home, your treatment length is a fixed range of 4 to 6 months, regardless of your condition or goals with treatment.
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Our orthodontists can treat a number of orthodontic conditions with Invisalign. From minor crookedness to misaligned bite positions, we can effectively and efficiently shift the teeth and jaw bones into alignment over time.
DIY aligners are designed to straighten the teeth on a cosmetic, surface level. These aligners aren’t designed to treat the source of the condition, which can be harmful! When teeth are straightened without consideration of the underlying problem, this can worsen an existing condition and has the potential to create a new problematic condition.
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If you still have questions about the importance of receiving professional orthodontic treatment, we would love to speak with you! Opting for DIY aligners or at-home aligners can lead to a number of problems, from irreparable damage to hidden fees.
Don’t take a chance on your smile! Choose a qualified orthodontist who ensures exceptional results—every time. Treatment with us is predictable. You won’t run into the unexpected problems that people often run into during DIY treatment.
You can expect beautiful results when you choose Invisalign treatment at Blue Wave Orthodontics.
Ready to transform your smile with professional, high-quality care? Get started today by requesting your complimentary consultation with us!
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