Invisalign Clear Braces – Torrance, CA

Scheduling a Consultation

During your initial consultation, we will discuss your goals and what you hope to achieve with Invisalign. Apart from sharing your medical history, we will take the time to thoroughly examine your smile to determine if Invisalign is the right course of treatment for you. Depending on the severity of your individual problem (i.e., overcrowding, spaces between teeth, bite alignment), you may or may not be eligible, as some situations require traditional braces for desired results. After your examination, if we feel you are a qualified candidate for Invisalign, we will get you ready for the next step, which is digital impressions.

Capturing Impressions

In order to ensure your aligners match up perfectly with your smile, it is necessary for us to take digital impressions. These will offer precise, clear images for the dental lab technicians to use when crafting your custom-made aligners. These images will also allow us to craft your smile’s sequence, which is the step-by-step process your smile will go through during treatment. You’ll be able to see how your smile progresses along the way until the desired results are achieved.

Getting Fitted for Treatment

Once your aligners are finished, we will have you come in to have your first set properly placed in your mouth. We’ll show you exactly how you need to wear them and explain how long you’ll wear each set before switching to the next in the series. During your fitting, we will make sure everything fits comfortably and there is no rubbing or irritation to the soft tissues of your mouth.

While treatment can last anywhere from 8 - 18 months, you’ll need to continue seeing us throughout your treatment to make sure everything is moving along as it should. These quick appointments should take up very little of your time, and before you know it, you’ll be done with Invisalign and on to wearing your retainer.

 

Crowded Teeth

Overcrowded teeth can take their toll on your confidence, but that’s far from the only problem they pose. Generally speaking, crowded teeth are more difficult to brush and floss properly, which can have serious consequences for your long-term oral health. They can also lead to discomfort in your jaw and make it harder to chew. With Invisalign, we can reposition your teeth so that there’s a sufficient amount of space between them.

Gaps Between Teeth

While crowded teeth can be a big problem, you also don’t want your teeth to be spaced too far apart. Bacteria tend to accumulate in gaps in your grin, putting you at a higher risk for gum disease and other oral health concerns. It’s often possible to close gaps in your smile with an Invisalign treatment.

Overbite

If your upper teeth are too far in front of your lower teeth, you have what is known as an overbite. An uncorrected overbite can cause your teeth to wear down unusually quickly, interfere with your ability to speak clearly, and even contribute to jaw pain. In some cases, an overbite might even make it difficult to open and close your mouth. Fortunately, some cases of overbite can be corrected with Invisalign.

Underbite

Having an underbite means that your lower arch of teeth is slightly in front of the top arch. This alignment issue can potentially restrict your airway in the upper nasal passages, which puts you at a higher risk for sleep apnea. Additionally, underbites can sometimes result in mouth breathing and make chewing more difficult. Our team can help you figure out whether Invisalign can be used to address your underbite.

Crossbite

A crossbite is a type of bite alignment issue where your upper teeth fit inside your lower teeth. It may be a result of genetics or baby teeth that fell out too early. An untreated crossbite can contribute to speech difficulties, headaches, and an increased risk of oral health problems like tooth decay. It should be noted that in order to correct a crossbite with Invisalign, it may be necessary to use accessories such as elastics.

Open Bite

Do your top teeth not touch your bottom teeth when your mouth is fully closed? This is known as an open bite, and it’s known to interfere with speech while also excessively wearing down the enamel protecting your teeth. Fortunately, Invisalign can be used to correct the positions of the top and bottom teeth so that they come together in the right spots.

Discreet Trays

While some orthodontic work can draw attention to your smile, the same isn’t true of Invisalign. Its aligners are highly discreet and don’t have much of a visual impact.

You see, Invisalign trays are made of nearly invisible plastic to the eye. That means they tend to blend in with your smile and won’t distort its good looks. Even if you wear clear aligners, people likely won’t notice or comment on them. The trays also won’t interfere with photos of special events – weddings, graduations, etc.

Boosted Confidence

Many patients feel ashamed to try orthodontics, thinking that treatment would give them a case of “metal mouth.” Still, you have no reason to fear the Invisalign process; it’d boost your confidence.

Don't forget: Invisalign trays are very discreet – they’re far less noticeable than metal brackets or wires. They’ll let you keep a polished appearance at work and in many other social settings. Given that fact, using them won’t leave you nervous or anxious about your grin’s looks. That’s especially good news for teens who want to build friendships and socialize.

Better Dental Hygiene

Oral care with traditional braces can be tricky; patients must floss between and around their orthodontic device to remove plaque well. Luckily, this difficulty doesn’t apply to Invisalign aligners.

Unlike normal braces, Invisalign trays aren’t cemented to your teeth and can be taken off anytime. You’ll be free to remove them before eating a meal or cleaning your teeth or gums. Therefore, they make oral hygiene routines much easier than metal braces. That ease reduces the risk of cavities, gum disease, and other mouth issues.

Improved Comfort

Metal braces tend to prove irritating at times, causing aches and other discomfort. The bright side is that Invisalign trays don’t have this annoying trait. In other words, wearing them is a comfier experience.

To be clear, Invisalign trays use smooth plastic instead of metal. This makeup minimizes the risk of irritation and scraping inside the lips and cheeks. At most, the patient will only feel slight soreness when switching to a new series of trays. This effect is normal and short-lived, and it’s easily managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Non-Invasive Treatment

Compared to metal braces, Invisalign is less involved. The process is non-invasive and won't disrupt much of your everyday life.

An Invisalign treatment alters little of a patient’s day-to-day routines. In most cases, it’ll let you brush and floss as usual, eat your favorite foods, and attend crucial life events. Plus, its alignment process has shorter check-in visits and built-in flexibility around the wear time. Such features make it easier for patients with busy work or school schedules.

Quick Follow-Ups

Speaking of check-in visits, Invisalign doesn’t require a lot of follow-up once you start. The regular sessions it involves are less uncomfortable and extensive than what’s required for metal braces.

All in all, each Invisalign check-in occurs every six to eight weeks during treatment. These visits are also quite short – only about 15-30 minutes or so. In just these little snippets, your dentist can ensure your treatment is on track and your teeth are moving as needed.

Wearing Your Trays

You may know that you have to wear your aligners for 20+ hours a day, but how can you successfully accomplish that each day with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and oral hygiene? The short answer is: find a schedule that works for you with the help of the stopwatch on your phone! An example would be dedicating 30-40 minutes to each meal, 15 minutes to snacks, and 10 minutes to oral hygiene.

Cleaning Your Aligners

Keeping your aligners clean and clear really boils down to two things. The first is rinsing them with cool, clean water each time you take them off. The second is gently scrubbing them with a damp, soft-bristled toothbrush before you put them back on. You also have the option of using the cleaning crystals that came in your welcome kit when your aligners need a deeper clean.

Eating & Drinking

Good news: you don’t need to completely eliminate any foods from your diet with Invisalign! That means you’re free to shop for groceries, go out to eat with clients, and dine with friends just like you did prior to starting your teeth-straightening journey. All we ask is that you’re mindful of how what you eat impacts your oral health. For example, if you overindulge on added sugar, you may develop a cavity.

Damaging a Tray

Sometimes, an aligner with a very small crack can continue to be worn if the utmost care is used. Other times, having a replacement made it the best way to proceed. That’s why we recommend contacting us ASAP to share what happened and how extensive the damage is. We’ll guide you through what to do from there!

Tip: To avoid damaging a tray, clean your aligners over a soft towel and store them in their designated case during meals.

Routine Check-Ins

Every 6-8 weeks, you’ll return to our Torrance dental office so we can take new scans of your teeth. This is crucial because it allows us to monitor the movement of your teeth. If they are progressing as anticipated, then we will give you your next batch of aligners. If they aren’t, then we will make some tweaks to your treatment plan with the goal of getting you back on track.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign

During your initial consultation, a member of our dental team will fully examine your smile and deliver an approximate estimate for the cost of treatment. Many factors are considered, including:

• The number of clear aligners you will need throughout your treatment.
• The severity of your orthodontic problem.
• Any dental work that must be completed beforehand (i.e., tooth extraction, periodontal therapy).
• The timeline for your treatment.
• The number of teeth that need to be straightened.

Invisalign VS. Smile Direct Club™: A Cost Comparison

If you’re looking for a “quick fix” for a few slightly crooked teeth, you may have looked into Smile Direct Club or other mail-order clear aligner kits. While Invisalign treatment tends to cost between $3,000 and $8,000, these DIY aligner systems very rarely cost more than $2,000. Keep in mind, though, that when it comes to your smile, cheaper is NOT always better.

Although Smile Direct Club has a lower price tag, it also comes with very little, if any, supervision from a dental professional. Instead, you alone are responsible for taking accurate impressions of your teeth and carefully following the treatment instructions. It’s all too easy for something to go wrong and cause a dental issue that would have to get treated by a dentist anyway.

By investing in Invisalign from the start, you can save yourself a great deal of time and money. Our dentists will be with you every step of the way to ensure your treatment is progressing as planned. You can expect high-quality impressions, precise aligners, and a smoother treatment process overall. 

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

At Blue Coast Dental, we are pleased to be in-network with Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, and Delta PPOs, as well as many others. Most  dental insurance  plans will cover your Invisalign treatment much in the same way they will cover traditional orthodontics (up to 50%), but it is best if you contact a representative you’re your insurance company to find out how much your out-of-pocket expenses will be. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you may be able to apply these funds toward your Invisalign treatment as well.

Options for Making Invisalign Affordable

Even if you are uninsured or need help paying the remaining balance after filing your insurance, you can apply for CareCredit, which is a third-party financier that offers low-to-no-interest payment plans. Right now, you can pay as little as $169 per month for Invisalign when applying (and being approved) for 24-month financing with 0% APR through CareCredit! 

Why Should I Feel Confident About Invisalign Treatment?

Over 6 million people and counting have used Invisalign clear braces to receive the smile of their dreams. Unlike mail-order aligners, Invisalign treatment will be conducted under the supervision of one of our expert dentists to make sure that you enjoy an easy and beneficial process. You will visit our dental office every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure the success of your treatment.

What If I’ve Had Braces or Other Types of Dental Work?

Invisalign treatment can be done even if you’ve already had other orthodontic work. It is common for patients to use braces as a way to correct more serious bite issues and then switch to Invisalign to shift their teeth into alignment. Many times, teeth can shift after orthodontic treatment, which makes Invisalign clear braces a comfortable and discreet option for correcting your smile.

How Will Invisalign Treatment Affect My Life?

The best part of Invisalign treatment is that it doesn’t dramatically affect your life. Unlike traditional braces that make you self-conscious to smile and alter your diet, Invisalign offers discreet and removable aligning trays. You can eat all of your favorite foods and navigate through your professional and personal lives with confidence. While they’re removable, you should still wear them 20 to 22 hours a day to keep your treatment on track.

How Do I Take Care of My Aligners?

You can clean your aligners with the Invisalign Cleaning System, but you can also brush them with a non-abrasive brush and lukewarm water. It’s important to avoid using hot water because it can warp the plastic. You should also brush your teeth after eating and before putting your aligners back in. Foods like pasta sauce, blueberries, and wine can permanently stain your aligners, making them not so discreet after all.

What Happens When I’m Down with Invisalign Treatment?

Once you’re done with Invisalign treatment, we will give you a retainer to wear, which prevents your teeth from gradually shifting back into place. This ensures the success of your treatment to give you a beautifully straight smile for the future.