As with other types of orthodontic treatment, the cost of Invisalign® is heavily dependent on the complexity of a patient's case. The following is BigSmiles Dental Care in Surrey Canada charges.
1) Initially records (photographs and impressions) are required. The fee for this is $400.
This fee covers two appointments and allows you to see your teeth in 3D on computer virtually moving from start to finish. This allows you to make sure everything is what you expected and this will give you an indication of the time needed to complete treatment. This allows you the opportunity to assess how your teeth could look and if there is anything you are not happy with we will modify the treatment until you are totally satisfied.
At this stage you are under no obligation to continue doing treatment if you do not wish to proceed.
2) The cost of Invisalign varies as follows-:
For minor crowding treated with 10 Invisalign aligners or less, the fee is from $4500 to $5500.
For moderate crowding the fee is from $5500 to $6500.
For complex crowding the fee is from $6500 to $8000.
3) The cost of retainers to ensure your teeth remain straight once treatment is completed is $500.
Invisalign fees also include cosmetic bonding and cosmetic reshaping at no extra charge. This is exclusive to BigSmiles Dental Care.
As an example your teeth may have minor chips, irregularities or your canine teeth may be too pointy. These concerns will also be attended to without costing you an extra cent or having to find another dentist to fix these problems. (An average saving of $1000 to $2000) The exact cost is determined once the computerised treatment plan is worked out and the number of aligners and complexity is fully analysed with the computer before any treatment commences.
WILL DENTAL INSURANCE COVER ANY OF THE COSTS OF MY INVISALIGN TREATMENT ?
Yes, providing you have orthodontic coverage (braces), Invisalign® should be covered to the same extent as conventional braces. Payment plans with a deposit can be arranged or approved applicants can have either 12 to 18 months interest free with no deposit or payment plans that can spread the costs over 2 to 3 years.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Benefits of Invisalign
When it comes to orthodontic procedures which are meant to correct misaligned teeth in order to attain a proper occlusion the use of braces is the number one choice amongst orthodontists and patients alike. The fact that metallic braces are the "weapon of choice" does not necessarily mean that they are the best tools for the job, as many people may remember metal braces can have several drawbacks, they are certainly not very aesthetic, they are hard to clean and taking them off is not that easy.
Luckily for most teenagers and adults who are required to use braces, there is another solution which offers the same orthodontic benefits that metallic braces provide without being a cosmetic hindrance, this option is called Invisalign. As the name indicates, Invisalign are custom-made translucent aligners which should not require a metallic contraptions in order to apply the right pressure and change the position your teeth are in, let's take a look at some of the benefits of this type of aligner provide.
Virtually Invisible
One of the most common concerns among teenagers and adults who care about their physical appearance is that braces can certainly get in the way of their beautiful smile and as we have already said, metallic braces are very noticeable. Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible so no one will actually notice that you're wearing them if you don't tell them.
Can be Easily Removed
Whenever you need to eat, brush or floss your teeth you are able to do so because Invisalign aligners are very easy to remove thus they do not get in the way of your meals and/or oral hygiene.
They Won't Affect Your Speech
Unlike metal braces these invisible aligners are not as thick so they won't get in the way when it comes to speaking clearly, this is obviously a major plus because for the most part people to start using metallic braces have to wait a certain amount of time (adjustment period) in order to get used to these thick contraptions in order to start speaking clearly once again.
Surrey Invisalign Dentist
Luckily for most teenagers and adults who are required to use braces, there is another solution which offers the same orthodontic benefits that metallic braces provide without being a cosmetic hindrance, this option is called Invisalign. As the name indicates, Invisalign are custom-made translucent aligners which should not require a metallic contraptions in order to apply the right pressure and change the position your teeth are in, let's take a look at some of the benefits of this type of aligner provide.
Virtually Invisible
One of the most common concerns among teenagers and adults who care about their physical appearance is that braces can certainly get in the way of their beautiful smile and as we have already said, metallic braces are very noticeable. Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible so no one will actually notice that you're wearing them if you don't tell them.
Can be Easily Removed
Whenever you need to eat, brush or floss your teeth you are able to do so because Invisalign aligners are very easy to remove thus they do not get in the way of your meals and/or oral hygiene.
They Won't Affect Your Speech
Unlike metal braces these invisible aligners are not as thick so they won't get in the way when it comes to speaking clearly, this is obviously a major plus because for the most part people to start using metallic braces have to wait a certain amount of time (adjustment period) in order to get used to these thick contraptions in order to start speaking clearly once again.
Surrey Invisalign Dentist
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How Does Invisalign Work?
With Invisalign, there are no metal brackets pulling on your teeth to get them to straighten. So, a big question people have is, how do these removable, clear aligners straighten my teeth? Invisalign braces move your teeth through controlled force. Instead of pulling your teeth to their target position like traditional braces, Invisalign pushes and guides your teeth to its location. Think of it as constant pressure that fixes your malocclusion (crooked teeth). Pressure that you will learn is not drastic or all at once. Invisalign successfully pushes your teeth gradually.
Invisalign pushes your teeth
Invisalign uses this pressure in small doses. That is why patients receive multiple trays, sometimes 30, to get the job done. The reason for this gradual movement is tooth placement. Invisalign’s 3D imaging technology plans out the movement and figures out how many aligners will be needed to get the job done. T hese trays look somewhat like bleaching trays, but are powerful in their abilities. The aligners usually move teeth about 0.2 mm. It probably seems like this process would take forever. However Invisalign is known for being much faster than traditional braces with most treatment times lasting less than a year.
How Invisalign is made?
The computer system called ClinCheck visualizes the movement and figures out how many aligners you need to achieve that goal. Then a series of molds are created. These molds are used to create a series of trays, or aligners. Once the trays (aligners) are cut and trimmed, then polished, all the aligners are sent to the invisalign dentist/orthodontist at once.
The dentist will usually give the patient two aligners at a time and they are worn in 2 week intervals. This means the patient will visit the dentist/orthodontist about every month, so that they can check your progress, fix any positions and hand you the next two Invisible trays.
Surrey Invisalign Dentist
Invisalign pushes your teeth
Invisalign uses this pressure in small doses. That is why patients receive multiple trays, sometimes 30, to get the job done. The reason for this gradual movement is tooth placement. Invisalign’s 3D imaging technology plans out the movement and figures out how many aligners will be needed to get the job done. T hese trays look somewhat like bleaching trays, but are powerful in their abilities. The aligners usually move teeth about 0.2 mm. It probably seems like this process would take forever. However Invisalign is known for being much faster than traditional braces with most treatment times lasting less than a year.
How Invisalign is made?
The computer system called ClinCheck visualizes the movement and figures out how many aligners you need to achieve that goal. Then a series of molds are created. These molds are used to create a series of trays, or aligners. Once the trays (aligners) are cut and trimmed, then polished, all the aligners are sent to the invisalign dentist/orthodontist at once.
The dentist will usually give the patient two aligners at a time and they are worn in 2 week intervals. This means the patient will visit the dentist/orthodontist about every month, so that they can check your progress, fix any positions and hand you the next two Invisible trays.
Surrey Invisalign Dentist
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How long is Invisalign Treatment?
Many customers focus on the end result of their orthodontic treatment and overlook the fact that there is often a lot of work required before you get your teeth to their optimal positions.
For example, if you choose conventional braces, you get the benefit of a relatively low cost option that is proven at generating effective results. So many customers take the attitude that, if they can live with the metal look of the braces, it will be worth it for the reduced cost.
However, these customers often don’t realise that their conventional braces need constant adjustments to remain effective over the long-term. You will need to visit your dentist regularly, so that your dentist can adjust the wires and brackets, to ensure that there is enough tension in place to keep on moving the teeth. Missed appointments can therefore result in having to wear your braces for a longer period than originally intended.
With Invisalign, you will still need to visit your dentist but this is more for updates on your progress. Rather than having to adjust fixed brackets, your dentist simply recommends the right time to move up to the next aligner in the series. Therefore, there is no wasted time or periods at which the pressure on the teeth becomes reduced. As long as the patient wears their aligners for at least 20 hours a day, then treatment times can be as little as 12-18 months.
Of course, each case needs to be assessed and judged on its own merits by a qualified dentist or orthodontic specialist. The more serious the case, the more time needs to be allowed for the aligners to work.
- Surrey Invisalign Dentist
For example, if you choose conventional braces, you get the benefit of a relatively low cost option that is proven at generating effective results. So many customers take the attitude that, if they can live with the metal look of the braces, it will be worth it for the reduced cost.
However, these customers often don’t realise that their conventional braces need constant adjustments to remain effective over the long-term. You will need to visit your dentist regularly, so that your dentist can adjust the wires and brackets, to ensure that there is enough tension in place to keep on moving the teeth. Missed appointments can therefore result in having to wear your braces for a longer period than originally intended.
With Invisalign, you will still need to visit your dentist but this is more for updates on your progress. Rather than having to adjust fixed brackets, your dentist simply recommends the right time to move up to the next aligner in the series. Therefore, there is no wasted time or periods at which the pressure on the teeth becomes reduced. As long as the patient wears their aligners for at least 20 hours a day, then treatment times can be as little as 12-18 months.
Of course, each case needs to be assessed and judged on its own merits by a qualified dentist or orthodontic specialist. The more serious the case, the more time needs to be allowed for the aligners to work.
- Surrey Invisalign Dentist
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Invisalign Teen
One of the most significant differences between conventional braces and the Invisalign system is that conventional braces are fixed. Invisalign aligners, on the other hand, are removable. For many patients, this is a great advantage. It means that they can remove their braces to eat or for important social occasions, without necessarily compromising the quality of their treatment.
For some patients, however, being able to remove their braces can disrupt the progress of their treatment. Dentists recommend that Invisalign aligners should be worn for at least 20 hours per day – so while the aligners are ‘removable’, one should not really be removing them very often if he or she wants the appliances to work effectively.
In particular, it can often be difficult for teenagers to monitor their own treatment - especially if they are embarrassed about wearing braces or if they simply forget to put them in from time to time. Yet a failure to wear the aligners for the recommended 20 hours can result in the need to extend the duration of their treatment. Obviously, this is the last thing the embarrassed teenager wants and it can also add to the cost of the treatment – which is the last thing the parents usually want.
The original Invisalign programme already has many advantages for teenagers. The transparent aligners are discrete, so they are less obvious and cause less embarrassment than conventional braces. They also work quickly, so the treatment period is normally shorter than with conventional metal, wire and elastic braces. So it has the makings of good solution for teenagers. They can even carry on playing sports, which most teenagers love – because the braces can be removed.
With this in mind, Invisalign realised that if they could resolve the issue about teenagers removing their aligners at the wrong times, they could develop a product that worked well for teenagers. That idea has turned into Invisalign Teen.
Invisalign Teen utilises the same bespoke technology as the original Invisalign system. Therefore, each set of aligners is designed to suit each individual patient, which means that they can be also be tailored to young adults whose permanent teeth are still growing and forming. However, Invisalign Teen has an number of important adaptations.
First of all, each set of aligners includes six free replacements, because teenagers have a habit of losing or damaging them. Each aligner also includes colour indicators which fade the more they are worn. This indicates when it is time to change aligner – and can also show parents whether teenagers are keeping up with their treatment!
These slight adaptations have created a version of Invisalign that is perfect for teenagers. It retains all the plus-points of the original Invisalign system. Yet, at the same time, it makes it much easier.
- Surrey Invisalign Dentist
For some patients, however, being able to remove their braces can disrupt the progress of their treatment. Dentists recommend that Invisalign aligners should be worn for at least 20 hours per day – so while the aligners are ‘removable’, one should not really be removing them very often if he or she wants the appliances to work effectively.
In particular, it can often be difficult for teenagers to monitor their own treatment - especially if they are embarrassed about wearing braces or if they simply forget to put them in from time to time. Yet a failure to wear the aligners for the recommended 20 hours can result in the need to extend the duration of their treatment. Obviously, this is the last thing the embarrassed teenager wants and it can also add to the cost of the treatment – which is the last thing the parents usually want.
The original Invisalign programme already has many advantages for teenagers. The transparent aligners are discrete, so they are less obvious and cause less embarrassment than conventional braces. They also work quickly, so the treatment period is normally shorter than with conventional metal, wire and elastic braces. So it has the makings of good solution for teenagers. They can even carry on playing sports, which most teenagers love – because the braces can be removed.
With this in mind, Invisalign realised that if they could resolve the issue about teenagers removing their aligners at the wrong times, they could develop a product that worked well for teenagers. That idea has turned into Invisalign Teen.
Invisalign Teen utilises the same bespoke technology as the original Invisalign system. Therefore, each set of aligners is designed to suit each individual patient, which means that they can be also be tailored to young adults whose permanent teeth are still growing and forming. However, Invisalign Teen has an number of important adaptations.
First of all, each set of aligners includes six free replacements, because teenagers have a habit of losing or damaging them. Each aligner also includes colour indicators which fade the more they are worn. This indicates when it is time to change aligner – and can also show parents whether teenagers are keeping up with their treatment!
These slight adaptations have created a version of Invisalign that is perfect for teenagers. It retains all the plus-points of the original Invisalign system. Yet, at the same time, it makes it much easier.
- Surrey Invisalign Dentist
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