Invisalign Clear Aligners – Des Plaines, IL

Improved Comfort

Invisalign aligners are made from smooth, BPA-free plastic, ensuring a comfortable fit without the irritation caused by metal brackets and wires. Each set of custom-made trays fits snugly over your teeth, guiding them into place with gentle, constant pressure. With no sharp edges or jabbing wires, you’ll feel less discomfort, allowing you to go about your day without a care.

Improved Oral Hygiene

Since Invisalign aligners are removable, keeping your teeth clean is far less of a chore. You can brush and floss your teeth as you normally would, without needing to navigate around cumbersome brackets and wires. This ease of cleaning helps prevent plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease during your treatment, promoting a healthier mouth.

Nearly Invisible Aligners

One of the standout benefits of Invisalign is its virtually invisible design (it’s in the name after all!). The clear aligners are hardly noticeable, allowing you to straighten your teeth without drawing attention to your treatment. This discreet approach is great for adults and teens who want to avoid “metal mouth,” keeping their smiles pristine for photos, meetings, networking, and social events.

Convenient Follow-Ups

Invisalign requires fewer dental visits compared to traditional braces, with checkups typically every six to eight weeks. Not only will you be seeing us less often, but your appointments will be shorter as well! This gives you back more of your time, allowing you to keep a more regular schedule while undergoing treatment.

Non-Invasive Treatment

The clear aligners of Invisalign can be removed for eating, drinking, and hygiene, offering flexibility that fits seamlessly into your routine. Your new aligners will slip right into your regular routine, making it easier to keep your treatment on track without changing your diet or giving up the day-to-day activities you love.

Boosted Self-Confidence

As your teeth become straighter, you'll likely experience a surge of confidence! The subtle appearance of Invisalign means you can smile throughout your treatment without feeling self-conscious. This means that you can continue to aim for the stars when it comes to both work and your social life. No more feeling self-conscious about your smile!

Crowded Teeth

Crowded teeth are too close together, causing them to overlap. This makes them harder to clean, increasing their likelihood of being infected, and easier to injure due to uneven dental wear. Invisalign can address this issue by pushing these teeth apart, allowing them to sit evenly next to one another.

Gaps Between Teeth

A large gap in your smile can be quite noticeable, and some people don’t love how gaps make them look. Thankfully, Invisalign aligners can nudge spaced-out teeth together. In addition to helping a patient feel more confident in their smile, this can protect the gums from injury and reduce the accumulation of food particles between the teeth.

Overbite

An overbite or overjet refers to when the top front teeth are positioned too far in front of the bottom teeth when the mouth is closed, leading to issues like jaw pain, speech difficulties, uneven dental wear, and problems with opening or closing the mouth. This issue also leaves the top front teeth more exposed to injury.

Underbite

An underbite happens when the bottom front teeth rest in front of or match the top front teeth when the mouth is closed, and it usually results from genetic factors, oral injuries, tumors, or prolonged thumb-sucking or pacifier use in childhood. This misalignment can lead to problems like a greater risk of sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and speech and eating difficulties. Treating an underbite with Invisalign usually involves using attachments like rubber bands to help the clear aligners pull the teeth into their proper positions. While it’s usually easier to address underbites in younger patients, it’s still important to resolve the issue in older ones.

Crossbite

Crossbites occur when the bottom teeth rest slightly in front of the upper teeth and often happen due to genetics, premature baby tooth loss, and bad oral habits. While Invisalign aligners can usually address this issue, this may involve using elastics or other accessories to reposition the jaw. An untreated crossbite can lead to long-term problems like a greater risk of oral infections, jaw discomfort, speech issues, bruxism, headaches, and facial asymmetry that can diminish one’s self-confidence.

Open Bite

If a patient has an open bite, their top and bottom front teeth will not meet or overlap when the mouth is closed, resulting in speech difficulties, uneven enamel wear, and a greater risk of dental injuries. This problem may be the result of improper bone development or prolonged use of pacifiers or thumb-sucking as a child. Invisalign can address an open bite by pulling the top and bottom teeth closer together and into proper alignment.

Wearing Your Trays

Really, this boils down to one thing: you need to wear your aligners for 20+ hours a day. That way, your trays have enough time to guide your teeth into the positions they need to be in for the next set. In other words, if you consistently miss the mark, there’s a good chance that you’ll fall off-track with your treatment plan entirely. So, make an active effort to wear them as much as possible, and use the stopwatch on your phone as a guide, if needed.

Cleaning Your Aligners

Fortunately, cleaning your Invisalign aligners won’t require too much of your time or any special oral hygiene products. Start by rinsing them with clean, cool water each time you take them off. Then, use a damp, soft-bristled toothbrush and some mild, clear dishwashing liquid to clean them a bit more thoroughly. Lastly, soak them daily in a dentist-recommended cleaner to ensure even the nooks and crannies of your aligners are thoroughly cleaned.

Eating & Drinking

In order to keep your trays in good condition, you need to remove them before eating or drinking anything other than water, including iced coffee. The best thing to do is take them out, rinse them thoroughly with clean, cool water, and store them properly. Then, after you’ve finished your meal or snack, brush your teeth and put your aligners back on right away. It’s also a good idea to drink your coffee with your breakfast instead of separately to help meet your daily wear time goal.

Losing a Tray

Did you lose a tray? Then take a few deep breaths and carefully retrace your steps. In the process, look in your hamper, the center console of your car, the trash can, and in other “random” places. If you can’t find them, don’t just move onto the next set of aligners in the series. Instead, contact us ASAP so we can determine if a replacement aligner needs to be made.

Routine Check-Ins

Usually, patients with Invisalign come to our office every six or eight weeks so we can monitor their progress. If everything looks good, then the appointment should be less than 20 minutes. If something isn’t right, like one of your teeth isn’t moving as anticipated, then we will need to figure out what steps are needed to get you back on-track with your treatment plan.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign

No treatment plans are identical because every mouth and situation are unique. Therefore, it's impossible to have a flat fee for Invisalign because we wouldn't want you paying for anything you don't need. Your dentist will examine your mouth and may perform diagnostic services to create a personalized treatment plan. Here are a few things that may influence the cost:

• Preparatory Treatments: Your teeth and gums must be healthy before any orthodontic treatment. It's not unusual to need a little prep work, like a dental cleaning, filling, or gum disease therapy.
• The Number of Arches: Almost all patients will require Invisalign on both arches. Single arch treatment is rarely recommended because moving teeth on only the top or bottom can affect your bite. A poor bite can cause dental problems and jaw pain.
• Complexity of Case: Patients needing complex tooth movements will require more aligners, which can raise the cost.

Invisalign vs. Mail-In Aligners: Which Costs More?

Mail-order aligners are convenient and cost less than visiting a dentist. However, you can pay much more down the road. Since you're never under the supervision of a dentist, you may not even be a candidate for clear aligners. Not to mention, the slightest error with the impression or fabrication process can move your teeth incorrectly, which can lead to irreversible damage, like tooth loss.

You take the risk out of the process when investing in the qualifications of a dentist. They will ensure Invisalign is right for you and monitor you during your treatment to ensure nothing unexpected occurs. You can rest easy knowing you're choosing a safe, effective solution to fix your smile.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

Your dental insurance may cover your consultation, diagnostic services, and imaging. If your policy includes orthodontics, your benefits may cover some of the expenses after meeting your deductible. We will work on your behalf with your dental insurance to maximize your coverage to lower the amount you will pay out-of-pocket.

Options for Making Invisalign Affordable

In addition to dental insurance, our office offers flexible financial options to keep Invisalign affordable, including:

• Traditional Payments: We accept cash, personal checks, and most credit cards.
• Financing: You can pay any out-of-pocket expenses using a monthly payment plan through a third-party financing company, like CareCredit.
• In-House Dental Plan: You can benefit from discounted services by joining our in-house membership plan.