Is Invisalign Right for You?

Will it suit your life style?

Depending on current condition of your teeth, you might be worried that you aren't a candidate for invisalign, but what you should consider first is: Will it fit your lifestyle?

Did you know...

• You'll be wearing the trays around 22 hours a day.
• You can only drink water while the trays are in.
• You should brush your teeth every time you eat/drink non-water liquids before putting your trays back in. Technically you're also supposed to floss.
• You won't be inclined to pull the trays on and off a lot. It can be kind of a pain.
• You will be going in to the dentist every 6-8 weeks just like with other treatments.
• If your dentist doesn't see that you are making the progress you should be, they won't give you multiple trays at a time and you may have to go in more frequently.

If you're like most people, you don't floss every day and you don't tote around a toothbrush and toothpaste with you either. If you aren't someone who can commit to drinking water most of the time or can't commit to brushing pretty regularly, invisalign isn't for you. If you have to eat constantly or think you'd lose your trays as much as you lose your car keys, you're not a candidate. The trays are $50 a piece to replace and can take weeks to re-fabricate, making you treatment even longer.

Reality Check: No one is perfect.
The recommended rules can't be followed 100% of the time. If you can't get to the sink or forget your toothbrush, you can manage until you are reunited with your bristly buddy. But let's be honest. If you aren't willing to commit to the rules 95% of the time, you aren't going to get the results.

Don't waste your time and money if you don't think you can live up to the treatment expectations. Invisalign is a good option - don't get me wrong - but it requires you to be more diligent than braces, which are permanently attached.

If you're responsible, committed, and ready to start a 1-3 year journey then buckle up. For your hard work you'll be rewarded with the benefit of few of people noticing your corrective trays. :)

Will it suit your teeth?

It's the next logical question.You'll be surprised how many cases are treatable by invisalign. It can actually correct most types alignment issues. I've seen corrections on overbites, underbites, gaps, crowding, crossbites, and even some pretty serious cases of malocclusion (think of teeth that look like a mountain ridge.) For more info on malloclusiion check out the wikipedia page. Ultimately, your provider will decide if you are eligible. No two dentists are the same, so don't be scared to seek a second opinion if one dentist doesn't think you are a candidate.

For more details go to invisalign's official site a list of treatable cases, including images and additional details.

Cost - Is it expensive?

I'm sure the first question you have is, "Is it expensive?" The short answer is, not as expensive as you'd think. The cost of Invisalign has come down considerably since it came out. At many dental offices the cost is comparable with braces. You can find reasonable prices if you shop around. Skip the dentists who charge too much and want you to pay up front. I found a great dentists office with reasonable prices and more high tech equipment than I knew existed!

Cost

There are generally two types of invisalign treatment for adults - invisalign express and full invisalign. Below are some average prices and quick overviews.

• Invisalign Express is for adults needing very minor adjustments and whose expected treatment length is about 5 sets of trays. Expect to pay around $1500.

• Full Invisalign is for most adults who want corrections. This is what I got, and my treatment length is 24 sets of trays. My quoted price was around $3300, but I got a discount for pre-paying in full so I paid $3070.

Payment Options

I'd been postponing treatment because I thought hadn't saved up enough. To my surprise, the financing options were very flexible. My dentist offered an interest-free 20% down and the rest of 12 months, or an 15% interest plan over 24 or 48 months. If you're low on cash and are willing to pay interest, you can get away with paying less than $100 per month. Not bad.

Cost Breakdown

The dentist advised me that if I lose or break a tray each one costs $50. Please note, this is for per individual tray, top or bottom. The math works so you pay around $1000 for the appointments/design cost and the rest for trays. For 24 tray sets (24 x 2 x $50) = $2400.

What Insurance Covers

Any decent insurance plan will have some coverage for orthodontic treatment. Expect to pay up front to your dentist and file a claim with your insurance after you receive your trays. My insurance plan covered about half the cost of my treatment. Since it was a lifetime max amount, there are few options to spread the charges over different calendar years. If you're looking for additional coverage, most dentists will allow you to add a secondary insurance plan. Talk to your dentist about this, if your yearly dental cost is high, it might be a good option.

I'll be frank, there could be a couple months between your initial payment and when the trays are actually fabricated. This will delay your claim. Then expect insurance to take a while to fulfilling the claim. If you're looking to pay in full, best to save up and expect the cash back in a few months.

If you don't have insurance, you can still pay out of pocket with a payment plan. The options are that flexible.