Invisalign – Bakersfield, CA

Crowded Teeth

As you get older, crowding in your mouth can become worse as your teeth shift. This can have a negative impact on your overall and oral health and hygiene, and can even increase your risk of developing a variety of dangerous oral health problems such as:

• Cavities/decay
• Gum disease
• Jaw discomfort or aching
• Difficulty chewing or biting

Crowding in your arch can cause your teeth to overlap, creating hard-to-reach spaces in your mouth. These nooks and crannies can easily accumulate food particles, plaque, and bacteria, increasing your risk of cavities and bad breath.

With Invisalign, your teeth shift into place, so they lay flush with each other, ensuring that brushing and flossing is easier and more effective. Plus, your straighter smile will look better, too!

Gaps Between Teeth

Oversized gaps between the teeth can be caused by a variety of things, including bone development, your oral anatomy, the size of your teeth, a large jawbone, or other naturally occurring factors. It can also be due to bad habits like thumb-sucking and tongue-thrusting in childhood.

No matter the reason, closing these gaps is the best solution for your oral health, because it can lower your risk of bacteria and plaque buildup, decay, gum disease, and gum inflammation.

Invisalign can often close these gaps. Additionally, Dr. Carlson may use dental bonding to help create a more evenly spaced smile if necessary.

Overbite

An overbite (overjet) is an alignment issue that causes your top teeth to stick out too far from your lower teeth. This can cause jaw pain, speech difficulties, uneven tooth wear, and even trouble opening and closing your mouth. Overbites can also leave your top teeth more exposed, which can increase your risk of injury.

Underbite

An underbite is the term used to describe the alignment of bottom teeth that extend slightly past or match with your top row of teeth when your mouth is closed. Underbites can be caused by genetics, oral trauma such as jaw injuries, tumors, and even non-nutritive habits as a child (pacifier use and thumb-sucking).

If left untreated, an underbite can cause a variety of problems including an increased risk of sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and even problems speaking and chewing.

Underbites are typically best corrected in younger patients, however even adults should treat this issue if it is present. With underbite treatment, you may require the use of rubber bands or other attachments in addition to your Invisalign aligners. These accessories will help gradually adjust your bite and pull back your lower arch into a more desirable position.

Crossbite

When your bottom teeth stick out slightly in front of your upper arch, this is known as a crossbite. Crossbites are often genetic, however they can also be caused by poor oral habits or premature loss of your baby teeth.

While it is possible for Invisalign to correct a crossbite, you may need to use elastics or other accessories to help shift your jaw into an ideal position.

If left untreated, a crossbite can cause long term problems including an increased risk of gum disease, tooth decay, jaw pain, speech problems, headaches, teeth grinding (bruxism), and even facial asymmetry and poor self-esteem.

Open Bite

An open bite occurs when the top and bottom front teeth cannot overlap or touch when your mouth is closed all the way. It is typically caused by poor bone development, or due to non-nutritive habits such as pacifier use or prolonged thumb-sucking.

Open bites can cause many issues, including difficulty pronouncing certain words and sounds. It can also cause excessive wear on the back of your teeth, leaving them vulnerable to damage.

Invisalign can help bring your top and bottom teeth together, fixing the bite pattern and protecting them from excessive wear and damage.

How is Invisalign Teen Different?

Invisalign Teen is very similar to traditional Invisalign treatment. Both processes utilize clear, custom-crafted aligners to gradually shift the teeth into their ideal positions with time, but there are a couple helpful additions that make treatment that much easier for younger patients to keep up with. Some of these include:

• Helpful Indicator Dots: Each of your teen’s aligners will have small blue dots on them. These are designed to fade over the course of two weeks as your teen wears them for the recommended amount of time, which is between 20 and 22 hours a day. Once the blue dot is no longer visible, it will signal your teen to switch to the next set of trays in their treatment, helping them keep on track with their Invisalign timeline. If after two weeks, your teen’s indicator dots are still visible, it means they haven’t been wearing them for as long as they should be.
• Complimentary Replacement Trays: Whether your teen accidentally throws away their aligners during lunch or loses track of them after coming home from a slumber party, there’s no need to worry! Invisalign Teen offers complimentary replacement trays so you won’t need to worry about footing the bill of a new aligner at any point throughout your teen’s journey.

Is Invisalign Right for Your Teen?

Invisalign Teen in Bakersfield is an excellent alternative to traditional braces. While not every teen is a good candidate for this treatment, many are. Here are some traits that we look out for to determine each patient’s Invisalign Teen candidacy:

• The severity of their orthodontic issues will be a main determining factor as to whether or not your teen can undergo Invisalign treatment. Typically, in cases where severe bite misalignment or crowding is present, other options like traditional braces, may be the more effective way to address the situation.
• Self-discipline and responsibility can also play important roles in determining whether or not your teen is a good candidate for Invisalign. Because their trays will be removable, they will need to be committed to wearing them.
• Realistic treatment expectations and goals are good to have going into Invisalign. Does your teen know what will be required of them to undergo treatment? Are they dedicated to seeing the process through entirely? These are all important factors to consider as well!

The Benefits of Invisalign Teen

Invisalign Teen offers most of the same benefits as traditional aligners, including the ability for them to straighten their smile without their peers noticing, short check-in appointments that can be completed during lunchtime, and removable convenience that doesn’t interfere with sports or band.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign

Now that you know there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the cost of Invisalign, you might be wondering, “What factors impact the price of my treatment? Well, there are a few, starting with how many aligners you need and extending to how severe your case of malocclusion is. As you’re undergoing the treatment, you’ll need to remain diligent about keeping tabs on your trays and making sure they remain clean too. This will prevent you from needing to order a replacement, which may cost extra. As long as you stay on-track with your treatment timeline, the price that we quote during your initial consultation shouldn’t change.

Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club™: Which Costs More?

If you’ve seen the commercials and social media ads for mail-order clear aligners, you might be wondering how the price compares to Invisalign. Simply put, mail-order clear aligners cost less, but they aren’t reliable or backed by professional organizations, like the American Dental Association. Plus, they don’t conduct a thorough exam and rely on DIY impressions, which are two reasons patients have experienced worsened misalignment and even tooth loss! These are just a few of the many reasons you should use a safe and professional orthodontic treatment, like Invisalign.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

For some patients, the answer is “yes!” That’s why it’s worth taking the time to review the fine print on your dental plan or call your provider directly to see if your benefits will cover a portion of the cost of Invisalign. At Carlson Dentistry of Bakersfield, we welcome several of the nation’s leading providers, including Guardian, Humana, and MetLife. As a result, utilizing your available benefits is a breeze!

Options for Making Invisalign Affordable

If you currently don’t have dental insurance, don’t worry – our team would be more than happy to review the other financial solutions available. Our in-house membership plan is a great example! If you’d like to learn more about how joining can help you save, then give us a call, schedule an appointment online, or ask our team during your consultation. Remember, we’re here to help make every step of the treatment process smooth, from scheduling your first appointment to navigating the financial side of Invisalign.

How long does Invisalign treatment take?

There are several different factors that will play a role in how long you’ll need to be undergoing Invisalign treatment for. Some of them include:

• Whether you stay on-track with your treatment timeline
• If you lose or damage an aligner during your treatment
• How severe your orthodontic issues are
• Whether you need to correct bite misalignment
• If you want to straighten both or one of your arches

We’ll discuss all of these details with you during your initial consultation and walk you through your treatment timeline so you know what to expect throughout the process. The average Invisalign case takes between 12 and 18 months, while more drastic cases can take longer.

Does it hurt to wear Invisalign aligners?

When you first get your Invisalign aligners in Bakersfield, you’ll need to undergo an adjustment period while you get used to how they feel. Most patients say that they experience little to no discomfort throughout their treatments, with the exception of whenever they switch out their trays for the next ones in their series. These are made to adjust your teeth even more, so they may make your gums and teeth feel sore and tender for a day or so. If this happens to you, you can take an over-the-counter medication to help, like ibuprofen. Or, we recommend switching to the next series in your treatment at night so you sleep through most of the adjustment period.

What should I do if my aligners get damaged or become lost?

If your aligners become lost or damaged, the first step you should always take is to contact our office so we can determine whether you need a replacement pair. If you do, we’ll order them immediately so you don’t fall behind on your treatment plan. In some cases, you may be able to advance to the next series of aligners in your treatment without any issues.

Can I eat with my Invisalign trays in?

You should never eat with your Invisalign trays in because you could accidentally damage them. However, unlike with braces, you’re able to eat whatever foods you’d like throughout your treatment. All you need to do beforehand is remove your trays from your mouth and store them in a hard protective case.