Invisalign Archives - Drake & Wallace Dentistry

I Accidental Threw Out My Invisalign Aligners!

Posted on March 23, 2023 by writeradmin.

Help! I’m on vacation in the Virgin Islands for the next week, and right when I got to our hotel I accidentally threw out my upper AND my lower aligners! It was while I was down at the bar, I took them out briefly to eat some fresh fruit, and stupidly kind of hid them in a white napkin (I didn’t want them just sitting loose on the bar!) I left and we were gone for more than three hours before I realized. I called and they couldn’t find them. The garbage had already gone out.

Anyway, what do I do? Do I just go without them for a week? Won’t my teeth drift out of position and not fit my next set? I had just put those ones in that morning, I didn’t even get to wear them a whole day. I feel so stupid. I’ve only had Invisalign for two months!

Sierra

Dear Sierra,

I am so sorry to hear of your mishap, especially during your vacation. The good news is this has happened to many people. So, take a deep breath. It’s frustrating, but not the end of the world.

As you know, Invisalign clear aligners are fabricated to be changed every one to two weeks, depending on the needs of your treatment. Each set has small differences that will create movement. If you’re two months into your treatment, you’re likely somewhere between sets four and eight.

Skipping a week may or may not cause the next set of aligners to fit properly. Sometimes the next set will not fit because there has not been adequate movement during the lapse. You don’t want to rush this because the treatment plan is carefully designed. In the meantime, you can just wear the set you just finished with until you get home and your dentist can provide you with another copy of the new aligners.

In the meantime, call your dentist to let them know what happened. That way they can be prepared for when you get home. If you cannot, then call right away as soon as you’re back home.

If you do not have this prior set either, you will have to go the week without anything. Your teeth may shift slightly; be sure to see your doctor right away when you return. They may need to obtain a new scan of your mouth–if so, don’t despair. At most, it may have added a few weeks to your total treatment time, but it will not impact your promise of a beautiful end result.

This is a common occurrence, which is why we try to encourage patients to bring their case with them on outings. This way you won’t feel like you have to hide them and will be less likely to accidentally forget them. Do not beat yourself up over this. You are human. Believe me when I tell you that your dentist has heard every possible scenario of how patients have lost their aligners.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the remainder of your vacation.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Beware of Smile Direct Club Reviews

Posted on January 16, 2023 by writeradmin.

I was doing some research on Smile Direct Club, which advertises itself as an inexpensive Invisalign alternative. I started by looking up reviews, but all the review sites seemed to be tied to the company’s sales. Interestingly, all the reviews were positive. Then, I came across this article by the New York Times that indicated the Smile Direct Club was squelching negative reviews.

Based on the article, it appears that Smile Direct Club keeps a close eye on their reviews. When a negative one pops up, they contact the customer and offer them a pro-rated refund in exchange for signing a contract. Part of that agreement entails removing any current negative reviews they have up as well as, “he/she will not make, publish, or communicate any statements or opinions that would disparage, create a negative impression of, or in any way be harmful to the business or business reputation of SDC or its affiliates or their respective employees, officers, directors, products, or services.”

That will make it very hard for potential customers to get a realistic impression of the experience actual patients have had with them. I decided to do a quick search on the Better Business Bureau, where it is harder to manipulate information. In the last three years, for my city alone, Smile Direct Club had 2,650 complaints. Compare that with Invisalign where I could not find any complaints for my area.

So, what is a patient to do if they want invisible braces? You have a couple of options. First, you can completely ignore this and get Smile Direct Club anyway. If it works out for you, you will have saved some money. Bear in mind that you will not be under a dentist’s care throughout the procedure so if something does go wrong, you are on your own. Your second option is to go ahead and get Invisalign. If cost is an issue, I would look specifically for a dentist who advertises himself as an affordable dentist on his website, but also offers Invisalign. They will be more likely to work with you on payment options.

I hope this helps protect patients who are hoping to have a good experience getting their teeth straight.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

I’ve Moved and Still Have Invisalign to Finish

Posted on October 25, 2022 by writeradmin.

I recently moved out of state. I was in the middle of my Invisalign treatment. Before I left, my dentist provided me with the remainder of my aligners. Everything was a bit frenetic during the move and I missed switching one of my sets of aligners as I normally would. I have a couple of questions. First, did I mess everything up by forgetting to switch a set? Second, do I need to find another Invisalign dentist or can I go this on my own for the remainder of the treatment? I’d say I have about three months left.

Catherine Anne

Dear Catherine Anne,

Moving is hectic. The good news is people have to do this all the time during dental procedures and with some preparation, things can go very smoothly. Let’s start with your first question. Did you mess anything up? Provided that you kept wearing the Invisalign aligners even though you didn’t switch them out, you should be fine. You can just switch them out now and continue as you normally would from here. If you weren’t wearing your older set during the transition, then you may need an additional aligner to get things back on track.

Can You Finish Out on Your Own?

I can see your thinking here. You already have all your remaining aligners and are quite familiar with how the procedure works, so why do you need a dentist? The truth is you need an Invisalign dentist because the human body is unpredictable and sometimes does not follow the initial plan. When that happens adjustments have to be made. You’ll need a dentist for that.

The good news is it shouldn’t cost you too much. Not only do you have the remainder of your aligners but your previous dentist can give him all his notes and diagnostics.

A Second Benefit to Invisalign

In addition to straightening your teeth, did you know that your Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays? It is a quick and easy way to whiten your teeth with minimal expense. All you’d need to purchase is the professional whitening gel, which your dentist can provide for you. You simply wear it in your aligners for however long you want each day. Before you know it, your smile is straight AND white.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentist Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Lumineers for a Tooth Gap??

Posted on April 13, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have a large tooth gap. It is about 10mm wide. I was talking to my dentist about a way to fix this and he is suggesting Lumineers. That is a bit expensive, but if it is my best option, I will do what it takes to get the money. What I don’t want is a mouth full of metal braces.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

I would NOT go with Lumineers. First, Lumineers is just one brand of porcelain veneers but it is a brand that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists so I would be careful with any dentist recommending that brand. A second thing that concerns me is the size of the gap. Ten millimeters is large enough that you could fit another tooth in there. This would be an especially challenging case if you were to fix it with any brand of porcelain veneers. You have a better, safer, and less expensive option.

Orthodontics have improved tremendously in recent years. You said you do not want a mouth full of metal and I certainly do not blame you for that! Did your dentist ever mention Invisalign to you? This uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. You can wear them without anyone even knowing you have some type of orthodontic on. These clear aligners are invisible even at a conversational distance.

They also have an added benefit which enables you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time for a fraction of the cost. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. All your dentist will need to provide is the professional strength gel and you’ll wear them in your aligners at a time that is most convenient to you.

If you decide you want to go with porcelain veneers anyway, that is fine. Just make sure you choose the dentist for this carefully. I would say, for your situation, you would need a dentist who is in the top 1% of the cosmetic field. It will be more expensive than what your dentist is even quoting you.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Invisalign and Missing Teeth

Posted on September 27, 2021 by writeradmin.

My parents were quite poor and could never afford the dentist. Braces were completely out of the question. They sacrificed everything so I could have an education and have a better life than they did. Now that I am out of school and have a great job, it is time to get the smile I have always wanted. I’ve been to a dentist and gotten my oral health under control. Now, I would love to have pretty, straight teeth. I have some issues which may interfere with that. My two adult bicuspids never came in so they are both still baby teeth. I know they’ll need to be removed and replaced. Can Invisalign work with missing teeth?

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

Congratulations on all the progress you’ve made with your oral health. I bet your parents are as proud of you as you are of them. Invisalign does a fine job working around missing teeth. One thing you will need to determine is if your adult bicuspids are there but just didn’t erupt or if they are congenitally missing. That will be a big factor in how your case should proceed.

If they are congenitally missing, then Invisalign can open up the area for the replacement teeth. My suggestion is you get dental implants to replace them. They
are the best tooth replacements and will last you for many years.

I have not seen your teeth so I am not saying this last bit is necessary. I am just presenting it in case it is something you are interested in because it can save you time and money. If you were considering whitening your teeth, you should know the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. All you’d need is the professional strength gel, which your dentist can provide for you. This will allow you to whiten and straighten your teeth at the same time.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

SmileCareClub Critique

Posted on August 20, 2021 by writeradmin.

I keep getting advertisements for Smile Care Club. Do you know much about them? Are they a safe alternative to Invisalign?

John

Dear John,

In some ways, it works in a similar way to Invisalign. It uses clear aligners that you change out periodically. In the case of Invisalign, you change out every two weeks. With SmileCareClub, they change it out every three weeks. In my mind, the two weeks is better. Your teeth actually shift into position in just a few days. The remainder of that two weeks is to give the bone time to integrate with the tooth root’s new position. Giving that an extra week really isn’t necessary and extends your treatment time.

Other than that, will it work? When it does work, then it can save you money than what Invisalign will cost you. Truthfully, if the statistics are accurate, it does work out for the majority of their patients. However, there are risks you should know about before jumping in.

First, there is not an adequate exam before your treatment is approved and begins. This is actually a big deal. With Invisalign, you would get a full work up including x-rays. One of the things this is looking for is gum disease. With SmileCareClub, you just send in photos for them to examine. Is it possible for them to determine that you have gum disease from those? Possibly, if it is an obvious case, but there are many cases that are not obvious. If you go ahead with treatment when you have gum disease it could cause you to eventually lose some teeth. One way around this would be to have a checkup done with your regular dentist and make sure you’re clear at that appointment, then move forward.

A second issue is the crowding of your teeth. There are many times that some light shaving has to be done on the sides of your teeth in order to get the remainder of your teeth in their proper position. While they will send you to a dentist, this dentist is not really invested in you or your case. That concerns me.

Finally, our bodies are not always cooperative. As well planned as a treatment could be, our teeth don’t always obey the plan and adjustments have to be made. The lack of follow-up with SmileCareClub concerns me. Your case could go completely off the rails if this happens.

My advice is to talk to your dentist about your smile goals and the cost of Invisalign versus this DIY treatment. He or she may be able to work out a payment plan for you. One other thing. Invisalign has the additional benefit of doubling as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Porcelain Veneers AND Invisalign??

Posted on March 6, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have always wanted a prettier smile and I’d been saving up for porcelain veneers. I have discolored teeth and I have one crooked front tooth. It’s not that bad, but overlaps the other tooth a smidge at the bottom. I’d finally saved up enough and my dentist told me that I had to get Invisalign first to straighten out those two teeth and then I can get the porcelain veneers. I may have misunderstood, but I thought that porcelain veneers can make crooked teeth look straight. Was I wrong about that? Do I need both procedures?

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

You did not misunderstand. When a dentist is skilled in porcelain veneers they can make crooked teeth look straight. This is especially true with the type of misalignment you described. Your dentist is not comfortable doing this, so instead he is trying to get you to pay for another procedure so he can have an easier job in front of him.

Don’t pressure your dentist into doing the veneers though. When a dentist is forced out of their comfort zone, the results are rarely what you want. Instead, I see two good options for you.

Your first option is to go forward with porcelain veneers, but with a different dentist. Make sure you look at their smile gallery to see before and after pictures of cases they’ve actually done. Ask especially to see cases where the teeth were a little crooked before the veneers.

Your second option is to do Invisalign and teeth whitening. I only mention this because the only two things you mentioned wanting to fix about your teeth are the color and the crooked one in the front. Both of these can be taken care of with a lot lower of a cost to you just by using these two procedures instead. They can be done simultaneously as well because the Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays.

So when would you invest in porcelain veneers? These are more designed for someone who is looking for a complete smile makeover. They can not only change the color of your teeth, but their shape, size, and character as well.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentist Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Using Invisalign for a Retainer

Posted on November 23, 2019 by writeradmin.

I moved to a new state, because of a job transfer, during the last pair of aligners for my Invisalign treatment. I don’t think I need to find another dentist before finishing them, but will I need a retainer? Do I have to find a dentist right away for that? I’ve got so much on my plate with this move, I wondered if there was a way to get away without it?

Carol G.

Dear Carol,

Congratulations on both your new job and completing your Invisalign treatment. It has a high patient satisfaction rate. As a result, you do not want to sabotage the results by not wearing a retainer. Your teeth aren’t quite used to their correct position yet. If you don’t train them, they will begin to shift. Fortunately, you won’t have to find another dentist at this stage. Your final Invisalign aligners can double as a retainer for you.

How to Wean Off Your Invisalign as a Retainer

Step One:

Start by wearing them, except for meals for one month. After that time period you start backing off.

Step Two:

After one month, you can wear them just at night only for an additional month.

Step Three:

Once you’ve done that you can try only wearing them every other night. If you find when you go to put back on the aligner after two days it is a little more difficult to put back on, you’ll need to go back to every night for another month and then try again. If they’re fine, move on to step four.

Step Four:

When ready, you can gradually back off to once a week or so for a while. Don’t get rid of the aligners though. Keep them around in case the teeth begin to shift.

Getting a Mini Smile Makeover with Your Invisalign Aligners

There is another lovely benefit to keeping your aligners. Even while using them as a retainer, they can also double as teeth whitening trays. Simply ask a dentist for some teeth whitening gel after your next cleaning and you’ll be able to whiten your teeth while doing your treatment.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.