Invisalign aligners have become an incredibly popular orthodontic treatment in recent years, and are celebrated by patients for their ability to discreetly improve the quality of their smile.
With their rising popularity, a market has emerged for cheaper mail-order clear aligners. You may have seen ads for these services, and you could have even considered getting the treatment for yourself. However, these DIY aligner kits present hazards that make them problematic. Here’s what you should know about these kits, and why you might not want to rely on them.
How Do Mail-Order Aligner Kits Work?
In theory, mail-order aligners work just the same as Invisalign. Impressions are taken of your smile and are sent to a lab, where a series of gradually tighter plastic trays are designed that can slowly move the teeth into alignment.
The difference is that mail-order aligners rely on a DIY approach without any kind of professional supervision. You will have to take your impressions on your own and monitor the progress of your orthodontic treatment without the help of a dentist.
The Dangers of Mail-Order Aligners
While these kits can certainly sound appealing, they come with serious problems that are worth considering.
First of all, taking impressions on your own can be harder than it sounds, and any mistakes that you make could cause serious issues in the design of your aligners. Moreover, without the help of a dentist you may not even realize that this has happened until it’s too late. It’s common for people to wind up with worse alignment than they started with at the end of DIY aligner treatment.
Complications can also emerge from aligner treatment if you’re dealing with oral health problems like tooth decay or gum disease. For that reason, most dentists will perform a thorough exam of your smile before providing you with your aligners. Without that, you’re more likely to experience increased discomfort or serious problems during your orthodontic treatment.
As you can see, there are several ways that mail-order aligners can cause problems. While they may be cheaper, treatment that doesn’t work isn’t worth it at any price.
About Our Practice
At Brown, Reynolds, Snow, LeNoir Dentistry, we believe that great dental care doesn’t matter if the results don’t last. For that reason, we form long-standing relationships with our patients, and give them the support that they need to live a thoroughly healthy life. We know that Invisalign treatment in particular can take a while, so we’re proud to be a practice that you’ll be happy to come back to over and over again.
If you have any questions about clear aligners, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (804) 288-5324.