Invisalign – Lincoln, NE
The Metal-Free Way to Straighten Your Smile
Do you avoid smiling freely because of crooked, gapped, spaced, turned, or crowded teeth? In the past, you may have considered orthodontic treatment, but decided against it because of the bulky and time-consuming treatment of traditional braces. That’s why Williamsburg Dental now offers a discreet and convenient solution for busy adults.
With Invisalign in Lincoln, you can finally undergo the orthodontic treatment you need without sacrificing your self-confidence or lifestyle. The days of uncomfortable, awkward, and painful metal braces are long gone. Invisalign clear aligners are a cutting-edge orthodontic solution. If you're finally ready to get the straighter smile you’ve always wanted, make an appointment with Williamsburg Dental today.
Do you avoid smiling freely because of crooked, gapped, spaced, turned, or crowded teeth? In the past, you may have considered orthodontic treatment, but decided against it because of the bulky and time-consuming treatment of traditional braces. That’s why Williamsburg Dental now offers a discreet and convenient solution for busy adults.
With Invisalign in Lincoln, you can finally undergo the orthodontic treatment you need without sacrificing your self-confidence or lifestyle. The days of uncomfortable, awkward, and painful metal braces are long gone. Invisalign clear aligners are a cutting-edge orthodontic solution. If you're finally ready to get the straighter smile you’ve always wanted, make an appointment with Williamsburg Dental today.
Why Choose Williamsburg Dental for Invisalign?
- We Accept & Maximize Dental Insurance
- Gessford is a Preferred Invisalign Provider
- Several Convenient Practice Locations
How Invisalign Works
Invisalign treatment generally takes one full year to complete, whereas orthodontic treatment with traditional braces can take two years or more. After your initial consultation and exam, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth. This information will be sent to an Invisalign lab for 3D modeling and custom fabrication. After your first set of aligners arrive, you will wear them for a few weeks, receiving a new set every couple of weeks thereafter. Invisalign will shift your teeth incrementally until the desired results are attained. Your dentist will monitor your progress, but unlike traditional metal braces, no painful adjustments will be necessary.
Who Can Invisalign Help?
Invisalign is a versatile orthodontic treatment, but there are some cases, especially those that require more intensive intervention, where traditional braces may be a better option. The best way to find out whether your case qualifies for Invisalign treatment is to schedule a consultation with our wonderful team at Williamsburg Dental. Based on their findings, they may be able to address the following concerns with clear aligners:
Crowded Teeth
Crowded teeth can be shifted into alignment with clear orthodontic trays, making brushing and flossing easier. Addressing this concern can also help reduce your risk of cavities in the future, saving you from costly dental bills!
Gaps Between Teeth
Gaps between teeth are a cosmetic concern for some. If you have misspaced teeth that make you feel less-than-confident in showing off your smile, then clear aligners can help shift these teeth closer together, eliminating the unneeded spaces in your arch.
Bite Misalignment
In addition to addressing crowding and gaps, Invisalign trays can also address mild to moderate bite misalignment, including overbite, open bite, underbite, and crossbite. More severe bite issues may require traditional braces.
Living with Invisalign Aligners
Whether you’re still researching your options or are about to start Invisalign treatment, you may wonder what life is like with these clear aligners. Although it will take a little bit of adjustment, having an idea beforehand can give you assurance—life with Invisalign is not challenging or difficult, but it does take some time and effort to reach your goal. We’ll give you all the directions and guidance you’ll need to be successful.
Wearing Your Trays
The beauty of these aligners is that they are removeable for eating, drinking anything other than water, and performing oral hygiene, but this means you’ll need to be intentional about wearing them at least 20 hours every day. Otherwise, your teeth won’t shift as they are supposed to.
During the first week, and when you switch to a new set, you may experience some mild soreness, but this common symptom usually subsides after a few days. To reduce your discomfort, you may take OTC pain relievers and eat softer foods.
Cleaning Your Aligners
Although you wear them for a relatively short time, your aligners can accumulate plaque buildup or start to yellow if you don’t care for them. Fortunately, their maintenance is simple and requires only a soft-bristled toothbrush and cool water. Do not use hot water because it could warp the plastic. Gently rinse and brush them at least twice every day. If you still see discoloration, use the cleaning crystals you received in your welcome kit.
Eating & Drinking
With Invisalign, you ultimately have the freedom to eat basically whatever you like, but you should be cautious with certain foods. For instance, hard or crunchy foods like raw vegetables or chips could cause attachments to come off. Also, avoid having too much sugar or starchy foods, which increase your risk of cavities. If you get tooth decay, your Invisalign treatment will be postponed until the cavity is resolved.
Losing or Damaging a Tray
Each minute your aligners are out of your mouth is critical, so you need to locate them as quickly as possible. Even after retracing your steps, if you can’t find your aligners, don’t waste any more time, and call us immediately. The same goes for aligners that break. Do not resort to using superglue or another adhesive to try to fix the aligner. Just contact us, and we’ll tell you the best steps to take to get your treatment back on track.
Routine Check-Ins
In addition to your routine checkup and cleaning, you’ll need to come in regularly for a check-in appointment, but this visit isn’t frivolous at all. Not only do you receive your next batch of aligners, but you also have the chance to ask us any questions during your treatment. Our team also needs these intermittent check-ins to make sure your teeth are moving as planned. If necessary, we may make slight adjustments in your treatment plan so that you end up with a beautiful, even smile.
The Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign braces are virtually unnoticeable, which is one of the greatest benefits of the treatment. The transparent material of the clear aligners can do the same work as traditional brackets and wires braces, often in half the time. During your Invisalign treatment, you can smile confidently. Because the clear aligners are easily removable, you’ll also be able to enjoy your favorite foods while keeping up good oral hygiene. In addition, you can remove your aligners for important meetings and special occasions.
Improved Comfort
Instead of rough, protruding metal brackets and poking wires, with Invisalign you have smooth plastic that feels much more comfortable, especially on your tongue, lips, and cheeks. You may still experience some soreness in your teeth when you first start and when you transition to a new set of aligners, but it should go away after a few days and can be easily managed with over-the-counter pain reliever and eating soft foods temporarily.
Discreet Trays
When you see someone with traditional braces on, your eyes are drawn to their smile for all the wrong reasons. In contrast, Invisalign doesn’t attract attention; in fact, most people won’t know you have aligners at all, unless they notice the subtle changes in alignment over time! In your everyday life, you can wear them and make progress toward your straighter smile without worrying about judgment from others.
Better Dental Hygiene
After you’ve had a meal, snack, or beverage other than water, you need to brush and floss your teeth prior to putting your aligners back in. Not only do these steps ensure that bits of food won’t become trapped or apply incorrect pressure on your teeth, but they also prevent cavities from forming. In fact, brushing and flossing several times a day will help you keep your teeth and gums healthier and brighter than normal!
Quick Dental Checkups and Cleaning Visits
Better oral hygiene on your own often leads to faster dental checkups and cleanings because frequent brushing and flossing stops plaque from building up and hardening on your teeth. As a result, your hygienist has less to remove, and you are much less likely to have cavities, gum disease, and other issues.
The check-in appointments throughout treatment are also typically quick because we just need to make sure your teeth are shifting correctly and give you your next batch of aligners.
Boosted Confidence
Those who have metal braces can feel self-conscious when they speak or smile because of the brackets and wires, but your appearance won’t be affected at all by Invisalign. Meanwhile, your teeth are moving into a straighter, more evenly spaced, and more aesthetically pleasing alignment. By the time you reach the end of treatment, you will have a smile you’re proud to show off as much as possible.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
At Williamsburg Dental, we know the main concern patients have regarding treatments like Invisalign is the overall cost. While it can be reassuring to hear a concrete amount, the only way to get an accurate estimate is to let us first examine the current condition of your smile. For the most part, Invisalign can cost relatively the same amount as traditional braces. Of course, this total cost is unique to every patient. During your consultation, you’ll get the chance to discuss the number of aligners necessary for your treatment and payment plans to make managing your treatment easy and straightforward.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Invisalign
One of the largest factors that influence price is the level of misalignment you need to fix. That means the more trays that you need to straighten your teeth or fix your bite, the higher the overall cost will be. Another important factor is patient compliance. The longer you go without wearing your aligners, the longer your treatment will take. Even worse, your teeth can begin to shift back to their crooked position if not properly managed. You can also experience hiccups in treatment as well as higher costs if any of your aligners break or get lost and need replacement.
Invisalign vs. Mail-In Aligners: Which Costs More?
You may have seen commercials for at-home clear aligners. These brands often promise lower pricing, which is appealing and convenient with aligners being sent directly to you, but you have to wonder what you could be sacrificing. Although mail-in aligner companies have dental professionals create your treatment plan at the beginning, after that, you’re basically on your own.
This alternative requires you to take impressions of your teeth. If you don’t bite down hard enough, misspace your teeth on the putty, or don’t do it correctly, your impressions could have significant faults. As a result, your treatment plan can be incorrect from the start. Also, if you lose an aligner or for some reason need to adjust your treatment plan, you have to deal with calling customer service, which can be tedious, stressful, and time consuming. In the end, it is safer and more efficient to have your treatment directly supervised by one of our dental professionals from start to finish.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
In some cases, dental insurance does apply to Invisalign as an orthodontic treatment, but there are others that do not. If you’re unfamiliar with insurance, interpreting your plan can be confusing. We understand the complexities of insurance and the lingo these companies use. When you come in for your consultation, our team can take a close look at your policy and help you understand what is and is not covered. With us, you’ll know what you’ll be responsible for paying out-of-pocket.
Options for Making Invisalign More Affordable
Regardless of whether your insurance covers part of the cost or not, the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket may still be overwhelming. We have several payment plans available to break up the cost of treatment. Instead of paying for Invisalign in one large sum, you can apply for low-interest financing with CareCredit, which allows you to make smaller monthly payments. Through this option, the cost of Invisalign can more easily fit into your budget!
Invisalign FAQs
Am I too old for Invisalign?
Your eligibility for Invisalign is not so much dependent on your age. What’s most important is your current oral and overall health. For example, it’s essential that you have healthy gums for the most effective Invisalign treatment. Teeth will not shift properly if your gums cannot sustain new positions for your teeth. With that being said, we do not recommend Invisalign for particularly young patients whose teeth are still developing.
Does Invisalign work?
Millions of people have used Invisalign’s clear aligners to shift teeth. They’re also the oldest clear aligners system to date, with over two decades of operation and innovation to back up their use. Their SmartTrack material is designed to move teeth more predictably and more quickly than any other clear aligner on the market.
Are Invisalign aligners uncomfortable to wear?
After initially beginning treatment and switching from one pair of aligners to the next, patients do experience minor pressure and discomfort after the first few days of wear. However, this is normal and a sign that the aligners are working. If you do experience pain, schedule an appointment with us right away!
How often do I need check-in appointments with Invisalign?
Invisalign appointments are typically scheduled every four to six weeks. These visits are intended to measure your progress and confirm that your teeth are shifting as planned. If at any time your teeth aren’t shifting correctly, the dentist will make adjustments as needed.
How do I care for my aligners?
Caring for your aligners is as simple as your current oral care routine. Before you brush and floss, remove your aligners and allow them to soak in Invisalign’s cleaning crystals or a similar cleansing solution. Avoid using hot water as this can permanently warp their shape. After soaking, use a dedicated toothbrush to remove any loose food debris before rinsing.
Will I need a retainer after Invisalign?
After you complete your treatment, you’ll need to wear a retainer to allow your teeth to permanently set in place. We will advise you as to how often you need to wear your retainer immediately after treatment. In many cases, patients are able to go to just wearing their retainer at night after wearing it full time for a few months.