Orthodontic clear retainers to straighten teeth, such as Invisalign, are an amazing way to give you a smile that makes you feel confident, attractive and happy. But they’re not accessible to everyone, and at-home aligners are often chosen as an alternative.
What are at-home aligners?
At-home aligners work in a very similar way to professional orthodontic teeth aligners giving you excellent straight teeth and allowing you to smile with confidence.
It starts by getting impressions of your teeth made to determine the correct shape and treatment plan of your aligners. An at-home impression kit can be sent to you to do yourself and sent back to create the aligners.
At-home teeth alignment treatment is more convenient, not having to leave the comfort of your home and saving time waiting for an available in-person appointment. It is also a more affordable option, but they aren’t without risk.
No expert consultation
Typically, you would receive expert advice before undergoing treatment and can ask the professionals any questions you may have regarding the process to put your mind at ease. With no consultation with an expert, you won’t get the personal bespoke touch that a traditional appointment gives.
While expert dentists are still back at-home aligners, this is only at the impression stage. Once the treatment has begun, you won’t have access to mid or end point consultations to check the progress and ensure everything is going smoothly. This lack of ongoing support can be detrimental to the success of the treatment, meaning you may not get the most out of your treatment.
Not an accurate fit
As a trained professional did not supervise you, it’s easy to make mistakes when creating the impression of your teeth. Having your clear retainers to straighten teeth delivered in the post means that you are unable to try them on before beginning treatment as you usually would. Not having a dentist to assess can result in an inaccurate fit leading to pain and discomfort. It could also cause them not to work effectively and do more harm than good when aligning your teeth.
Similarly, it’s hard to predict precisely how your teeth may react to orthodontic treatment. The at-home treatment plan may suggest moving on to the next set of aligners before you are ready. Only an experienced dentist can determine when is the right time and amend the treatment plan accordingly.
Risk of damage
Without the regular checkups with an orthodontist, they won’t be able to supervise you on the proper procedure for using your clear retainers to straighten teeth. This includes how often you should be wearing them and how to clean them effectively. Doing so incorrectly could result in your aligners becoming damaged and not working effectively.
On the other side, you could accidentally harm your teeth and gums by not having the supervision of an orthodontist to wear the aligners accurately. No official clinical assessment could result in orthodontic treatment having adverse effects as underlying issues that experts can only pick up during X-Rays would be missed.
Get clear retainers to straighten teeth today!
While at home aligners are considered a cost-effective method of straightening your teeth, if you encounter any issues with the fit of your clear retainers to straighten teeth, you may end up spending more than you bargained for with visits to an orthodontist.
If you’re interested in starting your teeth transformation journey, get in touch today. Alternatively, call us on 023 8044 2626 to discuss a safe and effective method to give you the smile you deserve.
