If you want to use clear aligners to fix your teeth, then you might have seen advertisements for mail-order products. You order these aligners online and manage the treatment yourself without seeing a dentist.
However, mail-order aligners have a lot of downsides. You will have better outcomes if your dentist manages your treatment. Why?
Get an Expert Suitability Assessment
Clear aligners work well for many patients with misalignment problems. However, they aren't the best way to fix every patient's teeth. Plus, your gums and teeth need to be in good shape before you use these braces.
Problems like inflammation and gum disease compromise your treatment and its results. This doesn't mean you can't use aligners; however, you might need some treatment to get rid of problems before you start wearing them.
A mail-order company doesn't assess your suitability to wear aligners. It won't check the condition of your teeth or gums. However, a dentist gives you expert advice. They ensure that your mouth is in good enough shape to wear aligners. If it isn't, they can fix any problems and get you ready for treatment.
Get an Expert Movement Plan
Each set of clear aligners you wear moves your teeth into different positions according to your treatment plan. If you buy mail-order aligners, then your plan is based on your ability to make impressions of your teeth.
For example, a company might send you some modeling material that you use to make molds of your teeth. They then plan your treatment and design your aligner sets according to these molds.
However, you don't have the expertise to make dental impressions. If you make a mistake, then your aligners won't fit. Your plan might not be accurate if the company's technicians don't have a precise mold to work with.
A dentist does a better job here. They can take accurate impressions or use specialized scanners to create an image of your teeth. This accuracy ensures that your aligners fit and produce the right results.
Avoid Tooth Damage
Clear aligners need to be precisely made to fit your mouth. They have to work in an exact sequence to move your teeth gradually and safely.
If aligners don't meet these requirements, then they can cause some damage. They can loosen teeth and even make your misalignments worse. You might need extensive and expensive dental treatment to fix these problems.
You don't have any guarantee that mail-order aligners are safe to use. However, if you have this treatment through your dentist, then they ensure that your aligners fit and follow the right movement plan. Your teeth will look better, and you'll get a safer treatment.
To find out more, make an appointment at a dental clinic, such as Blythewood Dentistry.
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