Invisalign – Fresno, CA
Get the Smile of Your Dreams Without the Metal
Crooked, gapped, and otherwise misaligned teeth take a toll on the appearance of your smile and your oral health. Thanks to Invisalign, you can get the healthy, beautiful smile of your dreams without the metal. With custom-made, comfortable clear aligners, our dentist in Fresno can effectively guide your teeth into their proper positions. In as little as 12 months, you’ll have the straight teeth you’ve been dreaming of! Get in touch with our team today to learn more, or keep reading.
Why Choose Shinkawa Dental For Invisalign?
- See Your Future Smile with Digital Imaging
- We Offer Flexible Payment Options
- We Have Morning, Afternoon & Lunchtime Appointments
How Invisalign Works
Although Invisalign is a household name, many patients aren’t entirely sure how this revolutionary teeth-straightening treatment works. Although the technology behind it is complex, the process isn’t. After our dentist has created your custom treatment plan, they will use the iTero digital impression scanner to take impressions of your mouth, which will be used to create your clear aligner series. From there, you will wear each set of trays for a few weeks at a time. Once complete, you’ll transition to the next set, which will pick up where your last aligners left off. Over the course of your treatment, you’ll see your teeth move closer and closer to their ideal position!
Indications for Invisalign
Invisalign in Fresno is ideal for correcting mild to moderate levels of misalignment, including:
Crowded Teeth
Do your teeth overlap? Unfortunately, this creates small crevices that food particles and other debris can hide in, leaving you prone to cavities and gum disease. The good news is that Invisalign’s clear aligners can guide your teeth into a healthier position, improving the look and health of your smile simultaneously.
Gaps Between Teeth
Spaced-out teeth are another orthodontic issue that negatively affects the look of your smile as well as your oral health. Since patients struggling with gapped teeth are more prone to dental problems, it’s best to start treatment with Invisalign sooner rather than later. Their clear aligners can effectively bridge the gaps, providing you with a healthy, beautiful smile.
Bite Alignment
If your teeth don’t come together properly, you may have a hard time chewing, be vulnerable to enamel wear, and suffer from teeth grinding/clenching. Fortunately, Invisalign can correct a number of bite alignment issues, from overbites to underbites.
My Life, My Invisalign
Invisalign has truly revolutionized orthodontic treatment. This unique service offers a wide range of advantages over traditional metal braces that spans nearly every part of day-to-day life. Instead of fitting your life at school, work, with the family, or with friends around your orthodontic care, Invisalign is designed to blend into your lifestyle instead of disrupting it. You can continue to live your life to the fullest, unhindered by poking metal wires and shiny brackets. Read on as we cover some of the most notable benefits you can enjoy with Invisalign in Fresno.
Invisalign Blends Into Your Lifestyle
With Invisalign, you won’t need to dramatically change your lifestyle. Thanks to the removable nature of the aligners, you can continue to:
- Brush and floss your teeth as normal
- Enjoy all the same foods as you did before treatment
- Play your favorite sports or instruments
As long as you remember to wear your aligners for at least 20-22 hours every day, your treatment will stay on track as you go about your life as usual.
Maintain Your Professional Appearance
If you have a job interview coming up, are dating, or need to maintain a professional appearance at work, the thought of having a mouthful of metal braces is probably unbearable! Fortunately, Invisalign aligners are made of smooth, thin, and biocompatible clear plastic. Once worn, they should be virtually impossible to detect unless you’re looking for them. You can show off your pearly whites confidently knowing there are no wires or brackets to distract from your smile.
Keep Your Smile Healthy While Straightening Your Teeth
It’s no secret that brushing and flossing around traditional metal braces can be a challenge. Unfortunately, that’s why many patients with metal braces end up with cavities, gum disease, and enamel discoloration. Fortunately, your daily oral hygiene routine won’t have to change at all with Invisalign! You can continue to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth every day by taking your aligners out and cleaning them separately.
Invisalign Is More Comfortable Than Traditional Braces
With Invisalign, you can count on a more comfortable straightening experience than that with metal braces. Traditional braces have poking wires and abrasive brackets that can scratch the inside of your mouth, causing sores and irritation on your lips, cheeks, and tongue. On the other hand, Invisalign aligners are smooth and will glide past the soft oral tissues imperceptibly. Even managing soreness from the act of moving the teeth themselves is easier with Invisalign than traditional braces. Invisalign patients can choose to switch to their new set of aligners right before bedtime, allowing them to sleep through the initial stages of discomfort.
Spend Less Time At Orthodontic Checkups
Your time is valuable. With Invisalign, you’ll save lots of time with fewer and shorter orthodontic checkups! You’ll need to attend periodic orthodontic checkups to have your progress monitored and to pick up the next several sets of your aligners. However, you’ll need fewer checkups than patients with traditional braces. Plus, since Invisalign aligners don’t need to be adjusted, these checkups are shorter and easier as well!
Invisalign TEEN
While Invisalign is certainly the preferred treatment for adults who don’t want to look like they’re in middle school, it is also ideal for image-conscious teens. Invisalign TEEN uses the same see-through aligners as the regular system, but there are a couple of differences that make it ideal for younger patients.
Firstly, it comes with a free set of replacement trays (because teens are forgetful), and there is also an indicator dot on the back of each tray. As the teen wears their Invisalign, it will fade, meaning it’s easy for teens (and their parents) to make sure they are using it enough. Now, older children can get the treatment they need without worrying about their friends or teachers noticing their appliance.
Understanding the Cost of Invisalign
The cost of Invisalign varies from patient to patient since each treatment plan is custom-made. With that being said, there are a few all-encompassing facts that affect the price. Fortunately, you can easily find out the answer to how much it’ll cost you to straighten your smile with Invisalign – just schedule an initial consultation! From there, we will provide you with a price estimate and review all of your financial options.
View Our Invisalign OfferFactors that Affect the Cost of Invisalign
Invisalign is a highly customized treatment created based on your specific orthodontic needs. This means the amount you’ll pay will vary greatly depending on the following factors:
- Severity of your orthodontic issue (minor misalignment vs. severe bite problems)
- How often you wear your aligners (should be worn between 20 and 22 hours a day)
- Whether you are straightening one or both arches of teeth (straightening both arches will likely require more visits to the office to ensure everything is shifting as intended)
Invisalign vs. Smile Direct Club™: Is There a Difference?
The best treatment truly depends on your needs. For example, Smile Direct Club is more ideal for those looking for a “quick fix” at a lower cost. In fact, Smile Direct Club charges their clear aligners for as low as $2,000. Invisalign, in contrast, can cost anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000 depending on your needs.
However, when it comes to your smile, sometimes getting the cheapest treatment isn’t always the most ideal. For example, Smile Direct Club expects you to create your aligners on your own with no oversight from a dentist. This means you could make aligners that don’t fit your mouth properly (or even worse, cause harm to your smile). This forces you to go to a professional regardless just to get them fixed.
In contrast, you’ll always get oversight from a dentist during every phase of your realignment when you pursue Invisalign. These trays are also made by professionals and highly accurate, so you know you’re getting the best and smoothest treatment plan possible. For many, this makes the higher cost worth it.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?
Some dental insurance plans offer coverage for Invisalign, but more often than not it won’t be included. However, you should still check with your provider directly just to make sure, a process our team is happy to help facilitate. FSA funds can also be used to help cover your costs if you have them.
Options for Making Invisalign Affordable
Even if you don’t have dental insurance, there are options available to you that make your care more affordable. For example, we recommend CareCredit to those looking for a way to pay for care over an extended period of time. These payments come with little to no interest attached, making even expensive services like Invisalign easier to fit into a budget.
We also encourage you to take advantage of any specials specifically dedicated to Invisalign, which can be found on our special offers page. Looking for a way to save on other services so you can put more money towards your Invisalign? Consider signing up for our in-house dental savings plan!
Invisalign FAQs
Invisalign is an effective treatment for correcting misalignment issues, and you don’t even need to sport metal brackets and wires. However, you may still have some unanswered questions about the treatment. Here are the answers to some of the most common inquiries we receive about Invisalign. If you don’t see the question you’re looking for before, give us a call. We’d be happy to get you the information you’re looking for and schedule you for your initial consultation.
Does Invisalign Hurt?
Invisalign is not a painful treatment. Its smooth plastic design makes it one of the most comfortable orthodontic treatment options. When you first get your Invisalign aligners, there is an adjustment period. You might experience slight soreness or discomfort that some might characterize as pain, but this will go away as soon as you are used to the treatment. Invisalign works by slowly shifting your teeth into proper alignment by using a series of aligners. Every time you switch to the next aligner in the series, you may experience pressure, but this just shows that it is working! To manage soreness and discomfort, try taking over-the-counter pain relievers as directed or using a cold compress.
Can You Eat with Invisalign?
One of the greatest advantages of Invisalign is that the aligners are completely removable, so you can take them out when it’s time to enjoy a meal. Eating with your aligners in your mouth can damage them and put unnecessary pressure on your teeth. The only thing that you should be consuming while wearing your Invisalign is water. If you are going to enjoy anything else, you should put your aligners in a safe place.
Can You Get Invisalign After Braces?
This all depends on your specific needs. Braces are able to correct more severe overbites, underbites, and crossbites than Invisalign can. However, in many cases, patients’ teeth have grown crooked and misaligned years after completing orthodontic treatment via traditional braces. Invisalign is usually able to help. You can find out if Invisalign is right for you by seeing us a for a consultation.
Is Invisalign Cheaper than Braces?
Since no two smiles are exactly the same, the cost of your orthodontic treatments will vary based on numerous factors, like the severity of your misalignment. In most cases, Invisalign costs about the same as traditional braces. Variables, like oral health and commitment to the treatment plan will also play a role. Some dental insurance plans offer at least partial coverage for Invisalign, so it’s a good idea to check with your provider before committing to the treatment. There are also Invisalign specials available to help make the orthodontic treatment more affordable. By exploring your options and speaking with our team, we can figure out a plan that works best for your individual needs.
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
As with cost, the exact timeline of Invisalign treatment can vary greatly from patient to patient. However, the primary factor at play is the degree to which your teeth are misaligned. It goes without saying that the greater distance your teeth need to move, the more time it will take to complete those movements. Another major factor is your dedication to wearing the aligners as often as instructed. If you don’t wear the trays for at least 22 hours per day, your teeth won’t shift as quickly as planned, increasing the amount of time you’ll have to wait for a straight smile.
On average, it takes between 12 and 18 months to finish Invisalign treatment, but extremely mild cases may take as little as six months. Even if 18 months seems like a long time, keep in mind that it’s still much shorter than the average treatment time with traditional braces (24 to 36 months).
What Happens After Invisalign?
Once you’ve finished wearing your last set of aligners in the series, you’ll meet with one of our dentists, who will verify that your teeth are in the proper positions before briefing you on how to take care of your newly straight smile. You’ll start by wearing a retainer, which are often a set of plastic trays that are similar to the aligners you’re already used to. Retainers are crucial after orthodontic treatment, as they help your teeth “remember” their new positions and prevent them from shifting back to their previous crooked state and undoing all of the work you put into your treatment. Depending on your specific needs, you might need to wear your retainer almost 24/7 for a few days or weeks at first, but our dentists will let you know when you can switch to only wearing it at night.
How Do I Clean My Invisalign?
The Invisalign company sells their own patented, easy-to-use cleaning system, which you can purchase directly from their website. However, you can also clean your aligners with a soft-bristled toothbrush (just make sure it’s NOT the same one that you use to brush your teeth) and clear antibacterial hand soap. To prevent food debris from sticking to your trays, you should rinse them off several times a day, but only use room-temperature water. Hot water can permanently warp the plastic, making your aligners fit incorrectly and potentially move your teeth in the wrong direction.
Does Invisalign Give You a Lisp?
Whenever you start wearing a new appliance in your mouth, it generally takes some time for your speech to adjust. For Invisalign patients, this may result in a lisp. This is because the “s” sound is produced by placing the tongue against the backs of the front teeth, and since the aligners are now there, your tongue may get slightly “confused.”
If you develop a slight lisp from Invisalign, you might be tempted to not speak in order to avoid drawing attention to it. However, the fastest way to talk normally again is with practice. The more often you speak, the more quickly your tongue will learn how to maneuver itself around your aligners when you talk. You could practice by reading your favorite book aloud or even singing in the shower!