Why You Should Probably Not Use Mail-Order Aligners

Invisalign® clear aligners have a proven track record of delivering great results to patients, and many copycats have taken note. Countless companies now exist that promise straight teeth with quick turnaround times. This might sound like good news, but in reality, is a major red flag.

Any type of orthodontic work is a medical procedure that must be overseen by a professional. The American Dental Association® (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontists® have recently issued warnings to remind patients that mail-order aligners lack the rigorous oversight necessary to produce consistent, healthy results.

Your oral health is our top priority, and as your dentists, we want you to have the results that you’ve always imagined without sacrificing your health. Mail-order aligners put that health as risk, which is why we always recommend seeing a professional for your teeth straightening needs.

A Closer Look at Mail-Order Aligners

While your dentist or orthodontist can provide professional-grade care and experience, mail-order aligner companies cannot. If you are considering using mail-order aligners, we urge you to consider the following first:

Technology Divide

Dentists and orthodontists constantly rely on X-rays and advanced dental technology to understand the oral health and status of their patient’s teeth. This is essential to creating a proper treatment plan. Any service that does not do this has no way of knowing what the patient needs, and mail-order aligners just don’t have the technology to get these accurate readings.

Some mail-in order companies might even ask you to send them X-rays yourself, which means that they are willing to accept X-rays that might be significantly outdated or from an unreliable source.

In-Person vs. Long-Distance

When you choose mail-order aligners, you aren’t able to see a dentist or orthodontist to make sure that your teeth are moving the way that they need to. Without this expertise, there is a very good chance that you can be wearing aligners that don’t fit properly or are moving your teeth in the wrong direction.

Without a professional on hand, you also won’t have anyone to turn to for help if you have questions or a problem with your aligners. Invisalign aligners or other orthodontic procedures of similar quality will provide the invaluable care and attention that comes from hiring a medical professional.

DIY Orthodontics

Dentists are skilled professionals that have years of experience taking impressions of teeth. Making a quality impression requires extensive training. Companies that offer mail-order aligners often count on you to take the impression of your teeth yourself.

This can lead to a subpar impression that creates numerous treatment problems in the future because the aligners a mail-in company creates are based off of the impressions that you took. You could end up with aligners that are not the right fit for your teeth or that move them in the wrong direction.

Clear Aligners Aren’t for Everyone

Every patient has a different oral health history, and clear aligners aren’t always the best solution for a given patient. Before prescribing any treatment, dentists carefully evaluate a patient’s teeth in-person to determine if they are a good fit for a certain treatment.

This is not the case for mail-order aligners. Patients are not examined thoroughly, and you can consequently end up with a treatment that ends up doing more harm than good. Always check with a professional before beginning a new orthodontic treatment.

If You Want Accurate, Safe Aligners, Choose Invisalign Clear Aligners

We’ve taken a look at much of the negative information, so now for the positive — Invisalign clear aligners are made from SmartTrack® material, meaning that your mouth gets the latest that dental technology has to offer.

Invisalign treatment is approved by the ADA and has none of the problems that we’ve discussed above. With Invisalign clear aligners, you get the expertise of a professional every step of the way, meaning you can be confident that your teeth will get the straightest results possible without compromising your health or integrity.

Call Smiles Family Dental for Your Free Invisalign Consultation

If you are looking for the best smile possible, call our office at 972-346-1100 today for a free Invisalign consultation with Dr. Angelie Zamora, Dr. Nick Cobb or Dr. Ruasha Shrestha. We will be with you every step of the way to make sure that you end up with the smile that you have always imagined.