You lead a busy life, so it’s makes sense that you try to save time and money when you can. Unfortunately, however, many people believe that mail-in clear aligners are a better alternative to treatment from a local dentist because they’re cheaper and more convenient. The truth is, however, that time and time again, mail-in aligners have been shown to be downright dangerous, often causing more harm than good in the long run. Here’s a look at five reasons why treating your smile by mail could end up costing more time and money than treatment from your dentist overall.
No Oversight
One of the most dangerous things about treating your smile by mail is that there’s no oversight from a dentist or orthodontist. This means that if something goes wrong, or if your smile begins to move in the wrong direction, there will be nobody local to help you get it back on track. Worse yet, most people don’t notice there’s a problem until it’s too late, meaning it then must receive additional treatment to correct, and could even make the original problem worse than before!
One-Size-Fits-All Treatment
Most by-mail orthodontic treatments are a one-size-fits-all solution, meaning that there’s little wiggle room for those who need modifications to get their ideal smile. With clear aligners from your dentist, you can adapt your plan as you go and may at some point even need attachments to help correct more severe bite problems. Unfortunately, when you go it alone with mail-in aligners, these nuances can be missed, and you may not get as beautiful results because of it.
Poor Treatment Options
One of the best things about treating your smile with aligners is that your dentist can keep a close eye on your oral health both before you begin and along the way. That way, if there are any issues like gum disease or cavities present, these can be corrected so your smile isn’t just straighter, but healthier, too. With by mail treatment, however, there is nobody monitoring your smile, so untreated issues can proliferate and cause painful costly repairs later. Worse yet, some teeth could eventually need crowns or other restorations that may interrupt or alter their orthodontic plan, undoing any progress or preventing the current treatment from continuing.
Outdated Techniques
Many of these by-mail orthodontic companies use dated techniques and technologies to create your plan. Things like old-fashioned impressions can make your treatment less accurate from day one, meaning you won’t get the healthy, beautiful smile you desire and could even make the problem worse. Conversely, when you visit a local dentist for clear aligners, you can rest assured that they will use more modern technology like the PrimeScan Digital Impression System to make detailed, extremely accurate impressions for the most precise results possible.
More Expensive Overall
Finally, many patients choose to get aligners by mail because they believe it will save them money. Unfortunately, however, the opposite is often true. That’s because between the damage caused by inaccurate treatment and the lack of oversight from a local dentist, they often end up needing treatment to correct the damage caused by their mail-in plan, which of course costs additional money and may not be covered by dental insurance.
Remember, while mail-in aligners may seem like a faster, more convenient and more affordable way to straighten your smile, the negatives frequently outweigh the positives. By-mail treatment often results in inferior results, additional alignment problems, more time and money spent correcting them than if you’d simply gone to a local dentist from the start. So, skip the by-mail maelstrom and speak to your dentist about how you can get the results you want with Invisalign alternatives closer to home.
About Dr. Shroff
Dr. Roshan Shroff earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Health Science Center and his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Today, he proudly completes 50 to 100 hours of continuing education each year, a staggering two to three times the state requirement. He is a current, active member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, Metro Denver Dental Society and the Academy of General Dentistry. To schedule a consultation at Shroff Dental Arts for clear aligners, visit our website or call 303-632-3622.