ClearCorrect aligner

Starting in 1998, Align Technology, Inc, was the first company to bring Invisalign removable, clear braces to dental consumers.  Recently, two newer companies, Simpli5 and ClearCorrect, have become available to patients as competition to Invisalign.  But are these two any better than industry leader Invisalign?  Today, we’ll look at the these two competitors to see if any are a better alternative to Invisalign. First let’s look at the basic idea of clear braces or aligners. In a nutshell, they are clear, plastic trays that fit over the teeth. The patient wears the aligners every day, all day except to eat, brush, and floss. A new set of aligners are exchanged approximately every two  weeks. Each tray moves the teeth a small amount until the final desired position is reached. The result is straight teeth without the hassle of traditional metal braces.

Invisalign

According to Invisalign’s website, as of 2009, over 1,000,000 patients worldwide have had their teeth straightened with Invisalign.  With over 10 years of experience, Invisalign is able to provide the dentist and patient a quality product.  But with experience comes a price.  Invisialign can be pricey (an average of $5,000 in the U.S.).  Also, dentists who provide Invisalign must have a minimum number of Invisalign cases per year and take continuing education classes through Invisialign.  If the dentist fails to do either, then they will be no long eligible to offer Invisalign to their patients. Note:  Just hours after I finshed writing this article, I received the following in my inbox: “Reversing a controversial policy put into effect last year, Align Technology announced today that, effective immediately, it will no longer require all dentists who want to be active Invisalign providers to start at least 10 Invisalign cases annually.”

Simpli5 vs ClearCorrect

From a patient’s viewpoint Simpli5 and ClearCorrect look the same and are used in the same way as all other aligners, however they differ in the way they are made and the types of cases they are meant to treat. Simpli5 was introduced in late 2006 and is made by AOA Orthodontic Laboratory. It is a system of five upper teeth and/or five lower teeth aligners.  Since each aligner typically moves teeth at the rate of 1/2 mm, a system with only five aligners (Invisalign typically has 20-30 aligners) would only be good for someone with minor crooked front teeth or for someone whose teeth have moved after previous orthodontic treatment. Simpli5 also differs in the way in which it is made. The Invisalign process includes molds of your teeth, digital x-rays, and photographs.  All of this information is used to create a 3-D image of your teeth using state-of-the-art CAD/CAM technology. Then the 20 plus aligners are computer crafted to provide the incremental movement needed to straighten the teeth. With Simpli5, all that is required is a mold of the patient’s teeth.  This mold is sent to the AOA Laboratory where a technician makes the aligners directly from the mold including the incremental movements. The dentist has no say in how the teeth are to be moved. Because this process involves less high tech equipment than Invisalign, it may be less expensive. While this process may not be a bad one, it’s just not meant to straighten anything more than a few front teeth.

On the other hand, ClearCorrect is a four year old company created by a dentist with over 25 years of dental experience. Like Invisalign, ClearCorrect uses models, x-rays and photographs of the patient’s teeth to make a 3-D representation that is used to make a series of computer crafted aligners that are replaced every two weeks while slowly moving the teeth to their desired position.  According to ClearCorrect, their aligners can be used to treat a wide variety of orthodontic problems. ClearCorrect also offers training to dentists.  Unlike Invisalign, dentists can do as many or as few patients as they want (no longer an issue do to the updated Invisalign policy as mentioned previously).  ClearCorrect does not charge extra if the dentist wants to change the tooth movement in the middle of treatment, and their lab fees are lower than Invisalign.  The assumption is that this cost savings can be passed on to the patient in terms of the price they pay for their treatment. This seems like a win-win situation for both dentists and their patients, which makes ClearCorrect a definite and valuable alternative to Invisalign.

Some of you might have heard the saying “tin grins are in”. This, of course, refers to a smile full of metal bands, brackets, and wires or in other words traditional braces. But what if you want straighter teeth without the anyone ever knowing? If this sounds perfect to you, then you will be interested in learning more about Invisalign.

The Invisalign method consists of a series of thermoplastic clear aligners that are custom made for you. They move your teeth in the sequence recommended by your dentist. You change the aligners every 2 weeks, and visit your dentist every 4-6 weeks for an exam. Typical treatment time is about a year, though it varies from patient to patient.

How are they made?
First, you must have an exam by an Invisalign certified dentist or orthodontist. Your dental professional will determine if Invisalign is right for you. Next, your dentist will take impressions (models), photographs and x-rays of your teeth. All of this information is sent to the Invisalign lab where a 3-D image will be made of your teeth. Your dentist can then plan your treatment using this virtual representation of your teeth. Invisalign then sends the clear aligners back to your dentist. The number of aligners varies for each person, but there are typically 20-30 upper and lower aligners for the whole treatment. The aligners should be worn at all times except for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing.

Advantages over traditional braces

• They can be removed for a special night out
• You can continue day-to-day activities while still wearing them
• They are clear, so they don’t stand out
• Most check-up visits to your dentists are a quick in and out every 6 weeks
• You can remove them to brush and floss, resulting in healthy teeth and gums
• You take them out to eat
• They are less painful than traditional braces because they move the teeth with less force per week

Cost of Invisalign
Invisalign starts at $3,500 (with an average of $5,000). As you can see, Invisalign can be a fairly expensive dental procedure! If you have orthodontic coverage through your dental insurance, then Invisalign should be covered the same as regular braces. Make sure you find out what your dental insurance covers, and it does not.

Who can provide Invisalign?
Only dental professionals who take classes through Invisalign and have a minimum annual number of Invisalign patients can offer Invisalign. DoctorBase.com can help you find an Invisalign certified dentist who can provide you with an exam to see if you qualify for Invisalign. You can also request information directly from Invisalign.

A short video about Invisalign and how it works:

Before hitting the yellow pages or searching for a San Francisco dentist online there are a few criteria you should be wary of.

Reputation

All dentists, as with any profession, were not created equal but you will be glad to know that the general level of technical capability of San Francisco dentists is quite high for the most part. Searching for dentist reviews online can help as can word of mouth from a friend but remember that it can be difficult for a layman to tell the difference between good, bad and average. Professional referral is a slightly better gauge as a dentist will know a good, bad or average dentist.

Facilities

Did you know there are tools to get rid of or reduce that gagging feeling, or a machine that can build a dental implant immediately on site removing the need for multiple visits or that there is a shot that halves the time you have that numb feeling after you visit? Well, there are and not all San Francisco dentists have all. Some people have such levels of fear when visiting the dentist that full or partial sedation is a definite need – not all San Francisco dentists do this, but some do. If you have an idea of what work you will be doing, ask about the appropriate equipment the dentist will be using or ask him what is available to combat any concerns you might be harboring.

Cost

Depending on the procedure the cost of a visit to the dentist in San Francisco can become somewhat expensive. Factors that determine cost will be primarily reputation or experience, equipment (he has to pay for the machines some way), location (San Francisco rent is not cheap) and of course the procedure being delivered.

Insurance

For most, dental insurance is quite basic so if you are getting more than a check-up or a filling, do not bank on insurance protecting your wallet. I am including this here so sticker shock is somewhat reduced if you are seeking something like cosmetic dentistry.

Convenience

In some cases, you may be required to make multiple visits in a short amount of time so thinking with location, parking and even traffic may be an important factor. What is the point of driving to a cheap part of San Francisco (if there is one) to save a couple of hundred dollars when the time to get off work, drive and park negates that saving.

So there you go. Don’t worry, your odds are good. We at Doctorbase would like to humbly offer our listings of quality dentists in San Francisco as they have been checked for reviews and facilities with many having peer reviews too. They wouldn’t be on our listings if they had a bunch of bad reviews. If you choose not to, you obviously know how to use Google – you found us – so good luck.

E-mail the author with a question, seriously I don’t mind, it’s what i’m here for. If I don’t know the answer, I know a lot of dentists, I’ll get you an answer.

Choices

Invisalign©

Photo Credit HaleyHughes

This is the brand of clear braces most will be familiar with. They are designed and fitted to adjust your teeth while showing the most minimal amount with their clear design.

Ceramic Braces

These are more like the traditional braces but with clear ceramic material contacting the teeth, reducing the amount of visible metal on the teeth.

Cost

The factors that determine the cost of getting braces, not just clear braces, are amount of work, experience of dentist, area and choice of procedure or brace style. For most in the United States, you can expect to pay anywhere between $4,000 to $12,000 in 2009.

Find a well reviewed orthodontist in your area

Maintenance

As with your teeth, the clear braces will need to be cleaned and periodically adjusted. Your dentist will give you a schedule for maintenance. Below is a good video on cleaning the clear braces.

There are many different types of braces and some are more aesthetically pleasing with a clear style. If you wanted to find a dentist to get braces, you will find many types available so make sure to ask when you get your appointment of what is available to you.

Photo Credit: Monica Nguyen

Wikipedia has a good writeup on the details of orthodontic braces including history to the many different styles and methods.