Here at Hidden Smiles Orthodontics, Dr. Parikh prides herself on making orthodontics on Long Island affordable and accessible to everyone. We believe educated patients can make the best decisions for finding their way to the smile of their dreams. While the internet has created a level of convenience in orthodontics, this convenience can come at a cost. Sometimes that cost can be your beautiful smile. The team at Hidden Smiles wants to help you begin your orthodontic journey on the right track. To get you started, here are some things you will not get with mail-in orthodontics.
Individualized Care
A key part of orthodontics is the unique needs of each patient. These needs can only be addressed with a personal orthodontist who can cater to your body. One of the major advantages of having an orthodontist is the personal care you receive. Most treatment plans with orthodontists are specific and detailed for each patient. This allows the doctor to learn your individual needs and tendencies to ensure the most effective treatment possible. With an orthodontist, you can ensure that the information comes from a certified professional with hands-on experience with your unique oral care. Mail-in can’t replicate catering to your personal needs. With mail-in orthodontics, you’re at the mercy of outside resources that may or may not be reliable. That can be a considerable risk when dealing with orthodontics.
Treatment options for mail-in orthodontics are generally limited compared to an in-person orthodontist. Mail-order companies don’t have the luxury of offering customizable straightening options; you’ll often only have one treatment option, regardless of your dental needs. Remember, there are many more treatment options than what mail-order companies can offer.
Customized Treatment Plans
While clear aligners can be an excellent option for many patients, they aren’t for everyone. Your teeth and gums should always be in good condition before any tooth movement is attempted to avoid unexpected problems. Some cases are much more severe or require specific treatments before starting the movement of your teeth.
Your dentist will be able to give you a treatment plan designed just for you, allowing consistency in your routine to ensure the most effective treatment. Since mail-in orthodontics can’t provide specific recommendations, you don’t know the accuracy of each tool. This can hurt your treatment process and even cause problems over time.
Tracking Your Progress
The best way to get the result you’re looking for is by thoroughly evaluating your starting point. During your initial examination, your orthodontist will examine the tissue and bone supporting your teeth using digital photographs, take full mouth X-rays, and a digital scan that is so precise it can eliminate the need for goopy impressions. The information we collect ensures treatment is effective and avoids complications from cavities, gum disease, and other related problems that basic impressions or photos can’t detect.
With mail-order aligners, the first step is receiving your in-home impression kit. Some options also ask you to include intraoral photos, but the information used to determine eligibility is very basic. Once you send the impression back, a dentist or technician will review it and decide if you’re a good candidate for clear aligners. Your eligibility is based on your current tooth alignment and does not factor in many essential components of the orthodontic process. Without considering all the variables, you may have subpar results, which could cost you more time and money.
Making Adjustments
During your treatment, your teeth may move slower or faster than anticipated, require minor adjustments, or we may need to modify your current treatment plan. This is why having regular check-ins with our expert team is crucial during your aligner process.
When you opt for mail-order aligners, you are given a treatment timeline to follow. This timeline is based on your initial teeth impressions and what should happen over time but does not account for any deviations that may pop up unexpectedly. This hands-off calendar approach can cause severe damage to your teeth, gums, and jaw.
Avoiding Setbacks
When you use limited technology and don’t have access to a qualified dentist, you can experience negative consequences that could set you back rather than improve your smile. From the beginning of the mail-order process, you are required to make your own teeth impressions —and if you get that wrong in any way, the rest of your treatment will be based on imperfect impressions.
A mismatched aligner can erode your gums and shift your teeth out of position, which can be painful as well as expensive to fix. The danger of using mail-order aligners to avoid going to the orthodontist’s office is that you might end up spending even more time and money later to repair the damage!
Discover Your Hidden Smile
At Hidden Smiles Orthodontics, we’re committed to providing a first-class boutique experience in Nassau County and Suffolk County areas. Our Huntington office is conveniently located to serve patients at their convenience. This means great orthodontic care is only a few minutes from your home, school, or work. If you or someone you know is considering treatment, get in touch today to schedule your FREE consultation with our expert orthodontic team!