Clear Aligners - Naperville, IL

Non-Invasive Orthodontic Treatment 

Instead of having metal brackets bonded to your teeth, you can enjoy a smoother, sleeker, and more flexible orthodontic solution. Clear aligners fit snugly but can also be removed easily when it’s time to eat, drink, or give them a proper clean. There is nothing invasive about this kind of treatment, making it a popular and preferred alternative to metal braces.

Improved Comfort

Oral sores that form on your cheeks, lips, gums, and other soft oral tissues because of protruding brackets and wires are things of the past. With clear aligners, you can worry less about this problem because of their smooth consistency. Countless patients appreciate the ease and comfort these trays provide, minimizing the need for orthodontic wax and other similar products.

Faster, Fewer Follow-Ups

Most patients who wear clear aligners only need to see their dentist or orthodontist in Naperville every 4-5 weeks. These appointments last about 30 minutes or less and require no change or replacement. Instead, these visits allow our team to examine the status of treatment and recommend possible adjustments to ensure teeth continue to move in the right direction.

Long-Term Oral Health

Clear aligners help close gaps, create space, and realign teeth, ultimately achieving the goal of better oral health. By addressing these issues with orthodontics, you can reduce your chances of tooth decay, gum disease, and other similar problems. Overall, you can expect to enjoy better long-term oral health.

Greater Self-Esteem

Choosing clear aligners can help you embrace better self-esteem. You’ll appreciate what you see in the mirror and soon begin taking chances in your personal and professional life. Maybe you have a job interview coming up or are planning to meet your in-laws for the first time. No matter what it might be, your clear aligners will shift your teeth into alignment before the big day or event arrives.

Discreet Aligners

The most obvious benefit of clear aligners is how discreet they are. Most individuals prefer to keep their orthodontic treatment a secret, and clear aligners help them do that. Unlike traditional braces that are made of shiny metal, these trays are discreet, blending in with your natural smile and making it nearly impossible for others to notice them.

Crowded Teeth

Not only do crowded teeth affect your appearance, but they also impact your oral health. When teeth sit too close to one another, it can be hard to brush and floss properly. This results in food particles and bacteria accumulating, putting your smile at risk for cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. With clear aligners, we can create a plan that shifts teeth away from each other and creates the necessary space for improved oral hygiene and health.

Gaps Between Teeth

Clear aligners can also address gaps between teeth. With careful planning, teeth can move closer to one another, closing the space and making it more difficult for food to become trapped. This lowers your risk of dental decay and cavities while also improving your aesthetics. What you’ll see when you look in the mirror is a more confident and beautiful smile than before.

Overbite

Clear aligner treatment is highly effective in treating bite misalignment. When it comes to an overbite, our team can prepare a set of aligners that will shift the upper row of teeth backward so that they move into proper alignment with the lower set of teeth. This will alleviate tension on tooth enamel and minimize jaw pain. You’ll soon notice improved bite force that doesn’t wear down your pearly whites over time.

Underbite

Underbites were commonly only treatable with traditional brackets and wires; however, clear aligners can be used to perform the same task. The trays will reposition your teeth so that they are more properly aligned, allowing them to touch without the bottom row overlapping. As long as you commit to wearing your aligners 20-22 hours each day, you’ll see a dramatic change in 12-18 months, depending on the severity of your underbite.

Crossbite

Overlapping teeth, also known as crossbite, may cause you to feel self-conscious about your appearance, but it will also make it difficult to properly clean your teeth. The pressure placed on various parts of your mouth can lead to jaw pain or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), as well as enamel erosion over time. By moving teeth forward and backward at the same time, your smile will be correct appear normal, healthy, and beautiful.

Open Bite

Teeth that touch in the back of your mouth but not the front are likely to require orthodontic treatment. Known as an open bite, this development usually stems from non-nutritive habits practiced as a child (i.e., thumb-sucking, pacifier use, tongue thrust, etc.). Treating the issue requires a well-thought-out plan that maps how your front teeth will come together, while also ensuring back teeth do not continue to grind against each other, leading to enamel erosion.

Does Wearing Clear Aligners Aligners Hurt?

Daily wear of clear aligners should not cause pain. However, it is normal for these trays to cause minor discomfort when first put into place. Also, each time a patient switches to a new set, some soreness will likely occur. This is due to the aligners gently applying pressure to teeth to keep them moving in the right direction. As teeth move into proper alignment, it is natural to feel some aching and minor pain. An over-the-counter pain reliever can minimize discomfort.

Are Clear Aligners Results Permanent?

The results achieved with Clear Aligners are designed to be permanent, but patients who do not adhere to the strict guidelines following the completion of treatment may experience issues. A retainer is required after Clear Aligners is complete. Patients who wear it according to the recommendations of our Grand Dental – Naperville team will discover their teeth remain in place. Those who forgo necessary retention can expect to see their teeth shift back into their original position, undoing months of orthodontic work.

What Should I Do If I Lose My Clear Aligners Trays?

Our team recommends all patients receiving Clear Aligners treatment purchase a protective case. This is designed to keep aligners safe while the person eats or drinks. It is too easy to accidentally discard the aligners, especially if they are wrapped in a napkin. Instead, keeping them in a case not only protects them from harmful bacteria and particles in the air but also, the potential for damage or loss.

Should a patient accidentally lose a tray, it is essential to wear the previous set of aligners to minimize the amount of teeth movement. If a new aligner is needed, another one will be created. After an evaluation by our cosmetic dentist in Naperville, we may recommend moving on to the next set in the series.

Can I Be Treated with Clear Aligners If I’ve Worn Braces in the Past?

A consultation with our dental team is the only way to know if an individual can pursue Clear Aligners. Many patients who previously wore traditional braces have found success with clear aligners, but it’s ultimately based on the severity of the problem and the person’s commitment to the process. Overcrowding, gapped teeth, misalignment, and crooked teeth are evaluated with modern dental technology to determine if Clear Aligners will lend effective results.

Factors that Affect the Cost of Clear Aligners

When calculating the cost of Clear Aligners, we will factor in the following information:

• The severity of the alignment issue (e.g., gapped teeth, overcrowding, bite misalignment)
• The number of aligners required
• The duration of treatment, because some issues take more time to fix than others

Clear Aligners vs. Smile Direct Club™: Which Costs More?

There is some appeal for do-it-yourself clear aligners, which are becoming more and more popular. However, what they don’t tell you is that many potential issues can come up. Treatments like Smile Direct Club may cost less than Clear Aligners in Naperville, but having no oversight can lead to costly oral health problems.

Before choosing a DIY solution, we strongly encourage you to consider the following:

• You have to take impressions at home. If this process is not done correctly, the aligners may not fit properly, and your treatment plan can be inaccurate.
• No orthodontist will oversee your treatment or meet with you face-to-face. Instead, you are expected to engage in virtual visits and report your own progress.
• Clear aligners are not always the right option. Moving forward with this treatment can damage teeth in certain situations.
• If you experience a problem, you will need to work with a local orthodontist anyway.

When you choose Clear Aligners, you can have peace of mind and confidence pursuing treatment that is safe and effective.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Clear Aligners?

Although many dental insurance plans have orthodontic coverage, some don’t. You should review your policy to find out if there are stipulations or exclusions. Often, insurance companies offer coverage only for patients 18 years old or younger, or they only cover traditional orthodontic care. If you aren’t sure about your specific plan’s verbiage, you can ask a member of our team for assistance. Our expert administrative staff can answer any questions in terms of the financial side of treatment.

Options for Making Clear Aligners Affordable

At Grand Dental – Naperville, we can help whether you do or do not have insurance coverage. We offer various payment options, including our Grand Advantage Plan. This alternative to insurance requires a single yearly fee in exchange for access to basic preventive care as well as a 20% discount on dental treatments that are completed within the first year of enrollment.

We accept flexible financing through CareCredit, breaking up the total amount for Clear Aligners treatment into monthly payments, which helps anyone who is on a budget.