San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
During uncertain times, many people find ways to stretch their dollars to get what they want or need. While in some cases, cheaper could be a better option, that’s not always true, especially when it comes to your oral health care and orthodontics. Going the cheap route could do more harm than good. Mail order orthodontics is an option that people may want to try while sheltering in place. Although advertised as an ideal solution for those stuck at home, busy professionals, or families on a tight budget, mail order orthodontics is not recommended by dentists. Find out why as Glen Park Dental shares five reasons not to get mail order orthodontics during a pandemic (or ever). You may have to wait a few weeks for elective care at our Bay Area dental office, but we promise it’s worth the wait!
You Never See a Dentist
One attraction to mail order orthodontics right now is that you can receive treatment without leaving your house, which seems convenient given our current situation. However, keep in mind that with mail order orthodontics, you never actually see a dentist. Mail order kits do not address any other potential dental concerns, nor do you see a dentist face-to-face that monitors your progress. Both situations could cause more damage to your oral health resulting in additional treatments that cost you more time and money.
When you visit cosmetic dentists in the Bay Area at Glen Park Dental, we monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed to ensure your treatment is safe and effective. Also, if you have underlying health or oral care issues, we will address those during your visit as well.
Your Treatment Is Not Adjusted
Since a dentist does not regularly monitor your progress when you order orthodontics by mail, there is no control over your progress. Your treatment plan is typically based on your initial dental impressions and scans. However, during your treatment, your teeth could move faster, slower, or in a different way than expected as not all patients respond the same. Therefore, you could experience significant damage to your teeth, gums, or jaw because your treatment is not tailored to your specific needs. In some cases, people have reported irreversible jawbone damage, or tooth loss as a result of mail order orthodontics. Licensed Invisalign providers in San Francisco at Glen Park Dental monitor your progress, and your treatment plan is tailor-made to fit your oral health needs.
Aligners Do Not Work for Everyone
Your dental needs should be assessed by a trained dental professional, and on an individual basis, as aligners may not be the best solution for everyone. Glen Park Dental has several orthodontic options to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Complications could occur when mail order aligners do not fit properly, or pre-existing conditions are not treated before using aligners. It is recommended to have a full assessment from a board-certified dentist to ensure you get the best results.
Untreated Issues Could Cause Severe Damage
Orthodontics is about more than just straightening your teeth. Certain untreated dental issues, such as cavities, missing teeth, or an underlying orofacial myofunctional disorder, could actually hinder your progress or result in little to no changes in your tooth alignment. In some cases, ignoring these dental concerns could result in orthodontic relapse or having wasted your money entirely. For instance, if you have a severe overbite, mail order orthodontics will not adjust your jaw alignment. Instead, it only straightens crooked teeth, which leads to sub-par results. A personalized consultation with Glen Park Dental assures we will recommend the best orthodontic option for you. We also use a neuromuscular approach when treating patients, which means that we focus not only on your teeth, but how they come together, oral posture, and tongue positioning. These units should work cohesively when creating a beautiful, functional smile.
Your Overall Costs May Be More Expensive
When using mail order aligners, some people experience results that cause severe damage to their oral health where the teeth or jaw are in worse condition than before their treatment. Because of the results, they end up seeing a dentist to fix the problems. With additional treatments to correct the damage, the cost of what seemed like a cheap deal, dramatically increases. Therefore, to get the best results, it is recommended to visit a board-certified dentist.
Orthodontics in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California
Finding inexpensive orthodontic treatment during an uncertain time when finances are limited is a concern for some people. However, when you look at the overall picture for the cost of going through a mail order program, it will pay off to visit your board-certified dentists in San Francisco at Glen Park Dental for treatment. Feel free to call (415) 585-1500 or request a consultation online today.
