Invisalign is a series of clear aligners or trays. Each aligner fits over either the upper or lower teeth and moves your teeth just a fraction of a millimeter. You change the aligners about every two weeks so that by the time you are done wearing the last aligner, your teeth are straight. Patients may remove the Invisalign aligners to eat and brush, but otherwise they are supposed to wear them all the time.

There are many benefits of using Invisalign instead of orthodontic braces to straighten your teeth. The most obvious benefit is that because the aligners are clear, they are far less noticeable than metal braces or even clear braces. In fact, some patients comment that many people do not even notice that they are wearing anything in their mouth. Another benefit of having Invisalign is that the aligners can be removed by the patient so that he or she can brush and floss easier. This decreases the chance of getting gum disease, cavities or unsightly permanent scars on the teeth caused by not brushing properly.

Unlike braces which can feel sharp, or have little hooks or wires that can poke your cheeks, Invisalign trays are smooth and generally will not irritate your cheeks and lips like braces can. Still another benefit of Invisalign is that if you have an important event like a prom, hot date, or presentation that you have to give, you can remove the Invisalign trays for your event and place them back on after a few hours. Of course you shouldn’t do this very often or your teeth will not straighten.

While there are many benefits of using Invisalign to straighten your teeth, there are some disadvantages also. Invisalign works well for correcting mildly crooked teeth, but may not work as well for correcting severely crooked teeth, or bite problems. Also, though the aligners are clear and you are not getting braces on your teeth, many times Invisalign treatment requires placing little white bumps on your teeth to facilitate tooth movements and help the aligner stay on the teeth.

With braces, because they are cemented on your teeth, you do not have to remember to put them on after you eat. If you forget to put your Invisalign aligners back on after you eat, your teeth may not move or may even move back to their previous crooked positions. Also, because you can take out your Invisalign trays, sometimes you may misplace them or someone may throw them away by accident.

Getting Invisalign is easy. You will first need to select a certified Invisalign dentist or orthodontist. You may ask “Should I see a dentist or orthodontist for Invisalign treatment?” Both dentists and orthodontists can perform Invisalign treatment, although they first must pass an Invisalign certification course. The difference is that orthodontists have an additional two to three years of additional training after dental school to learn how to properly diagnose and treat crooked teeth and bite problems. A good rule of thumb to follow: The more complicated your case is, the better off you are seeing an orthodontist.

When you come in for your first visit, your dentist or orthodontist will determine if Invisalign is an option for straightening out your teeth and go over the pros and cons of getting Invisalign vs braces. At that time, your dentist or orthodontist will give you an Invisalign cost estimate. If your teeth are severely crooked or if you have bite problems, your dentist or orthodontist may recommend braces over Invisalign.

After you and your doctor have decided on Invisalign, he will take some X-rays, photos, and models of your teeth. Then before your next appointment, your dentist or orthodontist will use a state-of-the-art 3-D software program to determine the best way for Invisalign to straighten your teeth. The sequence of tooth movements will then be translated to a machine which will carve out your Invisalign aligners.

At your next appointment, your Invisalign dentist or orthodontist will give you your first couple sets of Invisalign aligners and go over instructions on how to place and remove them. You will return to your doctor every 4-8 weeks so that you can pick up your next series of aligners and so your doctor can monitor your progress.

Dentists all across the USA are joining up with plans that support consumer-driven healthcare. What is Consumer-Driven Healthcare?

Families are feeling the pain of healthcare costs in their pocketbooks. Corporate America is feeling the pinch, too.

Wasnt the managed care of the early 1990s supposed to be the magic cure to reduce healthcare inflation and improve healthcare quality?

The magic cure turned out to be a problem, not a solution. Patients rejected the model and its limitations on doctors and hospitals. It was also criticized for letting insurance companies determine how doctors should treat their patients.

Thats why theres a movement toward consumer-driven health care, a concept still in it infancy but gaining momentum. It brings to health care the benefits that other consumer-driven industries enjoy ?choice, information and control.

Transparency, or competition, reduced the prices and improved the quality of products in other industries. Consumers successfully make purchase decisions about cars, computers and financial products, so why cant they make an educated decision about their health care, asks industry expert Regina Herzlinger, Harvard Business School professor.

Why does consumer-driven health care work? It eliminates the insurance intermediary and puts the power to choose healthcare providers in the patients hands. When providers and patients deal directly, cost savings are passed on to the patients.

Those savings can be substantial, considering that a doctor treating a patient with insurance coverage nets only about 42 percent of his customary fee. Between the discounts the doctor gives to the insurance company, and the cost of filing and collecting claims, up to 58 percent of the doctors customary fees can be eaten away.

Consumer-driven healthcare companies such as discount health plan providers negotiate discounts for patients and pass the savings to their members. Members can receive substantial savings, and doctors and dentists can retain more of their revenue by eliminating the middleman.

Couple a discount health plan with a high-deducible medical plan, and a family could save substantially more than with traditional insurance methods. High-deductible plans ?those with a $2,000 deductible or higher ?protect a family when major medical expenses occur, such as a heart attack or cancer treatment.

And the discount health plan, which is not insurance, offers savings when patients visit the doctor for minor ailments. Combined, these two elements of consumer-driven health care are usually a less expensive alternative to todays health insurance.

Consumer-driven health care is the future of the industry. And using such a plan is exactly the way David and Stephanie saved $2,800 dollars on braces for child number three!

Joyce Racine http://www.BestDentalPlan4u.com

http://www.EveryoneBenefits.com/racine

The most common style of braces is the stainless steel. The brackets that are attached to each of your teeth are made of the stainless steel material. Also the arch wire (the main wire attached to your brackets and used to model the arch your dentist desires) is made of stainless steel. Newer metal braces now have smaller brackets than were available in years past. Many teenagers and adults use the colored rubber band options to dress up the look and make the braces more of a personal style.

Gold plated braces are also usually made from stainless steel but have a gold overlay. This for many is a cosmetic option where they may be more inclined to have the gold look over the silver. This is also used on patients that may have an allergic reaction to nickel which is found in stainless steel. The braces are only gold plated for two reason. The most obvious is cost, it could get very expensive if the brackets and wires were made of pure 24k gold. The other is the strength of the gold. Having gold plated braces gives you the durability of the stainless steel but the look of the gold.

With the traditional metal braces does come some extra care of your teeth.

Floss threader-these can be used to get your floss under the wire and between your teeth.
Proxy brush is another way to get the food removed from under the wire and between each tooth.
WaterPik can remove food particles from between the teeth
You will also want to pay close attention to brushing around the brackets to keep plague from build up. Brushing after each meal or snack will help prevent this build up. You may want to try an electronic toothbrush to help get a good cleaning.
Fluoride mouth rinses can help strengthen the enamel
Avoid foods that stick to your teeth like caramels
Cut up foods like apples or carrots in to smaller pieces to help avoid breaking a bracket off of your tooth.

Discuss with your dentist or orthodontist any concerns or preferences you may have.

Tips for when you get your Braces off.

More information on How much do braces cost?