Sunnyvale Invisalign

Dr. Birim Boyer is a dentist who has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Invisalign.


Q. What is an invisalign?

A. Invisalign is a series of clear teeth aligners.  These removable aligners are alternative to traditional metal dental braces.
Invisalign aligners are created by 3-D computer imaging technology and  fit your teeth in every stage.
 
Q. How does invisalign work?
 
A. Patient has to wear each set of aligners for about 2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink, brush, and floss.  Each set of aligners moves your teeth  less than a millimeter per aligner.  As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move little by little until they have straightened to the final position.
You need to visit your dentist about once every 4-6 weeks to besure that your treatment is progressing as planned.

Q. What are the primary benefits of invisalign?
 
A. Hmmm...  there are certainly several, but I suppose the main benefits are appearance, convenience, personal cleanliness, comfort, predictability of results, and last but not least, cost:

1.  appearance - Invisalign aligners are clear and removable, allowing you to wear them publicly without the appearance of traditional braces.
 
2.  convenience - since they can be removed, it can be easier to eat meals, also allowing you the freedom to eat most anything, whereas traditional braces exclude some foods. And, you can even remove them at will for an important meeting, for example, allowing you to show off your dental progress at any point in your treatment, as long as you’re good about wearing them as much as needed throughout the day.
 
3.  personal cleanliness - a biggie...  unlike braces, you can take them off to brush and floss properly, avoiding the, sometimes rather extensive, cavities, as well as the bad breath and gingivitis that can often be suffered with the use of traditional braces.
 
4.  comfort - there are no wires to cause the pain, irritation, sores, and even those ongoing infections experienced from traditional braces.
 
5.  predictability of results - the computer modeling used to build the clear aligners allows you to actually see your results in a virtual 3D image before you even decide whether to proceed with the treatment at all.  Traditional braces, to the best of my knowledge, have not and do not offer this wonderful feature.
 
6.  cost - another big consideration for some patients, can be much, much less, and sometimes even thousands of dollars less, than traditional braces.
 
Q. How long does invisalign treatment take?
 
A. Total treatment time will vary from case to case and averages 7-15 months. The average number of aligners worn during treatment is between 14 and 30.

Q. How much does invisalign cost?
 
A. It depends on the treatment length. It may vary between  $3500-$4900

Q. Who uses invisalign?
 
A. Most anybody who is in need of alignment of their teeth.  Invisalign can be used to treat crowded or gapped teeth. It could correct an open bite or deep bite.
 
Q. Are there certain dental conditions that automatically exclude someone from being an eligible patient?
 
A. Yes, and this is because Invisalign is mainly used, by general dentists at least, for cases in which a simple movement of teeth is needed or desired.  I don’t find this limiting in my practice at all, however, as I can handle most of the cases that come my way (i) at a price that is much lower to the patient, and (ii) using a treatment method that is more comfortable and aesthetic for the patient, over traditional orthodontics.  It should be noted, however, that some trained orthodontists have used Invisalign therapy for a much wider range of applications.  I work directly with trained orthodontists on staff at Invisalign during your treatment, and it’s important that you know this, but I will quickly refer you to a traditional orthodontist for direct care if I have any reason to believe that I cannot help you through a standard Invisalign treatment plan.  Although it can be significantly more expensive to for you to get treatment directly with an orthodontic specialist, it’s sometimes the best approach, and I work in this way with several of the best orthodontists in the Bay Area, particularly the Peninsula and Silicon Valley, each having proven that they can properly care for my patients. 

Q. How to contact Dr. Boyer if we have further questions?    

A.
Phone : (408) 523-4030
Email : drboyerdds@aol.com
Website: www.drboyerdds.com