PORTH Clear Aligners

Aligning crooked teeth is often more complicated than it may appear. Moving one crooked tooth might look simple, however it could create a fundamental problem in your bite, which requires lots of time and money to fix.

Orthodontists and general dentists both provide clear aligner therapy. Orthodontists have an extra two to three years of comprehensive training following dental school, so that they are specialized in moving teeth. Consulting with an orthodontist allows you to identify potential problems with your bite, which requires proper and deep understanding of orthodontic science.

Not a single day goes by that we get this question: do aligners really work? Clear aligners similar to other orthodontic appliances are tools that help an orthodontist to move teeth. The approach to move teeth with aligners is different from metal braces. The skills of the orthodontist and patient compliance in full time wear of these aligners are the essential factors in success of orthodontic treatment with clear aligners for Invisalign.

Cost of treatment with aligners ranges from $1800 to $8000. Factors that determine this cost are the type of the provider (orthodontist vs. dentist), direct supervision as opposed to mail order aligners, and complexity of the treatment.

Cost of clear aligner therapy at our clinic is often similar to treatment with conventional metal braces. Full details on financing can be found here.

Several types of clear aligners are available on the market. The clear Invisalign appliance has been around the longest. It is a well-developed appliance used by orthodontists and dentists to correct mild to severe malocclusions. The most essential factors in a successful treatment with Invisalign are compliance of the patient as well as the knowledge of the provider on how to use the appliance.

The existing alternative clear aligner systems are Clear Correct and MTM® Clear Aligner, and this list is growing. Some of these appliances are proper choices for a moderate to mild malocclusion.

Clear aligners are designed and built based on a digital simulation of teeth in their ideal positions. In order to fabricate the clear aligners, a digital scan, or an impression, of your teeth imported into software that allows an orthodontist or dentist to digitally move your teeth to their ideal positions. The software then generates several dental models in which your teeth have been gradually moved to their ideal position. A commercial or an in-house lab will 3D print these models and manufacture the clear aligners by a thermo vacuum forming process.