Invisalign - Introduction, What are they??

As some of you may know, a few months ago i finally took the plunge and got Invisaligns.

I have never had braces or any dental work done as my teeth really aren't that bad and I could never justify spending all that money and time on fixing a few problem teeth.

I was been looking into Invisaligns for about  a year before i actually went ahead and got them. I spent so long umming and ahhing because of the price and also the relatively small amount of information on the net about them. It was so hard to find before/after pics, pricing and testimonials, Because they are still a relatively new product and i was a bit sceptical about how well they would work.

What are Invisalign?

They are clear light weight plastic aligners, think like a super thin mouth guard, worn to realign your teeth. They are moulded to the exact shape of your teeth, so they a virtually undetectable.

They are worn for around 20-22 hours a day, you only take them off to eat and brush your teeth. Treatments can last any where from 7months -2 years depending on how your teeth need to be realigned and by how much.

You can get more basic info off the Invisalign website:
www.invisalign.com.au/

But I'll talk through some of the points which aren't really covered on the website, which I spent hours searching the Internet for. My Next Post will have some pics and initial thoughts of the treatment.

Firstly, one of the most important points, How much are they?

Treatments will vary depending on how much work needs to be done, how expensive your dentist is and what they include in your cost.

But generally they will cost between $5,000 - $12,000 AUD

But as the majority of first time Invisalign consultations are free, consult the website above, Find a dentist that you are comfortable with and that will give you the best price. (generally try to get a dentist who quotes the top end below $10,000)

Will my Health insurance cover it?

For Australia:

Public, Medicare will not cover any costs.

Private will and it will vary depending on your provider. It is a good idea to ring your provider before hand to find out:
1. If they cover Invisalign, as some will cover braces but not Invisaligns, and
2. What percentage of the total cost they will cover.

My health insurer originally covered around 10% of the cost,  i have a Medi Bank minimal extras package, and then I used loyalty points to get them to cover around  25% of the total cost.

What does the Invisalign cost cover and how do i pay?

Again check with your dentist before making the commitment!

The cost would cover your moulds, all your aligners and all dental visits (for Invisalign only, cleaning, fillings etc. will cost extra) and best of all any adjustments which have to be made because the treatment isn't working according to Invisaligns prediction is covered by Invisalign themselves.

Generally your dentist will get you to make a deposit of around 50% of your treatment before they place the order for your aligners. This is because they will have to order  your entire treatment in one go. After that you can make periodical repayments.

If you have any questions please post them below, i would be more then Happy to Answer :-)

Invisalign part 2 - My treatment ----->