Let’s first look at what makes clear aligners an increasingly preferred way to straighten teeth and get that perfect smile across age groups. The exceptional result that can be achieved in as low as six months is certainly a compelling reason. With the advantage of segmented teeth movement in their corner, these polymer trays are quick and efficient.

Unlike braces that require brackets, wires, and bands to be fit by an orthodontist, clear aligners do not have that stipulation. They are trays designed to accommodate the shape of your teeth and apply force to move them into the desired position. So, placing them in your mouth or removing them is pretty easy.

Getting aligners in your mail order is also a piece of cake. Perhaps that is why the market is flooded with brands that let patients take up with least or almost no intervention from a doctor.

While some patients may find value in getting aligners alone, the majority would not get the most out of them. The reasons are plenty.

Aligners at home: Not everyone’s cup of tea

At-home aligners have certainly made treatments more accessible than ever. Their convenience often makes them an attractive proposition for people seeking straighter teeth and may even work for some lucky ones.

Most consider aligner treatments as more of an aesthetic improvement than a medical procedure. For people with mild malocclusion, that is often true. The treatment doesn’t change the bone structure drastically, and you may be able to get your desired smile without medical or doctor intervention. But that is where it ends.

The reality is that aligners are not meant to treat all occlusion issues the same way, and the procedures required drastically differ from person to person. It is a procedure that needs medical expertise to ensure the process is carried out right to achieve accurate results. You wouldn’t attempt to repair your expensive phone or laptop without an expert, would you?

Your smile is even more precious, and anything that could go wrong may have a permanent impact on it. Precisely why, doctor-led aligner treatments are the way to go.

Even before we get into why a doctor’s close involvement in aligner treatments is critical, let’s get one simple fact outright, orthodontists are medically trained to treat alignment issues. Can you be assured that you will get the same seamlessness during the treatment and the same precision in results without their intervention?

Here are two reasons why orthodontists are necessary for an accurate aligners treatment.

1. Critical for the correct diagnosis.

The orthodontist’s role starts when you decide to get an alignment treatment.

Irrespective of whether it is an in-person examination or a remote intraoral scan, you still need a doctor to perform and examine it. A comprehensive assessment needs to be done before you get the aligners.

• Your bite, jaw position, gums, and each individual tooth has to be examined.
• Any underlying conditions that you may have, such as cavities or even periodontal disease, has to be identified.
• And all existing and prior physical health charts that may affect your dental treatment must also be considered.

Aligner treatments can be unsuitable for you if you are not medically fit. Both your oral and physical health has an impact on the results the treatment can get for you. Without an orthodontist, you can never get a holistic evaluation.

Furthermore, your expectations for the treatment, along with what is feasible based on your diagnosis and the associated costs, are also things you need to talk to your orthodontist before the treatment. This is only possible when you have a sit-down with your doctor.

2. Treatments cannot be tracked efficiently without the specialists.

According to the ADA and the American Association of Orthodontists, you do need an orthodontist to monitor your progress throughout the treatment.

There is a lot that can go wrong during the seemingly simple aligner treatments. Research says that 8 out of every 10 cases go off-track, meaning the teeth movement does not go as planned. In such cases, the patient certainly cannot assess his progress on his own, which can be detrimental to his health. An orthodontist would continuously monitor you and immediately alter the action plan once an off-track movement is detected.

Also, problems like tooth decay during an aligner treatment may require the treatment to be halted and the issue rectified before resuming the work again.

The crux remains that although aligners are extremely efficient in correcting alignment issues; without the involvement of a specialist, you may not get the accuracy and efficiency the treatment can actually provide.

The OrthoFX Difference: Bringing orthodontists to the apex of aligner treatments.

At OrthoFX, we are constantly breaking the boundaries of the aligner technology with our latest innovations. Our aligner polymer has helped providers reduce the crisis of mid-course corrections, with 78% of OrthoFX cases finishing with not more than 1 refinement. Our aligner solutions are making treatment more predictable and accurate. We improve it more by combining cutting-edge technology with a complete doctor-driven experience.

From in-person doctor consultations to best-in-class orthodontic support and visitations as and when you need them, OrthoFX prioritizes the end patient. Hence, we partner with orthodontists to ensure their expertise is captured and delivered alongside our innovative technology for straighter teeth and a prettier smile.

Our modus operandi is hassle-free and patient-oriented, with our doctors backing you throughout the treatment.

• We look at your case together with you to decide on the plan to align your smile. Evaluations, teeth scans, and a 3D treatment plan gets designed for you.
• Once the plan is decided, we build your personalized aligners and ship them to you to start wearing them one by one weekly.
• Next comes tracking your progress with our intelligent appointment scheduling. By collaborating with your doctors, we schedule in-person or remote appointments, depending on your progress. Our remote monitoring software, FXonTrack, enables us to be on top of your treatment anytime, anywhere.

As an all-in-one aligner solution provider, we want to make aligner treatments affordable and accessible to all with our easy and flexible financing options. We work with dental practices nationwide to provide financing to every patient. From concierge services to the final repayment, we take the responsibility of handling the treatment costs. You get aligners at as low as $85/month, and your orthodontists get to benefit from higher patient retention, a win for both.

Visit orthofx.com for more information or to partner with us.