Smile Direct Club is a clear aligner orthodontic treatment that is carried out virtually without the guidance of a certified professional like a dentist or orthodontist. The process is simple and appealing because it cuts out the middleman.
If you order Smile Direct Club, then they send you an impression kit where you amateurly take impressions of your own teeth. Then, you send it back to Smile Direct Club and they use their software to create aligners that will fit your mouth.
All you need to do next is continue to wear the aligners and eventually they will send you retainers. However, no dentist or orthodontist is overseeing the patient’s treatment. Read on in this blog from Rochelle Dental to find out why this is problematic.
The Problem With Smile Direct Club
The first problem is that not everyone is a good candidate for clear aligners, especially not for Smile Direct Club. The reason dentists and orthodontists are there to oversee orthodontic treatment in the first place is to assess a patient’s alignment issues to determine the severity and look for the presence of other issues like TMD.
Smile Direct Club doesn’t discern what patients should or should not be using this orthodontic treatment. You provide them with the money and they’ll provide you with the aligners. However, this can put the health of your teeth and gums at risk and can even compromise your treatment.
Smile Direct Club has faced many complaints, lawsuits, and even outright restrictions in certain states. People have documented having negative consequences like losing teeth as a result of using this service. The American Association of Orthodontics has filed over 30 complaints, so you should be very wary of using this product.
Leave Orthodontic Treatment to the Professionals
It’s important to go to a consultation with a qualified dental or orthodontic professional before getting orthodontic treatment. You should never start using orthodontic appliances without knowing the effects they will have on your teeth and your oral health.
You can risk suffering from tooth and gum loss, a worsening bite, jaw pain, and headaches. Seeing a dentist or orthodontist will ensure that you are also monitored properly throughout your treatment with regular check-ups.
It only takes something very small to throw off your treatment, such as failing to wear your aligners long enough. The impressions of your teeth may also be inaccurate and low-quality, resulting in ill-fitting aligners.
If you were to go to a dental professional, we would do an in-depth consultation through an oral exam and x-rays to determine if you’re a good candidate for this treatment. Then, using our advanced dental technology, we would take highly precise digital scans and photographs as well as take physical impressions of your teeth.
These impressions would be sent to an outside dental lab that would fabricate your aligners. Once the aligners are ready, we would hold a fitting to ensure that they fit your teeth properly. You would receive multiple aligners at once and be instructed to switch them out every 2 weeks.
However, you would also attend routine check-ups every 6 weeks so we can check on your progress and ensure there are no issues. This also allows you to ask any questions you have. You receive more aligners during these appointments.
High-Quality Orthodontic Treatment With Invisalign
Invisalign is the most popular and reputable clear aligner technology on the market and has been since the ‘90s. Their Smart Track technology is unbeatable in terms of quality and comfort. Invisalign provides patients with the opportunity to correct their orthodontic problems discreetly, hygienically, and comfortably.
Best of all, you will have access to professional dentists, lab specialists, and advanced software that shows you how we digitally planned your treatment and how your alignment will look at the end. If you’re wondering if Invisalign is right for you, contact us at Rochelle Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Viccaro or Dr. Lo. Are you located in Paramus? We are a short drive away. Learn about what makes us stand out from other dentists in Paramus?
