How to Choose the Best Orthodontist – Dental Clinic London
With teeth straightening, experience matters a lot. If you decide to use Invisalign braces, you should always go for the experts and professionals. With many dentists and orthodontists available, you stand to benefit a lot when you choose someone who has garnered years of experience in the field and who has treated several patients over the years.
Despite the braces cost, here are some reasons why you should get an experienced orthodontist.
Reasons why you should get an experienced orthodontist
- Efficiency
An experienced orthodontist will be more efficient than one who isn’t. The experienced surgeon will know the appropriate steps to take and how to handle problems that may arise.
- Positive recommendations
Anyone who has been treated by an experienced orthodontist will surely leave positive feedback and reviews about them. This is also a reliable way to get an expert orthodontist.
- Good quality
The quality of service delivered by an experienced orthodontist cannot be compared to that of a novice or an orthodontist who isn’t experienced. The treatment offered by a professional will ensure that your teeth look and feel good.
How to find an experienced orthodontist
There are orthodontists and there are licensed orthodontists. Finding a licensed good orthodontist has been made easy through Invisalign, whereby you can find any experienced orthodontist near you by using a tool on their website. The tool which is known as the “doctor locator” tells you the nearest licensed orthodontist around your location.
To use this tool, follow the steps below
- Type in your zip code
- Hit the search button
- Make your choice from the lists of orthodontists shown to you
You can choose to narrow down your choice by using the distance and tier level options. The tier level is a metric unit that shows how many patients the doctor attends to yearly. Doctors on the top tier level are the ones with more experience than others.
What about mail-order Invisalign companies?
Also referred to as DIY orthodontists or at-home aligners, mail-order Invisalign is a new trend in orthodontics whereby the patient takes the mould of their teeth at home by themselves, and mail them afterwards to the company. The company sends back a box of clear aligners to you that are meant to fit snugly as you begin your treatment. Note that this treatment option does not involve the services of an orthodontist and are sold at an ultra-cheap price.
How does it work?
A lot of people may be wondering how possible it is to carry out this treatment option without an orthodontist. Here is how it works.
- A computer scans the mould of your teeth after you have sent it, and the computer algorithm will move the teeth digitally
- The computer simulation is briefly evaluated by a doctor that works for the company who will click “accept” once everything is in place
- The aligners will then be manufactured and sent to your house
- You are pretty much on your own after you have received the aligners
Concerns as to the use of mail-order Invisalign
As expected, there are major concerns that will arise as to the use of the mail-order Invisalign. Majorly centred around the absence of orthodontists, these concerns include the following
- There is no physical examination by an orthodontist. There is no doctor to examine the state of your teeth and gums to check for any underlying issues or problems.
- There is no supervision. During the normal orthodontic treatment that an orthodontist oversees, the orthodontist usually inspects to check on the process of treatment and to spot any problems early on. With mail-order Invisalign, no supervision is carried out.
- After the treatment, the results will not be as the same standard as one carried out under the professional service of an orthodontist. The standard of results after a mail-order Invisalign is far below that of an orthodontist’s.
Ten factors to consider when looking for the best Invisalign orthodontist
Do you want the best orthodontist and you don’t know how to find one, below are ten factors to consider and look out for:
- Do they treat children and adults?
Invisalign is not just for adults or older teenagers. Younger children and young teenagers can also get their crooked teeth corrected with Invisalign. Before you make your choice on an orthodontist, find out if they have treatment options for children and young teenagers.
- What are the guarantees they offer if any?
Like major health or medical treatments that come with a guarantee, find out from the orthodontist if they offer guarantees and the kind of guarantee they offer. Some orthodontists offer retreatment at no extra cost if there is any problem during treatment.
- Does their treatment cost include retainers?
Usually, during the consultation, the orthodontist will outline the cost of treatment even before it begins. Although different orthodontists charge differently for their treatment services, you should find out if the charge for retainers is included or not. If the cost for retainers is not included, find out from your orthodontist the price of retainers.
- What is the quality of their treatment?
It is not enough to get the best orthodontists to treat your crooked or misaligned teeth, the quality of their treatment matters. Ask yourself and previous patients questions like the following:
- Do they make their patients feel comfortable and safe?
- Do they pay attention to the needs and complaints of their patients during and after treatment?
The answer to these questions will help you determine if you want to let them treat you or not.
- Do they have flexible payment plans?
If your dental insurance does not cover your orthodontic treatment, you can come to an agreement with your orthodontist. Your orthodontist should be able to able to provide you with different flexible payment options to make your treatment easier.
- Is the person a specialist?
An orthodontist is different from a dentist. Although they have both been trained in dentistry, an orthodontist has received extra years of specialised training in the treatment of misaligned and crooked teeth through the administration of braces and aligners. There are many more dentists than there are orthodontists, so be sure you are receiving orthodontic treatment from an orthodontist and not a dentist.
- Do they charge for consultation and first examination?
During the consultation and first examination, some orthodontists do it at no charge, just to give you an idea of what the treatment will look like before you make commitments. Find out if the orthodontist you wish to work with provides free consultation and first examination.
- Do they use the latest technology and treatment options?
An orthodontist who takes great value in their work will carry out the treatment with recent technology and medical equipment. An example of such up-to-date technology is the 3d scanning technology which increases the precision at which the teeth moves with the help of aligners. A competent orthodontist should use such tools and more to make your treatment as comfortable as possible.
- How much experience have they gained with Invisalign?
Orthodontists who have been licensed and recognised by Invisalign are grouped into different tiers according to their level of experience in using Invisalign to treat their patients. The different tiers range from bronze all the way to platinum and diamond, with bronze being the lowest and platinum and diamond being the highest. This means that orthodontists in the tier-level platinum and diamond have the highest years of experience in treatment using Invisalign, and will give you the best treatment service.
- Do they have good reviews and recommendations?
Another way is to check the reviews and recommendations from previous patients treated by them. A positively rated orthodontist will most likely give you the best treatment more than one who has no positiv1e reviews.
Now you know how to find the best orthodontist to help you correct your misaligned or crooked teeth. Visit Dental Clinic London to get the best Invisalign in London.