It’s hard not to notice the increase in online dental companies and services. Primarily, this is because many of their ads are popping up on social media. Naturally, this piqued our curiosity because, usually, these services require careful preparation and expertise. The ones that worried us the most were online invisible aligners, similar to our Invisalign.
There are a couple of companies that offer these services. They provide a quick, to-your-door process at lower prices. While this seems promising and convenient, some drawbacks should not be ignored.
We’ve looked into these companies, read reviews, listened to other dentist’s concerns, and customer feedback. We came to realize that even though they claim to have full dental and orthodontist support, they don’t always take your dental conditions into factor. What this means is, even if your teeth get straightened, it might cause more issues later on.
For instance, if their goal is only to straighten your teeth, but they ignore over/underbites, it can be detrimental to your dental health. It can lead to the wearing down of tooth enamel and increasing chances of tooth decay. This is one of many aspects that mail-order aligners can fail to address.
Because there are no in-office visits, you are dependent on their customer support for all of your needs. First, this means if you’re having an unexpected and severe issue, you’re going to have to contact your dentist immediately. They then have to determine what the problem was, and how to correct it. It will be a waste of money if the result of the issue is to stop using the product. Second, if it is an issue that doesn’t require a dentist, you still have to wait for their customer support to respond and send out whatever you need.
Overall, the time and money it can take to fix the problems caused by these products can end up costing you more than going to a professional. The companies tend to promote the positives and show off clients that more than likely had little need of the product. If you’re considering using one of these products, consult your dentist or orthodontist first, and discuss the possible issues you may have.
Ultimately, we recommend that you see and use a professional for all of your dental needs. If you would like to discuss the use of invisible aligners, we can help you. You can call us at (845) 209-2500, or contact us on our website.