There are many of us that want to refine our smiles, and among the chief concerns is crooked, gapped, or crowded teeth. Many of us have considered getting our teeth straightened but found it wasn’t the right orthodontic treatment for us.
One common problem was that a full treatment was too much for our minor tooth concerns. It took too long and it was too expensive. But the problem was too serious for the Invisalign Express, which was really designed for very minor cases.
But now Align Technology is offering the new Invisalign Lite, which is designed to treat more complicated cases faster and at a more reasonable price than full Invisalign.
What Is Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign Lite is designed to be an intermediate treatment protocol between a full Invisalign treatment and Invisalign Express. Invisalign Express is designed for very minor cases, such as people who previously had their teeth straightened but lapsed because they didn’t use their retainer.
Invisalign Lite, though, is designed as a primary orthodontic treatment. It’s a cost-effective approach to Invisalign that can benefit most everyone. Invisalign Lite offers many benefits for people, including:
- Can move all teeth–no clinical limitations
- Can treat mild to moderate malocclusion
- Can be used for either one arch or both arches
- Treatment price includes one refinement if necessary
Less expensive than a full Invisalign treatment, this is a much more accessible option, but it doesn’t have the restrictions that Express had. It can be used to move all teeth, including the large rear molars. It treats mild to moderate malocclusion, helping people improve their bite as well as the appearance of their smile. Being able to treat both arches or just one improves the flexibility of the treatment so that you can get exactly the results you’re looking for.
How Long Does It Take?
We’ve talked about Invisalign Lite being faster than traditional Invisalign, but how fast is it? That depends. Invisalign Lite includes 14 stages of tooth movement (Express has only 10). Under the old guidelines, that meant the treatment would take about 28 weeks or 7 months.
But with the new potential for accelerated tray changes, it’s possible that the treatment could be as short as 14 weeks or about three months. Most likely, it’s somewhere in between, say about 4-5 months. That’s still very fast results.
What about AcceleDent?
Could the treatment be made even faster using AcceleDent? That would be something we’d have to consider on a case-by-case basis. However, even if the two treatments were compatible in your case, it’s unlikely we’d be able to do good orthodontic work in less than 14 weeks for Invisalign Lite.
Find Out If Invisalign Lite Is Right for You!
Are you considering straightening your teeth but haven’t liked the options available? Maybe Invisalign Lite is the right choice for your smile. And if it’s not, we offer many other options so you can find the right one for you.
To learn whether you’re a good candidate for Invisalign Lite, please call (949) 551-5902 today to request an appointment with an Orange County cosmetic dentist at Rice Dentistry in Irvine.
