Choosing to straighten your smile is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make – besides choosing your orthodontic provider, that is. While most patients visit an experienced orthodontist to get braces or Invisalign, some patients turn to mail-order orthodontics instead. If you’re considering this form of treatment, our experts at Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics encourage you to think twice. Here’s what you won’t get with mail-order orthodontics (that you will get with Dr. Hamer and Dr. Glassick!)
About Mail-Order Orthodontics
At its core, mail-order orthodontics is exactly what it sounds like: orthodontic appliances that can be ordered online and sent through the mail. Companies that deliver mail-order aligners often make huge claims they cannot support. They may say they are the cheapest, most convenient, and most effective treatment providers on the market, but those who know what it is like to wear mail-order appliances know this is not true.
In fact, it is hard to call these companies treatment providers at all because instead of seeing a trained orthodontist, mail-order patients only communicate through an app with a dentist to whom they will never meet or speak. Their aligners are delivered to their door with a short set of instructions, and the patient must keep up with their own plan throughout the time they wear the aligners. At the end of the day, mail-order orthodontics is the do-it-yourself version of straightening teeth.
Here’s What You Won’t Get from Mail-Order Orthodontics
Settling for the DIY version of a serious medical adjustment could lead to more complex issues down the road. Dr. Hamer and Dr. Glassick agree that patients looking for the best quality care should steer clear of mail-order orthodontics. This is why:
Mail-Order Orthodontics Won’t Give You a Personalized Treatment Plan…
…but Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics will.
Patients looking for a highly customized treatment plan will not find it with mail-order orthodontics. That is because online providers treat orthodontics like a one-size-fits-all process. This approach can be highly problematic for the success of a patient’s treatment plan because it fails to take into account their body’s unique response to aligners, meaning it will not be able to adapt along with their smile as their teeth align.
The typical, high-quality orthodontic treatment process requires patients to meet for an initial assessment with a professional orthodontist to determine the right treatment plan for their unique needs. Depending on the severity of their case and their smile goals, Dr. Hamer or Dr. Glassick will design a custom treatment plan that meets their specific needs and requirements.
Mail-Order Orthodontics Won’t Provide Total Orthodontic Care…
…but the experts at Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics will.
Professional orthodontics is all about total care with a holistic overview of a patient’s health. Orthodontists like Dr. Hamer and Dr. Glassick spend years in school learning how to adjust facial bone structure with precision and accuracy to give patients smiles they can be proud of. Total orthodontic care means a patient’s needs and goals are balanced within a customized treatment plan that considers their unique teeth.
Many orthodontic issues lie below the gum line, so patients need in-office scans, imaging, and X-rays to determine the best treatment plan. With online orthodontics, patients must skip these crucial steps, which makes treatment risky and potentially ineffective. Instead, the only tool a mail-order company uses is a smartphone app and a self-assessment – and that process leaves too much room for error.
It is also important to remember that not everyone is a good candidate for clear aligner trays. Some people, especially those with more severe conditions, need traditional metal braces for treatment to work. Without a professional orthodontist designing and overseeing a treatment plan built just for the individual, they may end up with the wrong treatment method.
Mail-Order Orthodontics Won’t Save You Money In the Long Run…
…but treatment at Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics is an investment that will pay dividends.
Orthodontic treatment is an investment in an individual’s confidence and smile. Although mail-order orthodontic companies promise cheaper services, the discount they provide comes at the cost of quality treatment. Mail-order patients will never meet with an orthodontist in person, the companies will not customize each treatment to meet unique needs, and patients could end up needing further corrective treatment in the long run (which could become costly).
When patients meet with Dr. Hamer or Dr. Glassick, on the other hand, they recognize the level of quality Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics offers from the start. They never have to worry that their treatment lacks what it needs to give them the smile they deserve, and our convenient payment plans mean they do not have trouble paying for treatment.
Hamer & Glassick Invisalign: The Better Clear Aligner
For patients who like the idea of straightening their teeth without the bulky wires and brackets of braces, it is far better to stick with the Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics Invisalign treatment plan than resort to online orthodontics. Like mail-order aligners, Dr. Hamer and Dr. Glassick’s Invisalign treatments use a series of clear aligner trays to shift smiles in gear over time. Unlike mail-order aligners, however, our orthodontists personally design each set of aligners to fit our patients’ unique needs so they avoid getting the cookie-cutter treatment that online companies offer – and as Diamond Plus Invisalign providers, we rank among the top 1% of Invisalign offices!
Skip the Mail-Order Ortho & Choose the Experts Instead
When it comes to your smile, you deserve the best treatment possible. Instead of opting for risky results with online orthodontics, choose the tried and true Invisalign experts at Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics. Your smile will thank you!
Schedule your free consultation with Dr. Hamer or Dr. Glassick in one of our Charlottesville or Crozet offices to get started today!