Candid Clear Aligners – Chevy Chase, MD

Crowded Teeth

Having teeth that are pressed too closely together can impact both your appearance and your oral health. You might worry about how others perceive your oral condition, which can make you self-conscious. Furthermore, it’s harder to reach all the surfaces to clean them when brushing and flossing, leaving you at an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Dr. Yu can use Candid clear aligners to ensure that your teeth lay flush beside each other, improving your countenance as well as your dental condition.

Gaps Between Teeth

Wide spaces in your smile are infamous for trapping pieces of food, which attract cavity-causing bacteria. The exposed gum tissue might also sustain damage from eating overly hard or crunchy foods. If germs in your mouth penetrate beneath the surface, you can develop gum disease, which only gets worse over time. Closing the gaps with Candid clear aligners helps shield your gums from potential harm.

Overbite

If your upper teeth jut out too far past the lower ones, they’re left overly exposed which can unevenly wear down their enamel and leave them more prone to injury. Furthermore, like most malocclusions, this bite misalignment can put undue pressure on your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and lead to a sore jaw or limit its range of motion. Candid clear aligners can be used to help reposition your jaw so that your teeth come together the way they should.

Underbite

This occurs when your upper teeth rest inside your lower teeth when you close your mouth. This is often the result of genetics, oral trauma, or excessive thumb-sucking as a child. Whatever the reason behind it, this condition can restrict your airway and upper nasal passages, which increases the chances of developing sleep apnea. Rubber bands and other attachments may be needed to make the necessary adjustments in conjunction with your Candid clear aligners.

Crossbite

If one or more of your upper teeth anywhere in your mouth rest behind the lower ones, then you may have a crossbite. It can be caused by the premature loss of baby teeth, which impacts how your adult teeth grow in afterward. Dr. Yu may need to include elastics or other accessories with your Candid clear aligners to help with more severe cases.

Open Bite

If your front teeth don’t touch at all when you close your jaw, you likely have an open bite. This is often due to prolonged thumb sucking or poor bone development as a child. It can impact your ability to enunciate certain words and sounds and excessively wear the enamel on the back teeth. Candid clear aligners can bring the front and bottom teeth together to reduce the risk of dental damage.

You Don’t Have to Change Your Diet

Since the brackets and wires can break with enough pressure, patients with traditional braces are asked to avoid crunchy and sticky foods, like whole apples, almonds, raw carrots, and popcorn. That’s not the case with Candid because the aligners are removable. So, after you take them out, you can eat whatever you’d like! All we ask is that you do your best not to overindulge on foods that are starchy or sugary.

Brushing and Flossing Are Quite Easy

Another perk of removable aligners is that you can take them out before brushing and flossing your teeth. Traditional braces, on the other hand, can only be removed by a professional. As a result, patients have to learn how to maneuver around them, which often requires special oral hygiene products, like interproximal toothbrushes. Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about any of that with Candid.

There Are Fewer Check-In Visits

With Candid, you’ll be given a few sets of your aligners at a time as well as specific instructions on when to progress to the next pair in the series. In other words, you’ll be able to progress through portions of your treatment plan at home; you don’t need to come in every four weeks for adjustment appointments. Plus, these check-in visits are usually quite quick if your teeth are moving as anticipated!

The Aligners Are Metal-Free

Metal-free braces are certainly more aesthetically pleasing, which is why many patients are drawn to them. However, that’s just one positive. Having smooth, low-profile aligners instead of bulky brackets and wires also means no soft tissue irritation. So, the only soreness you’ll feel is from the movement of your teeth, and even that can be alleviated with the right steps, like avoiding crunchy foods.

You Can Take Your Aligners Out for Special Events

To stay on-track with your treatment plan, you need to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day. That said, you can take them out for special occasions as well, like before your senior photos or a big presentation at work. All we ask is that you put them back on as soon as you can and that you do your best to make up any lost time the following day.

The Average Treatment Timeline Is Shorter

Finally, patients love Candid because the average treatment timeline is shorter (about 12-18 months). Conversely, traditional braces can take well over two years. Of course, there are lots of factors that will impact the time you need to invest in your orthodontic treatment, including the complexity of your case, so don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with us to get a better idea of your timeline.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Candid Clear Aligners

We mentioned above that how severe your case is and how many aligners you need will impact the price of Candid. Those are actually just two of many factors we need to consider. At your consultation, we will learn more about your dental history, your oral health, and your smile goals so we can determine if single-arch treatment is possible, if any other orthodontic accessories are needed, and the type of retainer you need. Of course, it’s also possible for additional costs to come up down the line, like if you consistently lose your aligners and need replacements. Don’t worry – we will review all of this and more with you at our office.

Does Candid Cost More Than Mail-In Aligners? 

Typically, mail-in aligners are cheaper because they don’t include an initial consultation, the treatment plans are supervised by licensed dental professionals, and DIY impressions are used. This might not seem like a big deal, but many patients who have opted for orthodontic alternatives in the past have ended up with worsened misalignment, severely loose teeth, and other serious oral health problems. That’s why it’s best to invest in Candid; this discreet orthodontic treatment is often more affordable than other options for straightening teeth, yet it can still be relied on to deliver beautiful results.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Candid Clear Aligners?

Do you have dental insurance? If so, it’s worth taking a look at your plan to see if you have any orthodontic benefits! If you’re having a hard time understanding your coverage, you’re more than welcome to ask us for help. We’re in-network with most United Concordia, Guardian, and GEHA plans, and we handle the claims for our patients so the process of utilizing their available benefits is significantly easier.

Options for Making Candid Clear Aligners Affordable

If you don’t have dental insurance at the moment, we have some good news: we also welcome flexible financing with Cherry! It’s easy to apply, and you’ll see how much you qualify for immediately. If you want to learn more about this financial solution (or anything else pertaining to the cost of your orthodontic treatment), don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help make navigating the financial side of your care a breeze too!