These days you can do almost anything with the click of a button. Order school supplies. Get a ride across town. Watch your favorite movie. Schedule a delivery. It seems like every day there’s a newer and easier way to do almost everything. We’ve been programmed to accept that anything can be ordered online and delivered right to our front door. However, at Let’s Smile Dental, there is one thing that we believe doesn’t have an easy online replacement: orthodontic treatment. There is no match for orthodontic treatment provided by a highly trained, experienced specialist.
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) agrees. They recently issued a Consumer Alert listing key questions to ask about direct-to-consumer aligner companies. You can download a print-friendly version here. The issue is that many direct-to-consumer aligner companies do not involve the in-person evaluation and/or in-person supervision of your treatment we provide at Let’s Smile Dental. This type of supervision is important because there is more to creating a healthy, beautiful smile than moving the visible portions of your teeth. If not done correctly any dental work can lead to potentially irreversible and expensive damage such as tooth and gum loss, unhealthy or uncomfortable bite modifications and even changes to your facial profile. As an orthodontist Dr. Ali Ghatri has many tools in his arsenal to help create a beautiful smile – Invisalign, for example, is just one of them. It’s important to have a fully trained and experienced orthodontist involved when making any changes to your teeth.
The Top Questions To Ask The AAO advises that when researching orthodontic treatment (including treatment models from direct-to-consumer companies), you should consider many key questions, some of which include:
- As part of your treatment, are comprehensive diagnostic records like x-rays taken before your treatment?
- As part of your treatment fee, do you receive any in-person visits to a dentist’s or orthodontist’s office during your treatment?
- Is only one treatment type offered (such as invisible aligners or a certain appliance)?
- What are the possible risks (financial, health, etc.) associated with your orthodontic treatment?
- Who is responsible for detecting any issues that may occur during your orthodontic treatment? Is it you? If it is a doctor not associated with your treatment, who pays for those check-ups?
- If an emergency arises, does the company have a dentist or orthodontist in your area that you can see in-person? If not, who would cover the costs associated with seeing a dentist or orthodontist in your area?
- If you are injured or have another dispute involving your orthodontic treatment, how is it handled (litigation, arbitration, etc.) and what rights do you have?
- Does the treatment model comply with the dental laws in your state? To check your state’s dental laws, click https://www.aaoinfo.org/state-laws-and-regulations. Information for your state dental board can be found at https://www.aaoinfo.org/aao/state-dental-board-info.
Where You Receive Your Health Care Is A Very Important Personal Decision Remember that orthodontic treatment is not a product or device – it is a professional, medical service. Dr. Ghatri received his orthodontic certificate from the University Of Connecticut Department Of Orthodontics, has been a member of the American Association of Orthodontics since 1992 and received the American Association of Orthodontists’ Scientific Program Award for his participation in orthodontic education and research. Dr. Ghatri has been recognized as an Invisalign® Diamond Provider and is among the top one percent of Invisalign providers in the United States. He has a commitment to regular continuing education and have years of experience providing high quality orthodontic treatment to his patients. Before making any decision about orthodontic treatment, consider doing some research and having a complimentary in-person consultation at Let’s Smile Dental. Click below or call 703-719-5828 today to schedule a consultation. We can’t wait to meet you!
