We all know there’s pretty much an app for everything these days, but here’s one that makes me really curious. It’s an app that claims you can get invisible braces at 70% less than the cost of Invisalign. It’s starting in Pennsylvania for now, but there are plans to expand it to other areas of the country. It looks like and claims to be the exact same thing as Invisalign, but where the costs savings come in is that you hardly ever have to see a dentist or orthodontist – maybe just a couple times. I’m not sure what to believe. On one hand, who doesn’t want to save money, but how do I really know if they work with real dentists and are totally on the up and up? — Sandra
Sandra,
One product we have recently heard of is Orthly, and there may be a few others out there. Its capabilities are not completely known, but from what our research can gather, it SHOULD NOT be considered an alternative to Invisalign.
If you’ve looked into at all, the app has no ties to anyone with dental experience. In fact, a student who wanted to save money developed it, and while it may sound good in context, dental products that are created by people who do not practice dentistry (as the app clearly states) raises some red flags in our book.
For one, patients get out of going to the orthodontist because they send photos of their teeth to an orthodontist so they can keep track of teeth movement. But here’s the deal… a photo cannot tell the whole story. It can’t measure mobility, root absorption, periodontal disease or oral hygiene. If these types of issues are not closely monitored, it can be detrimental in the long run and even lead to tooth loss. Orthodontists schedule monthly visits throughout treatment for this very reason. It’s all very misleading and even though their aligners may be similar to Invisalign, they are not designed with the same capabilities.
Next, when they say, “We partner with licensed, board-certified orthodontists and ensure that they are the ones who lead the treatment process,” they are essentially accepting ZERO responsibility for the treatment and throwing it back on the orthodontists who can’t even really monitor the process effectively. How’s that for a guarantee of service?
If you want to save money, your best bet is to stick to savings apps for groceries and other products. If you do that, over time, you’ll be able to smile all the way to the bank!
This blog is sponsored by Dr. Stephen Doan. Find out more about the services he provides by visiting his La Jolla cosmetic dental website.