Which aligners do we use?
There are two broad choices in Mumbai today, and we offer both.
Invisalign is the original clear aligner system from Align Technology, USA. Its SmartTrack material applies gentler, more predictable force, and its planning software has data from millions of cases. It is the safer choice for harder movements such as rotating canines, closing large gaps or correcting a deep bite. It is also the most expensive option.
Toothsi and other Indian aligner brands are designed and manufactured in India. The trays are made from similar medical-grade plastics, and for mild to moderate crowding or spacing the results are comparable. Because they are made locally, they cost roughly half as much and replacement trays arrive faster.
Dr. Upasana has planned cases on both systems since aligners became mainstream in India. After your scan she will tell you whether your case is one where the brand makes a real difference or one where an Indian brand will do the job just as well.
What treatment actually feels like
The first tray feels tight, as if your teeth are being hugged. Within a day the tightness turns into a dull awareness and by day three you forget it is there. Each new tray repeats that cycle in a milder form.
Speech is slightly affected for a day or two. Reading aloud for ten minutes on the first evening helps most people adjust.
The routine settles quickly: trays out before breakfast, brush, trays in; out for lunch, rinse, in; out for dinner, brush and floss, in for the night. Keep the case with you. Trays wrapped in a tissue at a restaurant are the number one way aligners get thrown away.
Why patients choose i-Smile for aligners
- One dentist, start to finish. Dr. Upasana does the scan, plans the case, checks every tray and handles refinements herself. You are not passed between people.
- Honest case selection. Around one in five patients who come in asking for aligners are told that braces, or a short course of braces first, will give a better result. We would rather lose an aligner case than give you a compromised smile.
- Refinements and retainers included. Aligner packages at i-Smile include refinement trays when needed and a set of retainers at the end, so the quoted price is the final price.
- Quick visits, evening hours. Check-ups take about 15 minutes and the clinic is open until 9 pm, so you do not have to take leave from work.
- Over 390 cases since 2012 across every kind of crowding, spacing and relapse.
After treatment: keeping the result
Teeth have a memory. Without retainers, the fibres around the roots slowly pull them back towards where they started. This is true after braces as well as aligners.
You will wear clear retainers full-time for about three months, then at night only. Night wear continues indefinitely, which sounds daunting but takes about ten seconds a day and becomes as automatic as brushing. Retainers last two to three years and are inexpensive to replace.
What changes the price
- Number of trays. Simple cases need 10 to 20 trays, complex ones 40 or more.
- Brand. Invisalign packages cost more than Indian brands for the same number of trays.
- One arch or both. Treating only the lower front teeth costs less than a full upper and lower case.
- Preparatory work. Cavities, gum treatment or a cleaning may be needed before starting; these are quoted separately.
- Refinements. Included in i-Smile packages; some clinics charge extra, so compare like with like.
