I have been saving up to get Invisalign for a couple of years now. I’m finally ready, but six months ago my family moved out to the middle of nowhere. It takes me three hours to get to town. I don’t think I can get there every two weeks. I have three kids and I’ll either need to take them with me or find someone to come up the mountain every time to watch them. Is there any way to do it in fewer appointments?

Kate

Dear Kate,

A lot of it will depend on the dentist, but I don’t see any reason that you couldn’t go once a month instead of twice. Generally, with Invisalign, your dentist will provide you with new aligners every two weeks after an exam to make sure everything with your case is on target.

As long as you don’t have any unusual circumstances which require more careful observation, it would not be an issue to provide you with two sets of your aligners at each visit.

One other thing you should be aware of. Invisalign has a hidden benefit of being able to double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. It is the equivalent of a mini smile makeover for a fraction of the cost. If teeth whitening is something you’ve considered, this will allow you to double up your treatment saving you additional time of going back and forth to a dentist at a later date.

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