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Have you ever wondered what the difference is between braces and invisalign? Can adults wear braces? Can children or teenagers be treated with invisalign? These are some of the common questions that people have about orthodontics (braces and invisalign) so we are going to help clear up some of that here today for all of our readers in Longview, Gilmer, Kilgore, Marshall, and as far away as Carthage, Henderson, and Mount Pleasant TX.

One of the main differences between braces and invisalign is that braces are actually glued to your teeth whereas invisalign is like a removeable retainer that can be taken in and out in certain social situations and when you eat. Now there is somewhat of an exception to this because with invisalign, sometimes you will have what we call “attachments” glued to your teeth. These attachments are specifically designed and shaped for the type of orthodontic movement that needs to take place with your teeth and as such they are not all the same. Sometimes you may not have one on some teeth whereas you may have some of these invisalign attachments on other teeth.

When undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces, we engage a wire into the bracket that is glued to your teeth. This wire then moves the tooth in a certain direction, depending on where the bracket is placed. When you are receiving orthodontic treatment with invisalign or invisalign teen, the plastic material itself is responsible for moving your teeth. With braces the force of the wire is being applied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With invisalign or invisalign teen, the force is only being applied to the teeth when the trays are being worn. This is why it is important for the invisalign trays to be worn at least 20 hours a day, but preferably 22 hours a day.

When it comes to teenagers and orthodontic treatment, this need to actually wear your invisalign or invisalign teen clear aligners sometimes makes braces a better option for the patient. If a teenager is deemed responsible enough by their parent to wear the aligners, then by all means teenagers can be treated with invisalign clear aligners or invisalign teen clear aligners. If Mom or Dad do not think they will be responsible enough to wear their invisalign aligners, then usually braces or even clear braces are the better option for that teen. If the teenager is looking for a more esthetic option then clear braces are a great option and our patients love the clear braces we have here at Mack and Hansen Orthodontics.

If you have any additional questions about Mack and Hansen Orthodontics or want to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you gain straighter teeth and a healthier smile with braces or Invisalign please contact us today! You can also visit www.etxortho.com to learn more about our affordable braces and invisalign clear aligners. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX right by Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Marshall, Carthage, Henderson, Mount Pleasant, and Gilmer.

A lot of people wonder when is the best time to visit the orthodontist here in Longview, Texas. Well, the answer to that question will depend on a number of things, so let us break it down a little bit for you...

The beginning of the year is a great time to come in if you have received new orthodontic insurance or new orthodontic insurance benefits. Because we are an in network orthodontic provider here in East Texas, having new insurance or getting an orthodontic benefit on your insurance plan can mean a big difference in terms of the cost of treatment. Our patients love that we are in network with their insurance plan so if you have Delta Dental or Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna or MetLife, or another dental or orthodontic insurance, rest assured we are your in-network orthodontic provider.

Spring is also a great time to come in for braces for your child, especially because there are some times when school is closed in the spring, such as during spring break, which make it easy to get in for your orthodontic appointment without having to take your child out of school.

For this reason the summer is obviously a popular time to come in for an orthodontic evaluation or consultation. Despite school being out for summer across East Texas we are still open 5 days a week and offer later orthodontic appointments on Monday and Wednesdays. This means there is plenty of openings for you or our children to come in for their orthodontic visits and the best part is there is no school they will have to miss.

There are also some pros to coming to the orthodontist office or starting orthodontic treatment, whether that is with braces or invisalign, during the end of the year. If you have a flexible spending account through your employer or a health savings account where your benefits expire at the end of the year, those benefits or funds can be used for orthodontic treatment!! This is great news and if you have questions using your FSA or HSA funds, just ask one of our team members next time you are in our office.

If you have any additional questions about Mack and Hansen Orthodontics or want to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you gain straighter teeth and a healthier smile with braces or Invisalign please contact us today!

Orthodontist in Longview Tx that accept Medicaid

A lot of people have questions about Medicaid and whether or not it covers orthodontic treatment. Well, we are here to help clear that up and answer your questions and the most common question: Does Medicaid cover braces?

While Medicaid does cover most dental treatment for children, it does not cover all treatment. Orthodontic treatment is considered to be different than dental treatment in regard to coverage by both Medicaid and by private insurance companies. In years past, here in the state of Texas, Medicaid was much more accepting of orthodontic cases. Unfortunately, some of the larger dental chains and orthodontic chains were taking unethical advantage of this and since then, Medicaid in the state of Texas has, for the most part, not covered orthodontic treatment. Even in the most severe malocclusions where patients are missing a number of teeth or have a cleft lip and/or cleft palate, treatment is still not being approved.

Here at Mack and Hansen Orthodontics we take this all in to consideration and as such do our absolute best to ensure everyone, regardless of if you have insurance, Medicaid, or neither, are able to afford braces with us. We are committed to offering affordable orthodontic treatment, low down payments for braces and invisalign, low monthly payment plans for braces and invisalign, and offer zero interest financing. Should you have orthodontic coverage with an insurance company, we are also in-network providers with the major insurance plans in town. What this means for you is that you get an even greater discount on braces and invisalign with us making orthodontic treatment even more affordable

In summary, while you may be searching for a Medicaid orthodontist in here Longview, Marshall, Tyler, or elsewhere in East Texas, there is no orthodontist who is able to “take Medicaid” since Medicaid, for the most part, does not cover orthodontic treatment anymore in the state of Texas. Again, that is why we are committed to making treatment affordable for everyone and offer payment plans for braces that do not put a strain on your family’s wallet. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free consultation for braces or invisalign, please reach out to our office and one of our fantastic orthodontic team members will be able to get you scheduled.

If you have any additional questions about Mack and Hansen Orthodontics or want to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you gain straighter teeth and a healthier smile with braces or Invisalign please contact us today! You can also visit www.etxortho.com to learn more about our affordable braces and invisalign clear aligners. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX right by Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Marshall, Carthage, Henderson, Mount Pleasant, and Gilmer.

Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen spent this past weekend at the American Association of Orthodontists Annual Session in Washington D.C. This is a meeting and continuing education conference that is held in a different location across the United States every year. Over 20,000 orthodontists and orthodontic team members from all over the world travel to this meeting, which is the largest orthodontic meeting in the world.

At this meeting Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen attended lectures on a number of different orthodontic topics including breathing and sleep disordered breathing in adults and children, palatal expansion, ways to accelerate orthodontic treatment, improved retainers, and new types of braces and clear aligners.

With all the different orthodontic companies present at this meeting as well, Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen were able to learn more about all of the new clear aligners that companies are now offering as well as learn about the newest changes to invisalign clear aligners.

With so many orthodontists attending the meeting, Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen were also able to visit with many of their colleagues from different parts of the country and discuss these new orthodontic trends and which ones are the best for patient care.

To see more photos and videos from the conference, be sure to visit our Facebook and Instagram page. Should you have any questions about the meeting itself, please let us know at your next visit. We hope you have a wonderful week!!

If you have any additional questions about Mack and Hansen Orthodontics or want to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you gain straighter teeth and a healthier smile with braces or Invisalign please contact us today! You can also visit www.etxortho.com to learn more about our affordable braces and invisalign clear aligners. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX right by Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Marshall, Carthage, Henderson, Mount Pleasant, and Gilmer.