Invisalign in Shelby Township, MI
Fredal Orthodontics offers Invisalign clear aligners in Shelby Township, MI. Comprehensive Invisalign treatment starts at $5,280, with monthly payments as low as $179 on the in-house plan.
Your care is led by Dr. Thomas Fredal Jr., an orthodontic specialist.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.
Fredal Orthodontics serves patients across Macomb County and Metro Detroit including:
Who Treats You
Most Invisalign providers in Shelby Township are general dentists. Fredal Orthodontics is led by a specialist orthodontist with advanced training beyond dental school focused specifically on tooth movement, bite correction, and facial development. Dr. Fredal completed a CODA-accredited orthodontic specialty residency and received a Master’s Degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from Jacksonville University School of Orthodontics.
Dr. Thomas Fredal Jr.
Orthodontic Specialist
Dr. Fredal runs every consultation himself. He also directs every visit during treatment. He has treated more than 2,000 orthodontic cases throughout his orthodontic training and clinical practice.
How Invisalign Works in Shelby Township
Invisalign uses a series of custom-made, clear plastic aligners to gradually move your teeth into proper alignment. Each set of aligners is worn for 1 week before moving on to the next set in the sequence. Unlike braces, Invisalign aligners are removable, allowing you to take them out to eat, brush, and floss. Treatment is planned digitally using 3D imaging, and Dr. Fredal typically sees patients every 10 to 12 weeks to monitor their progress and ensure treatment is progressing as planned.
Why Fredal Orthodontics Uses Only Invisalign
Invisalign is the only clear aligner system the practice uses. That includes Invisalign Teen and Invisalign First. Dr. Fredal prefers Invisalign for its esthetics (how it looks). Patients usually choose it for a more discreet look than braces.
Your Invisalign Treatment Timeline
Free Consultation and 3D CBCT Scan
Your free new-patient consultation includes a 3D CBCT scan (cone-beam CT, a type of 3D X-ray). It takes about 50 minutes, and Dr. Fredal spends about 20 of them with you. It also includes an iTero digital scan and clinical photos. Dr. Fredal reviews the complete records with you.
He then gives you his treatment recommendation and the exact treatment cost in writing. His recommendation may be Invisalign, Damon Ultima braces or a hybrid of the two. Before you leave, you also review your expected treatment timeline and your financing options.
Your 3D Treatment Plan
Your CBCT scan and iTero digital scan are merged into one 3D view of your teeth and the bone that supports them. Dr. Fredal uses that view and your photos to design your plan. He plans around your teeth, bite, roots, supporting bone and facial balance. Every tooth movement is planned with long-term function, stability and appearance in mind.
Making and Delivering Your Aligners
Your aligners are custom made outside the office. For adults, the delivery visit is typically about four weeks after the consultation. At the delivery visit, Dr. Fredal checks how your aligners fit. He places any attachments your plan needs: small tooth-colored shapes bonded to some teeth.
He also shows you how to put in, take out and care for your aligners. You leave with your first series of aligners.
Wear & Switch Every 1 Week
For adults, the recommended wear is 20 to 22 hours a day. Your aligners come out when you eat and drink. There are no banned foods, no brackets to break and no wire emergencies. Between visits, you can text photos and questions to the team through Weave.
Final Result and Retainers
A retainer is a custom appliance worn after treatment to keep your teeth in place. The practice scans your teeth the day your attachments are removed and orders Vivera retainers. Dr. Fredal confirms that your teeth have reached their ideal positions before he delivers your retainers. At that visit, he reviews how to care for them.
Wear your retainers full time for the first 1 to 3 months, then at night for life. Removable retainers are preferred. Dr. Fredal may recommend a fixed retainer for teeth more prone to relapse (shifting back), especially after generalized spacing or severe crowding, and then also recommends a removable Essix or Vivera retainer over it.
Invisalign vs Braces
Fredal Orthodontics offers Invisalign, Damon Ultima braces and a hybrid of the two. Dr. Fredal recommends one after reviewing your records at the consultation.
He looks at more than whether your teeth are straight. He also checks where they sit in relation to your face, lips, smile, supporting bone and opposing teeth. These findings can completely change whether he recommends braces, Invisalign or both.
He typically recommends braces for severe deep bites (a large overbite) and for significant spacing (gaps between teeth). Across the practice, the split between braces and aligners is 50/50.
| Factor | Invisalign | Braces |
|---|---|---|
| How it looks | Clear trays | Metal Damon Ultima brackets |
| Removable | Yes, to eat, drink, brush and floss | No, fixed to the teeth |
| Office visits | Every 10 to 12 weeks | Every 6 to 8 weeks |
| Comprehensive fee levels, simplest to most complex | $5,280, $6,880 and $7,175 | $5,280, $6,880 and $7,175 |
Hybrid treatment at Fredal Orthodontics. Hybrid treatment combines braces and Invisalign within the same treatment plan to take advantage of the strengths of each system. At Fredal Orthodontics, this may mean starting with braces to efficiently address the most challenging tooth movements, such as severe rotations, significant deep bites, or other complex corrections, then transitioning to Invisalign to complete the remaining alignment and finishing stages.
This lets Dr. Fredal use the greater mechanical control of braces when it is most beneficial while patients finish treatment with the comfort, convenience, and esthetics of Invisalign. Hybrid treatment is not necessary for every patient and is recommended only when Dr. Fredal believes combining the two systems will give a more efficient or predictable result. When Dr. Fredal recommends hybrid treatment, it is included in the treatment fee. If you start in aligners and need to switch to braces, the switch is made at no extra charge.
Fredal Orthodontics is in-network with Delta Dental, meaning the practice has a contract with that insurance company.
The practice also files claims on your behalf for other PPO (preferred provider organization) plans, a type of dental insurance. When you book, the team takes your insurance card. You receive your benefits verification in writing. For more on coverage, see the orthodontic insurance guide. Other PPO plans the practice accepts and files claims for include:
Am I a Candidate for Invisalign?
For severe deep bites and significant spacing, Dr. Fredal typically recommends braces instead of Invisalign. For adults, he also considers whether you can wear aligners consistently for the recommended 20 to 22 hours each day. Patients with active or concerning TMD (jaw-joint disorder) symptoms start treatment only after a qualified specialist has evaluated and cleared them.
Read about jaw-joint symptoms and clearance before orthodontic treatment.
Your consultation answers this question. Every patient receives a full evaluation to see whether clear aligners are the best option. It looks at your bite, the tooth movements you need and your long-term treatment goals.
For adults, Dr. Fredal also looks at whether the concern is mainly in the teeth (dental) or in the jaws (skeletal), and he checks root position, bone support, gum health and bite function. He sometimes recommends against treatment.
Concerns Fredal Orthodontics Treats
- Crowding (not enough room for the teeth to line up). Crowding alone does not decide whether Dr. Fredal recommends taking out teeth: how Dr. Fredal decides whether extractions are needed
- Spacing (gaps between teeth). For significant spacing, Dr. Fredal typically recommends braces.
- Overbite (upper front teeth that cover too much of the lower front teeth). For a severe deep bite, Dr. Fredal typically recommends braces.
- Open bite (front teeth that do not meet when you bite). Depending on the cause and severity, Dr. Fredal may use Invisalign, braces or other options.
- Underbite (lower front teeth that sit ahead of the upper front teeth)
- Crossbite (upper teeth that sit inside the lower teeth when you bite)
- Crowding that has come back after earlier braces, in adults
When Treatment May Start With Braces
This is the hybrid treatment described under Invisalign vs Braces. It is not necessary for every patient.
Invisalign for Adults vs Teens
Adults
For adults, the recommended wear is 20 to 22 hours a day. Most adult Invisalign patients are seen about every 10 to 12 weeks, which helps treatment fit busy work and family schedules. Clients, coworkers and friends do not notice the clear trays during conversations or meetings.
Invisalign for Adults
Teens
Fredal Orthodontics offers Invisalign Teen, which starts at $5,280, the same as comprehensive Invisalign. Teens switch to a new set of aligners every week and visit about every 10 to 12 weeks. Dr. Fredal uses the Invisalign Teen compliance indicators: blue dots on the aligners that fade with wear. Teens also get a talk about wearing their aligners as directed.
For any patient who does not wear the aligners as directed, the practice requires signed compliance forms. Additional fees may apply when inconsistent wear makes extra care necessary outside the original treatment plan. Any fee is decided case by case and discussed with the patient or responsible party, as the refinements section below explains.
Kids & TeensHow Fredal Orthodontics Handles Refinements
A refinement is an extra set of aligners used to fine-tune where your teeth sit. Dr. Fredal uses each refinement to keep improving tooth position, bite and overall finishing. Refinements that are part of the originally prescribed treatment plan are included in the treatment fee at Fredal Orthodontics. During active treatment, refinements are included when clinically necessary to achieve the planned result.
However, additional fees may apply when extra treatment, aligners, appliances, scans, or refinements become necessary due to factors outside the original treatment plan, including but not limited to inconsistent aligner wear, missed or delayed appointments, lost or damaged aligners or appliances, failure to follow treatment instructions, or other forms of patient non-compliance. Any applicable additional fees will be determined based on the circumstances of the individual case and discussed with the patient or responsible party.
Additional fees may also apply when you request a change outside the original treatment plan and it calls for extra refinement treatment. One example is temporarily removing attachments for a wedding or other special event.
Between refinement rounds, Dr. Fredal may remove, replace, reposition or add attachments. This depends on the movements needed in the next stage of treatment, so your attachment setup may change as treatment goes on.
Why Choose Fredal Orthodontics for Invisalign in Shelby Township?
Most Invisalign providers in Shelby Township are general dentists. Fredal Orthodontics is led by an orthodontic specialist. Besides Invisalign, it offers Damon Ultima braces and hybrid treatment. That lets Dr. Fredal recommend the option that fits your case. In his view, choosing an orthodontist should come down to diagnosis, treatment planning and who will personally oversee your care.
Orthodontist, Not Just a Dentist
Dr. Fredal completed specialty training in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. For adult patients, that training means he looks at the whole face, not just tooth alignment. He checks skeletal relationships (how the jaws line up), gum and bone support, root position and airway.
Doctor Designs Every Plan
Dr. Fredal personally designs and oversees every treatment plan, from start to finish.
Free 3D CBCT Scan
Every new-patient consultation includes a 3D CBCT scan. Fredal Orthodontics includes it at no cost. The scan is taken on the practice’s i-CAT FLX V17. Every Invisalign case is planned from a 3D CBCT scan, not just a surface scan.
Dr. Fredal names his fully digital workflow as the one thing that sets the practice apart. It merges i-CAT CBCT imaging with iTero digital scans for 3D diagnosis and treatment planning.
Weave Remote Monitoring
Every patient uses it, and there is no monthly fee. You text photos and questions to the team between visits. The clinical team reviews them during business hours and replies with next steps. That way, concerns such as aligners that aren’t fitting can be addressed between appointments.
Private Practice
The practice is privately held. It is owned by its treating orthodontist. It is not part of a corporate dental group (DSO). Dr. Fredal is its only orthodontist.
In-Person Care, Not Mail-Order
At Fredal Orthodontics, treatment starts in person, with merged i-CAT CBCT and iTero digital scans for 3D diagnosis and treatment planning. Dr. Fredal then checks your progress at visits about every 10 to 12 weeks, and between visits the team reviews the photos you send through Weave.
Dr. Fredal does not recommend mail-order orthodontic treatment without appropriate in-person diagnosis and ongoing professional supervision. In his view, treatment requires evaluating the bite, roots, supporting bone, gum health and skeletal relationships, not just the parts of the teeth you can see.
Invisalign FAQ in Shelby Township
How long does Invisalign take?
Most Invisalign cases at Fredal Orthodontics take 12 to 18 months. Each set of aligners is worn for 1 week, and Dr. Fredal typically sees patients every 10 to 12 weeks. Your consultation covers your treatment options and timeline. Dr. Fredal gives you an individualized treatment-time estimate after your diagnostic evaluation. It takes into account your case complexity, the movements required, growth and patient compliance (how well you follow your wear instructions).
Is Invisalign worth it compared to braces?
It depends on your case. At your consultation, Dr. Fredal recommends Invisalign, Damon Ultima braces or a hybrid of the two. The starting price is the same: comprehensive Invisalign and comprehensive braces both start at $5,280. Invisalign trays are clear and come out to eat, drink, brush and floss. Invisalign visits are every 10 to 12 weeks, and braces visits are every 6 to 8 weeks.
Is Invisalign at Fredal Orthodontics provided by a dentist or an orthodontist?
By an orthodontist. Dr. Fredal is an Orthodontic Specialist. An orthodontist is a dentist with additional specialty training in tooth movement and bite correction. Most Invisalign providers in Shelby Township are general dentists. Dr. Fredal earned his DDS at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. He then completed specialty training in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics and earned his MSD. He sees whole-patient diagnosis and treatment planning as a major distinction of care with an orthodontic specialist.
Can teenagers get Invisalign?
Yes. Fredal Orthodontics offers Invisalign Teen, and Dr. Fredal uses its compliance indicators, blue dots that fade with wear. Teens switch to a new set of aligners every week. They visit the office every 10 to 12 weeks. If a patient does not wear the aligners as directed, the practice requires signed compliance forms.
What happens if I lose an aligner tray?
Contact the office; after hours, see after-hours contact and urgent orthodontic help. A lost or damaged aligner may mean you need extra aligners outside your original treatment plan. If so, additional fees may apply. Any fee depends on the circumstances of your case and is discussed with you or the responsible party.
What about other clear aligner brands?
Fredal Orthodontics uses only Invisalign for clear aligner treatment. Dr. Fredal prefers Invisalign for its esthetics. The practice uses Invisalign Teen for teens and Invisalign First for early treatment in children. It also offers Damon Ultima braces and hybrid treatment. At your consultation, Dr. Fredal recommends the option that fits your case.
Which retainers does Fredal Orthodontics use after Invisalign?
For Invisalign patients, the practice orders Vivera retainers. Your teeth are scanned the day your attachments are removed, and the scan is used to order them. When a patient cannot wait for the lab, the practice can make a clear Essix retainer in the office the same visit. A replacement retainer is $225 per arch, or $450 for an upper and lower pair. See replacement retainers and Retainer Insurance.
Can I switch from braces to Invisalign mid-treatment?
Yes, as part of hybrid treatment, when Dr. Fredal recommends it. Hybrid treatment can start in braces and finish with Invisalign. It is not necessary for every patient. When Dr. Fredal recommends hybrid treatment, it is included in the treatment fee.
Ready to See If Invisalign Is Right for You?
Your free consultation includes a 3D CBCT scan, Dr. Fredal’s treatment recommendation and the exact treatment cost in writing. Virtual consultations are also offered.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.