Several weeks ago I had the absolutely honor to attend a SITS Girls Mini Blog Conference in Chicago sponsored by Invisalign! As part of the conference, I had the opportunity to learn more about Invisalign clear aligners as an alternative to braces and I was so amazed to learn how cool Invisalign aligners are! So I was thrilled to be asked to share more about Invisalign with you today.
*Warning…this post contains embarrassing pictures of me wearing braces, during those awkward early teenage years. Please still be my friend after this post!*
I am a bit…uhm…older…and when my teeth needed to be fixed many…many…years ago the only viable option was traditional metal braces. So I spent a year and a half wearing braces in my early teens.
And while I did find solace in the fact that I could match my rubber bands to the next upcoming holiday (yup I was super cool) braces had a lot of downsides too! If you wore braces you know what I mean. Braces can be difficult to clean, you have to restrict what you eat (raise your hand if you disobeyed that rule at least once) and let’s not even talk about being constantly worried that you had a piece of food stuck in your braces: so embarrassing.
Invisalign is a new alternative to braces and is available for adults, teens and pre-teens! Invisalign and Invisalign Teen are a series of clear removable plastic aligners that sit smoothly on your teeth and gradually straighten your teeth. Long gone are the days of chunky braces and metal wires poking your mouth!
And with their break-through 3D technology, the orthodontist is able to map out your entire treatment plan so that you will know the final outcome of treatment prior to beginning! Your custom made aligners are designed to take you from where you are at, to straight teeth!
Invisalign aligners can fix a wide range of problems and while every case is different, the average time most people use Invisalign aligners is about 1 year. To see if you (or your teen) might qualify for Invisalign treatment, take their quick Smile Assessment.
Invisalign aligners can be removed to eat, brush and floss so your dental hygiene upkeep is as easy as without braces! And because they are clear, they are very inconspicuous which is a benefit to both adults and teens.
Invisalign aligners cost about the same as traditional braces cost and are covered by most insurance companies that cover braces.
And the best part is because of this new technology you actually have fewer office visits with Invisalign as compared with traditional braces; typically only once every 6 weeks!
I don’t have teens yet, my oldest is only 6 but I am sure she will need braces one day! And when she does I will definitely look into Invisalign Teen as an option for her! There are two great features of the Teen line that makes it a great option. One is that there are compliance indicators on the aligners which means that you will know if your child is wearing the aligners or not! And the second great thing is that Invisalign Teen offers up to 6 free replacement aligners just in case one gets lost.
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(the blue dot is the compliance indicator and it fades as they are worn)
I mean seriously….who wants to put their children through traditional braces?! Doesn't this just look painful?
PS – thanks mom for snapping that awkward photo of me getting my braces taken off hahaha J
And like many adults, I will admit that I have had a little shifting in my teeth since I had my braces. I may or may not know where my retainer even is at this point. I would love to get Invisalign to help align just a few teeth in my mouth that have shifted! It is amazing to think that I could do this without having to get braces again!
From very simple to complex, Invisalign can offer teeth straightening solutions for a wide variety of issues. A few examples are: underbite, overbite, crooked teeth, gapped teeth etc. Visit the Invisalign website to learn about all of the dental issues Invisalign can correct.
Here are a few examples from the almost 2 million patients Invisalign has helped:
As with all medical decisions, it is often wise to get a second opinion and to remember that not all dentists / orthodontists are trained in Invisalign usage. Look for a certified provider using Invisalign's Doctor Locator.
You can find out more about these aligners on the Invisalign website, Twitter and Facebook.
So I want to know, are you more likely to get Invisalign or braces for yourself or your teen?
Thank you so much to Invisalign for sponsoring the fabulous mini-blog conference and for sponsoring this post! All opinions (and super embarrassing photos of me) are mine. Other photos provided courtesy of Invisalign.
And thank you mom for always having a camera ready...because who would have guessed I would ask you for pictures of me in braces so many years later 🙂 Love you mom!
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Melissa Whitcher
Love it! So much better than when we were little. :)<br />