Give Your Teenager Straight Teeth with a Dose of Self Confidence with Invisalign Teen

This post was brought to you by Invisalign.  All opinions are mine.

For some reason, I was blessed with straight teeth.  (The Captain likes to point out my one slightly crooked tooth, but thankfully that’s the extent of it.)  Hubby, on the other hand, had braces for a year and a half as a teenager, and has a permanent retainer on his bottom teeth.  I did not know him until college and would not have known otherwise, but he said wearing braces was not fun.  His least favorite part was getting hit in the mouth with a ball or an elbow, which, as you can guess, happened a lot as an active teenager.  He says the braces caused him to bleed and then get a sore in his mouth that would take a long time to heal.  I can only imagine how awful that would have been.  I truly feel for everyone who has had to have braces for any length of time!

So far, our kids’ teeth are all baby teeth, so we do not know what their dental future holds.  D already has an overbite, though, and the dentist said we would just have to watch it over the years.  I think it’s safe to assume that a need for braces in at least one of the boy’s futures.  It’s coming up sooner than I thought, though, because The American Association of Orthodontics recommends taking kids for their first orthodontic check-up NO LATER than age 7!  The American Dental Association says this is because “Your child’s dentist can spot problems with emerging teeth and jaw growth early on, while the primary teeth are present.”  Who knew!?  I didn’t!

I was excited to learn about Invisalign as an alternative to braces.  Invisalign Teen clear aligners straighten teeth without traditional wires and brackets.  Teens and pre-teens will have more confidence and not suffer the painful mouth sores and cuts that braces wearers suffer.  Some other great benefits to Invisalign Teen include:

• removable, which means brushing and flossing are easy and there are no food restrictions!
• can straighten teeth without a mouth full of metal
• Teens and pre-teens can play sports without fear of injury and continue cheerleading, playing musical instruments, acting, and singing without interference.
• no broken wires or brackets, so no emergency visits to the orthodontist
• fewer appointments required since several aligner sets are provided in advance
• Invisalign Teen includes up to six free replacement aligners, although clinical data from orthodontists confirms that teens wear their aligners an average of 21 hours per day, just as recommended.
• Small blue dots, officially called “compliance indicators,” gradually fade as aligners are worn. It’s a quick visual check for doctors, teens and parents to confirm aligners are being worn enough to get results.
• In case you’re wondering, Invisalign Teen is just as effective as traditional wire and bracket braces.  Invisalign can correct the most severe teeth straightening and minor cosmetic adjustments, as well.
• Invisalign Teen costs about the same as braces, so it’s definitely worth it to check it out.  Most insurance companies will cover Invisalign – just like traditional braces – up to 50%.  HSA’s can also be used for Invisalign

I was encouraged by these before and after pictures. IF D still has an overbite in a few years, we will look to find an orthodontist who specializes in Invisalign.  These results are great:

Check to see if your orthodontist specializes in Invisalign or find an ortho who does.  Visit the Invisalign website and click “find a doctor” to locate experienced Invisalign and Invisalign Teen doctors in your area.  

Do you have questions or want to see if this is right for you or your child?  Find out the answers to your questions about Invisalign and see more Invisalign results on the website!

Have you brought your child for an orthodontic consult yet?  Do you have experience with Invisalign?  I’d love to hear more about it in the comments section!