Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Earlier this month I attended a Mini Bloggy Boot Camp, sponsored by Invisalign. The presentation from Invisalign resonated personally to me as I consider Invisalign vs braces. I had braces when I was about 12 years old. I remember the cuts and soreness associated with it but it was all worth it to have straight teeth. That wasn’t the experience that came to mind though.
The Sad Story of Crooked Teeth
When I was about 22, I wanted to get the permanent retainer on my bottom teeth removed. Keeping it clean in that area was very difficult and the wire would often catch my tongue (ouch!). My dentist said it shouldn’t be a problem and that my teeth probably wouldn’t move any more any way. Well, my teeth did shift and now it’s as if I never had braces since they are so crooked. I tried to use the makeshift retainer I was given but my teeth moved so much each day that one tooth in particular is slightly wiggly to this day from moving it back and forth so much.
On top of that, my 13-year-old received my bad genes of crooked teeth. Most of them are okay but she has one tooth on the bottom that’s twisted about 30 degrees in relation to her other teeth. With a small cramped mouth as it is, I have no idea how we’ll deal with the wisdom teeth that will likely make their appearance in a few years. Yes, we both need orthodontic help.
Is Invisalign Right For Us?
That brings me back to the Invisalign discussion. Every day I am reminded of my crooked teeth and am ashamed when I smile. I fear the same may be the case with my daughter. I would love for both of us to get Invisalign. After learning how effective the procedure is and how the costs and time are comparable to that of braces, I can’t think of reason why we wouldn’t go with Invisalign. Plus, I think it would be fun to challenge each other to see who is better at regularly wearing the aligners while supporting each other through the process.
With my daughter’s teenage brain, it did worry me that she’d lose her aligners. However, I found out that teenagers are actually more diligent than adults in wearing their aligners. And, just in case, the Invisalign Teen includes six additional aligners for pre-teen and teen patients. That’s a great feature as adults have to pay for extras. Obviously, these will look much better than traditional wires and brackets for those ever so sensitive awkward years too. Invisalign Teen aligners also have small blue dots on the aligners, called compliance indicators, that fade as they’re worn. So, parents have a way of checking on their teen so their hard-earned dollars don’t go to waste.
Getting the Facts Straight About Invisalign vs Braces
A few myths, that even I believed previously, were set straight (pun intended). One of which was the thought that Invisalign could only be used to fix minor issues. This is not the case according to this statement from the brand:
Invisalign effectively treats a wide variety of orthodontic issues including severe bite issues. From underbite to crossbite, deepbite to overbite and overly crowded to widely spaced, advancements to Invisalign’s patented technology continues to increase the complexity of issues that can be treated.
Then there’s the issue of when to start prepping your child to get work done on their teeth. Notice this point I gleaned from Invisalign:
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends taking children 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.”
For even more factual tidbits, this infographic does a great job explaining when and how to proceed in straightening your children’s teeth. You can also visit the official Invisalign website and follow Invisalign on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-date facts and info. You can also enter this giveaway to win a treatment for yourself or your child:
I’m sold! The only thing that’s holding us back is our financial situation as my husband is still out of work. Hopefully he’ll find a job soon and we can commence with finding an orthodontist that specializes in both Invisalign and Invisalign Teen.
46 comments
I think Invisilign sounds really neat, and I love how they are clear! I never really had crooked teeth, just a little but nothing major.
My cousin has had Invisalign for about 6 months now and it’s a very noticeable difference. Her bottom teeth were slightly crooked and I couldn’t believe the change in such a short amount of time.
Invisalign sounds like a great way to make a positive difference in your teeth. Sharing with my family.
I would worry about losing the aligners too. I had no idea Invisalign was an option.
I wish I had this option back when I needed braces. They look so much better and less painful
I had those terrible metal braces when I was a kid. I wish these were around back then!
Heard a lot about these. Sounds like a good alternative.
That’s really interesting about having kids checked by age 7. I worry about two of mine possibly needing some sort of help with their teeth.
I’d totally consider it. My teeth have shifted since I got my braces off 20 years ago.
Wow!! What a great giveaways. My poor daughter has an appt with an ortho next month. She has some major problems
I used invisalign as an adult and loved my results. I still wear my retainers at night to make sure nothing goes to back to the way it was!
Invisalign is great. My daughter has them.
I had braces when I was a teenager and was lucky enough that they were actually kind of “in style” at the time. lol I am so glad there’s a better option out there now that I have kids!
This was really interesting to read. My 6yr old has a tooth that’s crooked on the bottom about 30 degrees too. I’m curious how the permanent one will grow in when it’s here.
This is a great idea, a couple of my kids have crooked teeth, I’ll have to check out Invisalign!
I’ve actually had braces three times – once as a teen and twice as an adult. My second time with braces involved Invisalign. They helped with a portion of my treatment, and I like how easy they appeared to be. (They just weren’t the final solution for my problem.)
Yes, I would use Invisalign as an adult and I am going to! I am just waiting for my aligners to be sent to my ortho and I’ll be getting started! It’s going to be a long haul, but I’m doing it anyhow (and I paid for it all by myself).
Ok, now I’m getting seriously excited for mine to arrive. They said it would be about 4 weeks which is today. I can hardly wait!
I had braces a hundred years ago. My husband did invisalign. He still wears them to keep his teeth in check. If I had the choice when I did it, I would have done invisalign.
My niece was considering using these instead of regular braces. I know she was really leaning toward these.
We have actually looked into the invisalign system for my husband. We are waiting on the $$ too!
I needed braces when I was younger and I so wish they had Invisalign back then. I actually wound up not getting the braces but probably would have gotten Invisalign if it had been an option.
My son is going to need braces and I will definitely be looking into Invisalign. I have had bracket braces twice and the pain from the sores in my mouth was unbearable.
I would love to win this and have straight teeth for once in my life!
I had a clear retainer after my metal braces came off. I’m not sure it is anything like the actual Invisalign, but I had a rough time keeping it “clear”.
We are looking into Invisalign for our tween daughter. So far, it seems like the way to go!
I would have used this if they had it when I wore braces. Great product!
I’d love to try this for myself. Sounds like a big difference!
I love that they have come out with something besides wire braces.
I had braces for five years. I would have loved invisalign!!
I am such a fan of invisalign. I always wanted braces as a teen, but the dentist said I didn’t need them. I still want them. My teeth aren’t turned around, but they are crooked.
My daughter is going to need ortho treatments in the next year. We are definitely considering Invisalign!
I always wished that I had gotten braces when I was younger, but my parents couldn’t afford it. I have thought about Invisalign, just feel too old, though. 🙂
I would LOVE to win this. I want to do invialign, but the cost is holding me back.
What a great giveaway. I would love to win this, for myself.
I have a son who needs this badly. I’m actually debating between this and regular braces. Guess we’ll see what his orthodontist has to say. Thanks for sharing.
This sounds like a wonderful alternative opposed to metal braces!
When our daughter had braces we wanted to get Invisalign, but our insurance wouldn’t cover as much as they would with metal braces 🙁 I would like to get them for myself to fix my overjet but I fear I’d have the same insurance issue.
I have been looking into these more and more for the boys. They have some issues, but they aren’t too bad, and these seem like a great alternative.
I would consider it for myself for sure. I want to get it, but I can’t afford it right now.
YES! I’ve always dreamed of getting it. I could never afford it unfortunately.
I’ve heard great things about Invisalign!
Remember how you couldn’t wait to get braces when you were little because you thought they were cool?!?! Ahhh. Traditional braces were such a nightmare.
I wish they had this when I was younger!!
I sure wish Invisalign was more readily available when I wore braces! I will definitely keep them in mind for my own children, especially since I know they will all be needing braces.
I had braces for 5 yrs. It was miserable. All of my kids except one seem to have inherited my bad genes in that area. I am glad that Invisalign is a an alternative to braces!
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