*This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Invisalign® brand. All opinions are my own.*
Thinking about getting Invisalign treatment for your teenager?
The choice to wear traditional braces or Invisalign aligners is one many parents of teens are considering. Lots of young people prefer the relative “invisibility” of Invisalign’s clear aligners and the flexibility when it comes to what you can eat is a perk too. But, is Invisalign treatment right for your teenager? Here are a few things to know about the process before you commit to Invisalign treatment for your teen.
Invisalign treatment isn’t for everyone, but it works for most.
Invisalign clear aligners can treat a variety of orthodontic issues: crowded teeth, overbite, underbite, crossbite, gap teeth, and more. My son had to wear a special appliance to treat his bite before he was able to wear Invisalign aligners completely, but every situation is different and only your orthodontist can determine if your child is a good candidate for Invisalign treatment. You can take the Invisalign Smile Assessment now to get an idea of what the process might be like for you.
You have to be committed to treatment.
The cool thing about Invisalign aligners is that you can take them out. What that also means is that you can leave it out. If you and your child are not committed to the process you can expect it to take longer and be less successful. They have to take ownership of their treatment and be responsible for putting their aligners back in after they eat and keeping them on at school and such, but you, as a parent, have to understand that they will probably require support and reminders from time to time as well. My son did a great job wearing his aligners, but he did need me to remind him when it was time to switch.
The interesting thing is that many parents, me included, report that their kids turned up the responsibility a bit when it came to wearing their Invisalign aligners. To be honest, I was skeptical about my 13 year old being able to adhere to the rules of keeping his aligners in 22 hours a day but, turns out, he wanted his teeth to be straight more than I did, so he did the work.
You still have to wear your retainers afterwards.
Just like traditional braces, if you fail to wear your retainers in the afterlife of Invisalign treatment, your teeth are going to move. That’s just facts and physiology.
A few other common Invisalign Q & A’s:
Q: Does Invisalign treatment cost more than traditional braces?
A: It depends. What your provider charges for Invisalign treatment is flexible so I recommend finding an Invisalign provider to get a quote from. Every orthodontist may not be an expert in Invisalign treatment, so I recommend finding an experienced provider.
Q: But does insurance cover it?
A: Yes. If your insurance covers traditional braces it likely covers Invisalign treatment the same way.
Q: I don’t care if my kid has a metal mouth, why should I get Invisalign treatment just so he looks cooler?
A: The clearness of the aligners is really only one of the benefits to wearing Invisalign clear aligners. Your child can also maintain better oral hygiene with Invisalign treatment because they can remove their aligners to brush every square inch of their teeth. Flossing is easier too! Getting them to brush and floss well is still, however, up to you.
Invisalign treatment also doesn’t require you to change your eating habits to avoid broken brackets and you don’t have to make all those extra appointments to get those broken brackets fixed. Finally, Invisalign treatment usually, in our experience, requires fewer visits to the orthodontist so you don’t have to miss school and work as much to make it happen.
Q: Well I saw some clear braces I could just order online. Are those Invisalign clear aligners too?
A: Nah, bruh, naaaaah. You can find out about Invisalign treatment by visiting their website. I wouldn’t really trust anything else.