Why Invisalign Is a Better Option than Braces for Your Teen

It’s time to help your teen get the confident smile that they want and deserve. Whether choosing to straighten their teeth is for health reasons or purely for cosmetic purposes, deciding on the type of dental care is a big decision. There are a lot of options and factors to consider which can lead to unnecessary stress. Let us help make this decision easier for you; Invisalign is the best option for straightening your teen’s teeth.

Invisalign is a series of clear, removable aligners. Their design makes it almost impossible to tell when someone is wearing them. They’re made by taking a 3D image of the mouth using a special scanner. Because they’re custom-made, they fit perfectly to the individual’s teeth and gums, making them surprisingly comfortable to wear. Thanks to the imaging that has been taken of your teen’s teeth, your teen will also be able to see an estimate of what their teeth will look like once treatment is completed. More than 70% of orthodontists in the U.S. are certified to provide dental care with Invisalign. To find one for your family, simply google “family dentist near me.”

Not convinced yet? That’s okay: we’ve compiled a list of the most important factors to consider when making this decision:

Price

There’s no getting around it: dental work is expensive. The number one consideration for families when deciding between Invisalign or braces is the cost.

The cost of Invisalign usually ends up being cheaper than braces depending on the duration of your teen’s treatment. Invisalign is typically covered by dental insurance — just make sure to contact your insurance company about your specific plan beforehand. You can also talk with your family dentist about different financial plans to help your teen’s dental work fit into your budget. To find a family dentist that accepts your insurance, Google “family dentist near me” and talk with their receptionist for more information.

Time commitment

When it comes to the length of treatment, Invisalign comes up significantly shorter than braces. The average duration for Invisalign is nine to 15 months. Braces, on the other hand, average about two years depending on your teen’s specific needs. With braces, your teen will have to visit your Gainsville family dentist once a month for tightening and wire changes. The initial appointment alone lasts about two hours and each individual appointment after is about 20 to 30 minutes.

With Invisalign, your teen will change their trays every two weeks. You can expect them to go through between 18 and 30 trays depending on their specific needs which means you’ll have to visit your family dentist every four to six weeks for checkup appointments. Because they won’t need anything tightened during those checkup appointments, the checkups can last around 15 minutes. Search for “family dentist near me” to talk with your local Gainsville family dentist about your teen’s needs.

Ease of use

Braces are known to restrict the wearer’s habits. Certain foods, especially those that are crunchy or sticky, could damage the brackets and wires on your teen’s braces and are strongly discouraged. Braces also make flossing and brushing effectively more challenging; you’ll need to use a special flosser to get through each individual bracket.

Invisalign negates both of these issues. Your teen will just need to soak and brush their trays at least once a day to keep them clean. Invisalign also comes with added comfort. The brackets on braces rub on the inner cheeks which can cause painful cuts and sores. The smooth plastic of Invisalign, on the other hand, completely eliminates that problem.

Your teen’s confidence

Almost 50% of teens who have used Invisalign have reported a boost in self-esteem as compared to 22% of teens who’ve used braces. Appearance is an important factor to teens, and braces come with the unfortunate side-effect of being visible and in some opinions, unsightly. Many teens get shy or embarrassed about their smile for the duration of their treatment with braces and prefer to keep their mouth closed. Invisalign helps teens get that straight smile they want without encouraging feelings of self-consciousness. They will never have to worry about their Invisalign trays getting in the way or slowing them down.

Have we convinced you yet? Invisalign is the best overall choice for your teen. Don’t wait; talk to our team of dentists here at Gainsville Dental Associates about your teen’s dental care today. Just Google “family dentist near me” for more information or call our office today.