Straight Talk about Braces with Invisalign Teen
I was so pleased when Invisalign contacted me last week to receive some information about their Invisalign Teen program. Seeing as I happen to be the proud "owner" of a teen who is definitely in need of orthodontic work, it couldn't have come at a better time!
I present you with Exhibit A - my son 13 year old Blake.
We have known for quite some time that some kind of braces were going to be in our future. Both my stepson and my older son Matt both had to have braces and major dental renovations as well. Plus I've had dentists telling me Blake is going to need braces since he was about seven. Now they are actually starting to get anxious and they've been handing me orthodontist's business cards at every appointment for the last year and a half! So I'm thinking maybe it's time we took the HINT.
So, when I got the Invisalign Teen press kit, I looked it over with more than the usual interest. In fact, I've been going over it with a fine toothed (ha ha) comb for the last couple of days. I learned some stuff that has addressed some of my concerns about my son's future braces. Here's a couple of points that really caught my eye:
- They are designed to be removed for eating, brushing, and playing a musical instrument. Blake plays the trumpet and is terrible about brushing his teeth, so this was a BIG plus for me.
- They have these very clever "blue compliance indicators" so you can tell if the kid is wearing them or not. How cool is that? Because I'm sure that my little darling would never "forget" to wear his aligners for two or three days at a time (snort!) BUSTED!
- They also have "Eruption Tabs" that allow for the growth of secondary molars like their wisdom teeth. Don't they EVER stop teething???
- Here's another biggie - they have automatic insurance that provides up to SIX replacement guards in case your teen loses them. That's an almost certainty for us and a big concern of mine. They only have to wear the Invisalign Teen system for a year or so, so I'm hoping six would be enough!
- The Invisalign Teen product seems a lot more comfortable than traditional braces. My older sons both had to have that palate expander thing with the key that you turn to spread the upper sets of teeth wider apart. Nasty things and very uncomfortable, plus they make this gross sucking sound when they get food caught in it, which is pretty much every meal. TMI, I know, but true. And then the wires would poke them in the gums or they'd break and you'd have to rush the kid in to get them re-wired. The fun never ends when you've got a kid in those lovely wire braces.
- Looks to me like the overall time to wear them is less, plus it looks like there are fewer and shorter appointments with the Orthodontist. I was lucky because Matt's guy Dr. Feller had free wireless internet plus fresh baked cookies (surprising, I know, but I'm not one to turn down free cookies) and a nice play area for Blake who was about six at the time. But I do remember having to take a lot of time from work to sit there and watch them poke around in my son's mouth every few weeks for those two long years.
By the way, here is Exhibit B - Mr. Metal Mouth holding Blake.
Think he'd have been a bit happier with a set of these?
Was it worth it though? I'll let you be the judge. Here's what my handsome son looks like these days.
I figure if we have to go through braces (again!), Invisalign Teen sounds like a surefire winner to me. Here's hoping that the third time will be the charm for us!
If you are interested in more information, you can go to the Invisalign website to learn more about the options they have for both teens and adults.
Disclaimer - This was a sponsored post. I will receive a small incentive for posting and have the possibility of earning a set of Invisalign aligners for my son. However, if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you'll know that my opinions are my own and I have no problem with sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with you, whether I receive compensation or not.
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1 comments:
Hey Adrian! Found you thru SITS.
If you are still looking for organizational posts check out my blog.I'd love to do a guest post. I am also a finance person so I can blog about that if you like. I currently am a CFO at a small government entity.
My blog is www.nuestrasaventurasentexas.com
and I've always wondered about Invisalign but have heard it's very expensive. Love your blog and am now following you. Would love it if you'd follow back.
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