If you are a person who wants to get their smile fixed or teeth aligned correctly, the idea of wearing metal braces for three or four years seems like a scary choice.
That’s where Invisalign comes in. But is Invisalign worth it? Is it as good at correcting overbites, underbites, and more, as regular braces?
Did you know that Invisalign was invented by two Stanford graduates in 1997 and was first sold to orthodontists in 1999? Also, Invisalign is used by more than 2.5 million patients in 45 countries!
Is Invisalign better than braces, though? Is Invisalign for everyone? Let’s read on to see what the reviews say about Invisalign versus regular metal braces.
Invisalign Is Chosen Mainly for Aesthetic Reasons
One of the main reasons why Invisalign is becoming so popular is the invisibility factor. Wearing metal braces seems inelegant and unattractive.
Going into a meeting or to school with metal braces on feels so awkward sometimes. As if you’ve traveled back in time and gone into the dark ages somehow.
Invisalign’s biggest benefit is that you can fix your teeth without it being obvious that you are wearing aligners or braces. They are mostly invisible unless the light hits them a certain way.
Just because you were born with the wrong genetics, and have bad teeth, doesn’t mean that everyone needs to know about it! Does it?
Unless you feel the desire to brag that you are going to have a better smile than everyone in a few years, no one needs to know you are fixing your underbite or overbite!
Some Other Benefits of Invisalign
On top of it, the invisible plate (aligners) can be removed for a couple of hours if you have an important presentation or event or a date to go to.
It’s also much easier to remove and clean the Invisalign trays. This is useful also when you are eating, or brushing your teeth – remove them and you are good to go. With braces, flossing in and around them seems like a pain sometimes.
Invisalign also moves your teeth much more slowly than traditional braces. This means that you are going to feel less discomfort over time.
Also, fixed brace brackets cause mouth sores where they rub against the soft tissue of our mouth, which can be quite an annoyance to people using braces. This isn’t something Invisalign users have to worry about. Definitely a major plus!
Even though Invisalign seems like a better option in certain ways, there is more to consider here.
Invisalign Is Slightly More Expensive Than Braces
The Invisalign website says that their treatments cost anywhere from $3000 to $7000, only part of which would be covered by dental insurance.
Traditional metal braces start at $2000. They can go as high as $6000, for more complicated cases.
As you can see, Invisalign has a higher barrier-to-entry. If you are working with a lower budget, and you aren’t worried about aesthetics too much, traditional metal braces might be the better option for you.
The problem with traditional metal braces is that if you end up eating popcorn or something hard like that, it could get stuck in your braces, and break them. This might result in an extra cost for you.
In the long run, you might end up paying more for braces, if you are not careful with them while eating, playing sports, and more. Invisalign has an advantage that they can be removed while eating, playing sports, and more.
It also depends on what your dental insurance (if you have any) would end up covering.
Invisalign Can Also Cause a Slight Lisp for Certain People
This is something that a lot of people aren’t aware of, but when you think, is Invisalign worth it, then slight speech impediments should be taken into consideration as well.
Because your mouth and tongue aren’t used to having aligners in and around them, you might end up having a lisp for the first few weeks of wearing your Invisalign.
If you have the kind of role that doesn’t need a lot of talking or presenting, that might not matter much to you. But if you are a student who is worried about having a lisp, then maybe braces would be the better option.
Invisalign Isn’t for Everyone and Remote Treatment Only Works in Certain Cases
One of the reasons people love Invisalign is because some of the popular advertising claims that you can get your teeth fixed remotely, all while never visiting a dentist or an orthodontist.
You can order an impression kit and make your molds yourself at home. Seems too arduous for you – you can do a remote online appointment or you can go into an orthodontist to check your progress.
But there’s no free lunch here. As you can see, eventually, you will have to go to a dentist or an orthodontist for a checkup, to see how your teeth are adjusting to the aligners.
Besides, if you have issues with your aligners, or if they break, all these have to be checked up by the orthodontist in person. It’s not as easy as putting the Invisalign on and catch you four years later.
Only a minor percentage of patients can be treated remotely, and this is only possible when you need mild to moderate straightening.
Is Invisalign for everyone? The answer would be, unfortunately, no. Many factors, such as age, the level of straightening needed, your commitment to the process, and more, would play into the choice.
In Conclusion, Is Invisalign Worth It?
If you are still asking, is Invisalign worth it, the answer is, it depends on your unique situation.
Traditional braces and Invisalign both have their pros and cons. The best thing would be to go to an orthodontist and get an honest evaluation of your teeth and where you are at.
If Invisalign is suitable for you and your needs, your orthodontist can let you know that.
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