Angeline's Invisalign Teen Treatment - Six Months In

It's been just about six months since Angeline began her Invisalign Teen treatment. I wish that I could say that it's been smooth sailing for the last six months, but if you've been following along with us on our journey, you know that's not the case!

Things we've learned about Invisalign Teen:

Invisalign really is the clear alternative to braces!

In our experience, the Invisalign Teen aligners are virtually invisible. Even after six months, I still have to ask Angeline if she's wearing them because I can't see them - and I've had Lasik eye surgery and have perfect 20/20 vision.

Invisalign treats a much wider range of dental problems that most people know. 

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook that adults should not get Invisalign if they need teeth brought down, as Invisalign could not do it and that only traditional braces would be able to fix those dental issues. I was so happy to be able to step in and explain to her that yes, Invisalign CAN move teeth, including bringing them down and up. That is actually one of the things that Angeline is having done in her Invisalign treatment!

I grabbed this photo off of Angeline's Instagram, it was taken about a month prior to her beginning her Invisalign treatment. You can see that her two front teeth aren't exactly even, but her lip covers the "black triangle."

I don't think I've shared this before, but this is the actual simulation of Angeline's Invisalign treatment plan that was provided to us by her orthodontist: Pridemore, Angeline - 21 aligners (1)

Her two front teeth were uneven and had what our orthodontist refers to as a "black triangle," which is a small gap between her teeth. He shaved in between the teeth a little on her first appointment to give them room to meet up, and included in her Invisalign treatment plan was bringing them closer together and bringing them up to make them even. As you can see, even after just six months, it's already almost completed!

Invisalign Teen Treatment Plans offers replacement aligners at no charge!

That's right, if your teen loses their Invisalign aligners - like Angeline did on the way to Barcelona this summer - you can receive up to six replacement aligners at no additional cost! I love that this is built right into the cost of these invisible braces. Many say that Invisalign is much more expensive than traditional braces but they really aren't that much more expensive. In fact, if your dental insurance covers braces, it will also cover Invisalign treatment. You can find out more about dental insurance options for Invisalign here.

While it's embarrassing to admit to your orthodontist that you lost a pair, don't worry, they've probably heard it all before!

You will receive a container to put your Invisalign aligners in while you're eating, just make sure to actually use them! Angeline lost hers because she forgot her container in her suitcase and we were eating lunch at the airport after we had already checked our bags. She put them in her napkin...and of course, we threw the tray away with the napkin sitting right on it!

There are NO forbidden foods with Invisalign!

That's right, you (or your teen, whomever is getting treatment!) can eat whatever you want when you are undergoing Invisalign treatment. I think that might be one of the best advantages that Invisalign has compares to braces! Because you don't have to worry about the wire and brackets that come with traditional braces, there really aren't any forbidden foods. All you have to do is remove your Invisalign aligners before eating and brush your teeth before putting them back in. It's that simple!

Angeline loves cheese fries and makes them for herself for lunch quite often after school. We both love that she can still enjoy her favorite foods while going through Invisalign treatment!

And HELLO, it's almost Halloween! We don't have to worry about denying Angeline any of the sticky, sugary sweets that she likes to indulge in on Halloween due to some silly list of forbidden foods. Though, maybe that's not such a great thing since now I can't confiscate any candy from her...

Is Invisalign an Option for You?

There are so many advantages of Invisalign treatment over traditional braces, and while we've only been in the program for six months, I already know that this was the right option for us. If you've been thinking about getting braces for yourself or your teen, you can check out the Invisalign Smile Assessment to see if Invisalign is an option for you!

While you can certainly visit your dentist for a recommendation for Invisalign, I personally recommend using the Invisalign Doctor Locator tool to find a preferred Invisalign provider. Many dentists aren't even licensed to use the Invisalign product, and may not divulge that information to you, or may not understand how far Invisalign technology has come in the past few years - like my friend who wasn't aware of the wide variety of dental problems that Invisalign can treat! Using the Invisalign Doctor Locator ensures that you are making an appointment with an orthodontist who is up to date on the technology and knows what they are doing!

If you have any questions about Invisalign, or Angeline's treatment, I'd love to help! Drop me a line in the comments below!