Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Invisalign vs. the Six Month Smile

Recently, I was having a discussion with a friend about braces.  She had just started treatment with Invisalign.  This option is more flexible than the Six Month Smile braces in the fact that it's a removable retainer.  (Handy for picture taking, evenings out, etc.)  However, instead of raving about the experience, she told me that it's actually been more of a stresser. 

Her dentist told her to keep her Invisalign retainers in around the clock, taking them only out for meals.  As a teacher, she snacks when she can between classes.  In other words, her meals are more like frequent snacks as her breaks allow.  She was also warned that anything darker than water (tea, coffee, soda) may stain the retainers.  Taking the retainers in and out throughout the day is not only messy, but also increases the chance they get dirty/misplaced/etc. in the classroom.  (Picture an active group of 6th graders!)  Additionally, she felt like there was more wear and tear on the retainers because of her taking them out so frequently. Finally, there's the timeline.  I was out of my Six Month Smile braces in exactly six months.  (Though, frequently, patients take a couple of extra months to complete treatment...or they may even be able to take them off early!)

Though there were days that I wished I could have taken my Six Month Smile braces off, I'm so thankful that I could always eat, drink and be merry with them on!  Working in PR, I'm always "on" and I can't imagine sweeping my retainer out of sight if someone happened to step through my office door while I was nibbling.

What are your thoughts? Do you know someone who has Invisalign?  How do you feel they compare? There are benefits to both, but which is the better option for someone considering braces as an adult?

5 comments:

  1. That is a valid question. One advantage of Invisalign is that it's hardly noticeable. This is beneficial to people who are conscious of their looks, or if their work involves conversing face-to-face with clients frequently. Braces are good if you're not that conscious, and they tend to work faster than Invisaligns. As an adult, aside from those factors, there are things such as cost and availability, so it's truly a case-to-case basis.

    Lindsey Hubbard @ Team Green Dentistry

    ReplyDelete
  2. With braces vs. Invisalign, I couldn’t say one is a better option than the other as such depends on so many factors, and the experience may be different for other people. Anyway, I’m glad to know your choice turned out well for you. Cheers!

    Elfrieda Sevigny @ Simmonds Dental Center

    ReplyDelete
  3. can you suggest me which braces are comfort for my cousin,bcoz she has an 5 misaligned teeth.should wear braces or any other options are there.


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