Rumor has it. Invisalign is the way to go.
Posted on November 30, 2021
Debunking fact from fiction to find out if Invisalign is right for you.
A lot of people think Invisalign is just for minor problems like slight teeth crowding or tightening up a gap between your two front teeth, but that’s not true. Since Invisalign came into existence in 1997, the technology has come a long, long way. Now, Invisalign trays can fix virtually any problem, big or small.
At Success Orthodontics we’ve heard it all and seen it all and understand that there is a lot of misinformation about Invisalign out there. In this blog, we’ll debunk the fact from the fiction.
Rumor #1: Invisalign is only for people with slight orthodontic problems.
Answer: FALSE.
Invisalign doesn’t just fix minor overbites and underbites, or those few teeth that have crowded together. It can fix more than that. The key is to understand the severity of the problem you want to fix and determine with your orthodontist whether Invisalign is right for your situation and smile goals. Most cases can be easily fixed with Invisalign. Only in extreme cases will an orthodontist suggest another approach besides Invisalign.
What Invisalign Can Fix:
- Gaps in your teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Crossbites
What Invisalign Can’t Fix:
- Misaligned Jaw
- Larger than normal gaps between teeth
- Teeth that are too rotated or turned
- Teeth that need to be raised or lowered
Rumor #2: Invisalign doesn’t have an age limit.
Answer: TRUE.
When it comes to Invisalign, age is just a number. Not only is Invisalign great for teens because it’s virtually invisible, but it’s also great for adults too for the same reason. For teens, Invisalign is great because it allows them to not worry about having a mouth full of metal for important events like dates, prom, sporting events and other cool stuff. For adults, Invisalign is great because it’s discrete and allows you to smile confidently, without feeling like an awkward teenager again. Plus, it’s great for older people who want to get their smile back to where it was 20 years ago. After all, everyone’s teeth shift throughout their lives, and Invisalign can help bring them back into their optimal position. Not bad, huh?!
Rumor #3: Remembering to wear the trays is going to be hard.
Answer: FALSE.
For Invisalign to work its magic, you need to wear them for 22 hours a day. That’s 2 hours to eat, drink, floss, and brush. A lot of people worry that they won’t have what it takes to wear their aligner trays for 22 hours every day, but we know you can do it. Truly, you’ll hardly notice them after the first hour. Think of them like contacts. Once they’re in place, you don’t even notice them.
As for teens, Invisalign has taken every step to ensure they stay on track with treatment. Invisalign Teen aligners come with “compliance indicators,” – little blue dots on the aligners that gradually fade if the aligners are being worn correctly.
Rumor #4: The aligners will make me talk with a lisp.
Answer: (Mostly) FALSE
It’s normal to have a lisp for the first few days of wearing your Invisalign trays. However, you should remember that the human body and the mouth have amazing adapting abilities. Learning to talk with Invisalign goes quick. In fact, it usually takes patients between 1 to 3 days to get used to talking with their aligners.
Rumor #5: You can see the results happening right before your eyes.
Answer: TRUE.
So, it’s not going to happen overnight, but it does happen rather quickly. In fact, most people see visible results within the first 3 months of wearing their trays. Plus, since they’re clear, and you won’t have all that metal in your mouth, you’ll notice the difference sooner than those with traditional braces.
Pro Tip: Looking to speed up your progress? Check out AcceleDent. Just use it 20 minutes a day to massage your gums, and your teeth will move faster.
Rumor #6: You won’t be able to eat whatever you want.
Answer: FALSE.
With Invisalign, you can eat and drink anything you want. The key is to take out your aligners first and make sure you brush, floss, and rinse your teeth before you put them back in your mouth. So, who’s ready for some corn on the cob or soda? With Invisalign, you can eat it, drink it, and have seconds. Just remember to put your aligners back in right away and not wrap them in a napkin. Wrapping your aligners in a napkin is the #1 reason why aligners get accidentally tossed out.
Rumor #7: You can take them out for special occasions.
Answer: TRUE.
Weddings. Prom. Homecoming. Board meetings. Interviews. Whatever the reason or occasion, the beauty of Invisalign is that you can remove your aligners anytime you want. If you have a big event coming up that you don’t want to wear your aligners for, then don’t. You’re free to take them out and put them back in after. It’s literally that simple. With regular braces, that’s not the case. You need to wear them until your treatment is finished.
Rumor #8: Invisalign costs much more than braces.
Answer: FALSE
You may be surprised to hear this, but in most cases, Invisalign costs the same or very close to the exact same as traditional braces. Not to mention, some orthodontic insurance carriers cover Invisalign just like they cover traditional braces.
So, stop waiting, and stop by our Mayfield or Twinsburg office to talk more about Invisalign. And who knows, you could have a completely different smile in no time at all if you do.