When you take care of your teeth with Invisalign braces, you stand to improve a lot more than your smile.
That is because your teeth are a part of an integrated system of health. Your feet are like your teeth in that they are often overlooked and unappreciated. But your poor foot health leads to pain in the ankles, knees, and lower back.
More than pain, you will have a hard time walking and exercising, As a result, your weight and overall fitness will suffer. When you have a problem with your feet, you need more than a pedicure.
Problems with your teeth will affect the quality, and possibly, the quantity of your life (yes – how long you will live!). You have to look beyond the price of braces which are among the more expensive treatments. And Invisalign is more expensive still. But so is a heart transplant. It is all a matter of perspective.
Orthodontists estimate 45% of children need braces to fix functional issues.
Malocclusions such as tooth bunching and jaw misalignment are often treated for cosmetic reasons. But there are much better reasons to get these problems taken care of. Even the cosmetic reasons are about a lot more than just a pretty smile:
More than a Pretty Smile
It is not vanity to want to look your best. How you look is 90% of a first impression. A person will never look better than when they prepare for a blind date. We know how important looks are. It affects everything from the job we get to the person we marry.
It also affects our confidence, which has an effect on everything else. Without cosmetic confidence, we won’t smile, which might make us seem less pleasant.
Some develop the tick of placing their hand in front of their mouth, making them more muffled and giving others less reason to pay attention. The total value of these missed opportunities is incalculable.
Grade school can be brutal for less than physically perfect children. If your child suffers from a facial deformity due to malocclusions, their future can depend on getting braces before too many opportunities pass them by.
Invisalign Braces Can Improve Oral Hygiene
It is tough to get a child to brush and floss in the best of times. If they have to deal with pain or discomfort, the task is all but impossible.
Bunched teeth keep dental floss at bay. Without the ability to floss, more detritus stays lodged in the teeth longer producing more bacteria and tooth decay.
Invisalign braces make it easy to take out the trays for eating, drinking, and performing oral hygiene. That keeps particles of food from getting stuck in the braces as can happen with metal wires.
You will want to brush after every meal. So invest in a lot of those travel-sized tooth brushes.
Healthy Teeth for a Healthy Diet
Telling a child that eating crunchy fruits and vegetables is good for them often fails to get the job done. If your child has unhealthy teeth, that might explain why the message is not getting through.
Crunchy food can be difficult for those with certain kinds of dental issues. They will inevitably show a preference for softer foods. That preference might lead to overcooking fruits and vegetables rather than eating them raw for maximum nutritional benefits.
Damaged teeth will lead to more limited food options. It also has the potential to lead to under-eating: a problem that can be just as bad as over eating.
Traditional Braces
The question remains: Why would a person opt for Invisalign braces instead of traditional braces? Invisalign highlights these facts about braces:
- Requires brackets and wires
- Wires can poke and irritate mouth
- Brushing and flossing require more effort
- Many food restrictions
Children and adults alike are afraid of braces. Beyond the reasons listed above, they look like ancient torture devices left over from the inquisition. They actually look like they hurt.
No adult who wore braces as a child ever speaks of them fondly. The restrictions are scary. No one wants to speak with a lisp. Care and maintenance is troublesome.
Braces are the physical manifestation of the sum of all fears regarding dentists. It is the worst thing a child can imagine. And the imagination of adults are not much better.
Invisalign Braces
Besides being the best known and best supported alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign braces offer the following differences:
- Clear aligners are virtually invisible
- Smooth comfortable plastic aligners
- Aligners are removable for easy cleaning
- Eat whatever you want
Compared to traditional braces, Invisalign braces are painless, invisible, comfortable, less restrictive, and easy to maintain.
In other words, they’re not so scary. There actually are adults who rave about them. People love their Invisalign doctors.
Your child will feel much more confident showing up at school with Invisalign braces than with traditional braces. The same is true for adults showing up for work in public-facing jobs. The ability to flash a smile instead of a metal grill can make all the difference.
Not for Everyone
This confidence and freedom do come at a price. Invisalign braces are generally more expensive than traditional braces. While it is fair to say that you get what you pay for, there are other reasons why some may consider other options.
It can take longer than you expect to complete the treatment. The process may be painless but it is not quick. Because it is physically less aggressive, it takes a little more time.
You will have to watch what you drink. While wearing the trays, you will want to avoid stain makers like coffee and red wine. Your Invisalign braces will not be quite so invisible if you stain them. You will want to restrict your drinking to water while wearing them.
No product is the perfect product for everyone. There is always give and take. But at the end of the day, your smile is worth it, not because it looks pretty, but because a healthy smile is a leading indicator of good health all the way down.
The biggest advantage of Invisalign braces is that they are an options that people are not afraid of. Once that fear barrier is removed, they will be more likely to get the needed treatment than if traditional braces were the only option.
Now you have expanded options for an expanded smile, and ever-expanding opportunities!