Did you know that in the United States alone more than 4 million people wear braces? When it comes to the best age to get braces, earlier is often better since braces can more easily shift the developing teeth of children and teens compared to adults. But are braces or Invisalign better for your teen?
Is there any difference between the braces vs Invisalign cost? Keep reading more below to learn more about the differences between these two options.
What You Need to Know About Braces
Braces can come in all different colors, forms, and materials, but the most traditional kind is metal braces. Metal braces are great for many forms of tooth misalignments and they can make teeth straight often within a year or less. The time it takes to get straight teeth with braces will depend on how crooked the teeth are in the first place.
Metal braces include brackets which are metal square-shaped pieces that a dentist will glue to the center of each tooth. These brackets are then attached to metal wires which connect all of the brackets together. There are also rubber bands that hold together these different parts.
Rubber bands can also come in different colors so your teen can choose whatever color he or she prefers. However, even though metal braces offer the benefit of straight teeth, they can also come with a lot of downsides. For example, tooth staining is a thing you might need to look out for.
If your teen doesn’t take very good care of their teeth, he might end up with white spots and stains on his teeth after the braces come off. You can prevent this by enforcing good dental care. It is important for your teen to brush his teeth every time he eats because food can get stuck under the brackets of the braces and cause stains as well as tooth damage.
Another downside is that metal braces are very visible. If your teen is already embarrassed about his teeth, metal braces may not be the best option because they will only bring more attention to the teeth. Ceramic braces are slightly less visible, but people will still be able to notice them.
On the bright side, traditional braces tend to be cheaper than other types of braces.
What You Need to Know About Invisalign
Does Invisalign work? Of course, it does, and it works just as well, if not better than traditional braces. All you have to do is read a few Invisalign reviews to see the unique benefits that Invisalign aligners have to offer your teen.
One of the biggest benefits is that Invisalign is as close to invisible as you can get in the world of tooth straightening. Invisalign aligners are clear and no one will be able to tell that your teen is wearing them in the first place. This can mean the world to teens who are very self-conscious about their teeth and don’t want to bring any more attention to them.
Another great thing about Invisalign aligners is that your teen can take them off whenever he feels like it. It is important to take off the aligners before eating. This is because chewing or drinking while wearing Invisalign can damage the aligners and ruin the results of your teen’s teeth.
Your teen will also need to keep the aligners in for the majority of the day, even when sleeping. Otherwise, the aligners will not have enough time to straighten your teen’s teeth. Your Invisalign dentist will be able to give you and your teen some pointers such as how to clean the aligners and when to put in new aligners.
It is very important that your teen keeps his teeth clean while wearing Invisalign aligners. If he eats and then puts in the aligners without brushing his teeth, he risks trapping bacteria and food particles against his teeth which could cause cavities, tooth decay, and tooth discoloration. This could damage the aligners themselves as well.
As long as your teen follows basic dental hygiene practices, he should soon end up with perfectly straight teeth.
Braces vs Invisalign Cost
The Invisalign cost for a teenager is important to consider, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Fortunately, even though the Invisalign price tends to be a bit more expensive than traditional braces, they are not drastically more expensive. You can expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,000.
Traditional braces tend to be on the lower side of that range and sometimes even less. While Invisalign may sound like a lot, you will need to consider the benefits the aligners offer over traditional braces. Your teen will have a lot more flexibility when it comes to Invisalign.
He will also be able to feel more confident wearing Invisalign aligners since they are nearly invisible. A teenager might not be able to feel as confident while wearing metal braces which are far more bulky and visible. Invisalign aligners also tend to be more comfortable.
That’s because metal braces are full of corners and parts that may scratch the inside of your teen’s mouth and cause irritation and pain. Since Invisalign aligners are very smooth, your teen will never have to deal with that problem. And, finally, when you get your teen Invisalign, you won’t have to go to the dentist’s office as often as you would with metal braces.
Everything You Need to Know About Braces and Invisalign
When deciding between the braces vs Invisalign cost, you should always pick the best deal for you and your teen. You will need to weigh the pros and cons of braces and Invisalign aligners before making the best decision.
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