So your teen wants to straighten their teeth, but they’re not too excited about the idea of sporting braces.
They’re not alone! About 41% of teens think it’s embarrassing to wear metal braces. While views are changing about wearing braces, your teen should enjoy their smile journey and be excited to start the process!
One treatment option that’s super popular among teens is Invisalign® clear aligners. But isn’t Invisalign more expensive than braces? And what are the actual benefits of choosing Invisalign over braces?
Let’s chat about Invisalign® vs braces for teenagers!
Comparing Invisalign vs braces for your teenager
At Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics in Melbourne/Suntree, Viera and Merritt Island, we offer advanced self-ligating braces in metal or ceramic as well as Invisalign.
Aren’t familiar with those two treatment options? No worries, we can discuss more on them with you:
Self-ligating braces are metal-alloy or durable ceramic brackets bonded to your teeth. They’re connected by an archwire (top and bottom) that uses a passive bracket system to allow these wires to “slide” through the brackets.
A few advantages and disadvantages of choosing them are:
- Advantage: Self-ligating braces are highly-effective at treating simple and complex orthodontic problems. They can help fix your teen’s bite and eliminate crowding, spacing, cross bites, overbites, and underbites!
- Advantage: Your teen can personalize their braces with rubber bands. They can get into the holiday spirit with specialty colors or rock their favorite color time and time again!
- Disadvantage: With braces, there’s a higher risk of your teen experiencing an orthodontic emergency such as a bracket coming loose or a pokey wire.
- Disadvantage: Braces wear requires your teen to follow a restrictive diet. Hard, crunchy, sticky foods are off the table for your teen with braces as brackets and wires can crack and break under the pressure exerted by these types of foods! Sticky foods are also difficult to clean from brackets and can cause the dental cement to loosen or detach from braces brackets.
Now let’s see how Invisalign measures up!
The benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign will use a series of custom-made clear aligners to gently encourage healthy tooth movement. Your teen will change out their trays weekly as each tray targets select teeth or a group of teeth.
One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is that teens can straighten their teeth without feeling self-conscious over having a “brace face”.
Here’s just a few more benefits to choosing Invisalign:
- Invisalign is virtually invisible. Teens can enjoy their social lives and feel confident, whether it’s school photos, prom, or sports events. Invisalign’s clear design makes the aligners nearly undetectable when worn.
- Invisalign is removable. Invisalign aligners can be taken out for eating, brushing, flossing, and cleaning the trays.
- Invisalign is comfortable. Invisalign trays are custom-made, ensuring the perfect fit for your teen. This personalized design often results in less discomfort when compared to metal braces.
- Invisalign requires no dietary restrictions. Invisalign doesn’t limit what teens can eat. They can remove their aligners to enjoy their favorite meals and snacks.
- Invisalign requires fewer office visits. Invisalign typically requires fewer visits to the orthodontist—every 10 to 12 weeks compared to every 8 to 10 weeks for braces—saving time for school and extracurriculars!
So how much does Invisalign cost?
This is one of the most common questions parents have! Especially with rising costs and inflation on everyone’s mind. But you’ll be happy to know that at Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics, we offer Invisalign treatment at the same cost as braces in most cases!
While your teen’s specific cost can vary depending on the complexity of their case, our complimentary orthodontic exam can give you all the details on your expected costs. From maximizing your insurance benefits to help cover Invisalign costs to a range of payment options to fit your budget, our team works hard to make Invisalign affordable for every family.
Why should you choose us for your teen’s Invisalign treatment?
While choosing the right type of orthodontic treatment for your teen is important, so is choosing the right Invisalign orthodontist!
At Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics, we’re proud to be a Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider, ranking in the top 1% of all Invisalign providers worldwide. Our expertise means that your teen receives the best possible smile results from their Invisalign treatment and ensures you receive the best price possible!
Been told your teen’s not an Invisalign candidate? Our experience also allows us to treat even the most complex cases with Invisalign! In fact, we’ve treated several teens who’ve been told in the past that they’re not candidates for Invisalign treatment. Experience can make a big difference and as the first and only Top 1% Invisalign doctors in Brevard County with this type of expertise – your teen’s smile would be in great hands with us!
Still have questions about Invisalign for teens?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Dr. Caudill, Dr. McNeight, Dr. Naglieri, and our friendly team at Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics are ready to help your teen coast into a beautiful new smile.
Ready to schedule your teen’s first orthodontic exam? Request your complimentary consultation at our orthodontist office in Melbourne/Suntree, Merritt Island, or Viera.
Our Viera orthodontist office is conveniently located right down the street from the brand-new Viera Middle School. Making it easy for teens and parents to get to their orthodontist appointments and miss less time in school or extracurriculars.
