5 Tips from a Mom with Kids who have Crooked Teeth

I am an Invisalign Teen^® brand spokesperson and all opinions expressed are my own. Full disclosure.

 

I have learned a lot over the last few years while negotiating 3 boys' orthodontist visits.  They seem to all have inherited "my" teeth (too bad!), so here are some tips from what I have learned about kids and braces:

1. Find a professional.  Visit a qualified orthodontist with your child when they turn 7 to find out the next steps.  If you don't have an orthodontist already selected, click here for qualified doctors near you.
2. Don't cut corners.  Orthodontic care for your child should be about finding the best value that meets your teen's needs, so don't cut corners.  When it comes to important purchases like straightening your teen's teeth, you don't want to take chances.  You want to check treatments for a track record of success and invest in great care, because you can't always get a do-over! Also, I found that getting a second opinion was helpful with one of my boys who had a more complicated situation.  Hearing what the recommendations were from two different doctors helped me make decisions and learn more about his issues.
3. Invisalign Teen® clear aligners is great for teens.  Before I received Invisalign treatment myself, I had the misconceptions that it was too expensive and that teens would lose the clear aligners.  What I learned is that Invisalign Teen is competitively priced, comparable to metal braces and much more convenient for teens.  They are able to eat normally, attend less orthodontist appointments since several aligner sets are provided in advance, have no "braces emergencies", can play sports without fear of injury and the clear aligners are easier to hold onto than I expected!  In fact, teens are actually more compliant than adults about wearing their aligners according to Invisalign-trained orthodontists.
4. Start saving now.  Orthodontic treatment always seems to be an "extra" expense when it rolls around.  It was helpful that we had squirreled away some money – just a few dollars a week over time added up!  3 boys and no insurance can add up quickly.  The good news is that most Orthodontists also have payment plans.
5. Having straight teeth makes you feel better about yourself.  I have never been someone that worries about my self-esteem, but what I found is that I was smiling more freely (even for pictures) after my Invisalign treatment.  I hadn't realized how self-conscious I had become!  A recent study conducted by Invisalign Teen brand and Kelton confirms this phenomenon in teens as well.  They found that the majority of teens (57%) think that crooked teeth are embarrassing and 92% of teens reported that wearing metal braces would keep them from fitting in with their peers.  Teens in Invisalign treatment said their self esteem was boosted during that time.

 

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