This post was sponsored by the Invisalign® brand and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
When I first heard about Invisalign® treatment as an orthodontic solution for teens and tweens, I was stoked. I had braces in middle and high school, and I hated having metal braces. They were hard to maintain, I was limited by what I could and couldn’t eat and, let’s be honest, no matter how many different color bands they offer to help spruce them up, metal braces are still visually distracting to your smile! So, when I started looking into orthodontic treatment for Reese, I was dead set on finding a more discreet option.
I had shared with Reese my experience with metal braces so I was pretty sure she wouldn’t be too excited about getting clunky metal braces, especially since she spends a lot of time in front of the camera and her smile is important to her. When I read about Invisalign treatment and learned there was an orthodontic treatment that was less noticeable than braces that were still effective, I came to Reese with the idea. Initially, she didn’t understand why she needed braces or how the process worked so it took some convincing for her to even get on board with going in for a consultation.
I wasn’t even sure if she would be a good candidate for Invisalign treatment. I had done a ton of research online and discovered some individuals may not qualify for Invisalign for various reasons, so naturally, I had a lot of questions.
I spent a few days researching orthodontists in my area that specializes in Invisalign treatment by using the Doctor Locator search tool on the Invisalign brand website. We scheduled our first Invisalign treatment consultation with Dr. John Bottala in Chino Hills the very next week! I can still remember how scared Reese was when we walked into Dr. Bottala’s Chino Hills office. She was obviously very nervous, but if I’m being honest, I was too. This was a new experience for both of us and we didn’t know what to expect.
During an hour-long consultation, we chatted with the staff, took a tour of the office so that Reese would feel more comfortable and they took a few x-rays of Reese’s teeth. We were told right then and there that Reese was a perfect candidate for Invisalign treatment and Reese was visibly excited about it all. After the evaluation, the orthodontist sat with us and explained how the process worked. Reese also felt extremely comfortable thanks to the professionalism and great chairside manner of the staff at Dr. Bottala’s office.
It turns out Reese’s teeth are not as bad as I thought they were. She has a deep bite, which is off-centered but Dr. Bottala assured us this is something Invisalign treatment could definitely correct. He also went into more detail about Invisalign treatment. We learned that Invisalign aligners use SmartTrack® material that straightens teeth with more predictability and precision than other clear aligners*. Invisalign aligners have been around for 20 plus years and have helped correct more than 6 million smiles**. Being a nurse who depends on research and facts, this really put me at ease, and it was hard not to feel confident about going with Invisalign treatment.
*Compared to off-the-shelf, single layer .030in material
** Data on file at Align technology as of November 7, 201
During our consultation, Dr. Bottala used an iTero intraoral scanner to take a digital scan of Reese’s teeth to get precise impressions of her teeth. He then showed her really cool before and after 3D digital renderings of how her teeth could look after Invisalign treatment. This sealed the deal for Reese, and she was 100% on board with moving forward with treatment.
After our initial consultation, we decided to move forward with Invisalign treatment. Our next step is to wait for Reese’s first set of aligners to come in so she can start her treatment. We left Dr. Bottala’s office with a customized treatment plan designed just for Reese that mapped out tooth movement and gave us an estimation on how long treatment will take.
We were already sold on Invisalign treatment, but Reese had a few other questions regarding the care of her new aligners. Being a foodie, her biggest concern was would she have to change the way she eats or give up certain foods altogether. Dr. Bottala assured us that Invisalign treatment wouldn’t stop Reese from enjoying all the food she loves and no foods were off limits because the aligners are removable.
He went on to ease her mind by letting her know she would be able to remove the aligners if she needed to for photos or if she was filming (yay no headshots with braces lol). This also would mean she could continue to brush and floss as usual. What I loved most was knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about broken brackets and wires like with typical metal braces.
If you’re still reading, I know you’re probably screaming at your screen “BUT HOW MUCH DOES IT COST!” I was wondering the same thing when we first looked into Invisalign treatment. Now, I can’t tell you the exact cost of treatment since that will vary depending on both the treatment plan and duration, but I can tell you that Invisalign treatment can run you about the same as traditional braces. Another bonus is, fortunately, most dental insurance plans that cover traditional braces also cover Invisalign treatment, but do make sure to check with your plan.
Our Invisalign treatment looks like it will last about one year, and I’m excited to share this journey with you. If you are considering orthodontic treatment for your son or daughter (or even yourself), you’ll want to bookmark this post and check back every few months as I update you on Reese’s progress. Don’t forget to also take a moment to visit the Invisalign® brand website so you can discover if Invisalign treatment is right for your family.
