[GOSH, BUT I LOVE SHARING STUFF: CONGRATULATIONS SARA (#12) 7/16 - CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS]
You know the drill - sorry, no pun intended - the standard rule of thumb for good dental hygiene is to make appointments for a check-up and a teeth cleaning every six months and brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day.
Then, you have kids, they start growing teeth, or begin breaking them and, well, you suddenly find yourself on a first name basis with pediatric dentists, the orthodontist AND his/her staff.
Just so you know, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends all children get a check-up with an orthodontist by no later than age 7
Never mind actually fitting in a visit to the dentist's chair, for yourself and worrying about whether your dental insurance is going to cover the cost of 4 sets of braces (YIKES!) or not, right?
I was recently contacted by the folks at Invisalign (you know, the clear braces people) about a new product for teens and, since I have two of them (my two oldest are teens, I mean) who happen to need braces (badly) I was curious to know a little more about the process, as opposed to being fitted for traditional braces.
So, they booked us a consultation with a local designated provider (whose office happens to be right next to our pediatrician) and we got an up close and personal look into Invisalign Teen, one step at a time.
Wanna see?
Step 1 - We were very happy to have had the chance to meet with Dr. Joshua Epstein of The Brace Place, our local Invisalign Teen designated provider, who often speaks at dental-type conferences about the product, as well.
Why?
Well, we wanted to learn whether or not it would be a good fit for my oldest daughter, Holly. As most teenagers, my 15-year-old is very sensitive about her looks, especially her teeth (that's pretty much the most you'll see the kid smile) but, Dr. Epstein was able to put her right at ease, by making fun of her blogging mother (that would be me) and my habit of taking pictures and writing about stuff like this, a lot.
Step 2 - Digital pictures were taken of Holly's face and profile.
Step 3 - Then, impressions were taken of Holly's teeth and were also digitized into 3D versions, which can then be used by the orthodontist to plan Holly's tooth movements, from beginning to the end of her treatment. As a courtesy to her, I promised my daughter I wouldn't publish them. But, suffice it to say, it was pretty obvious, right away, that she need braces.
Step 4 - From here, based on treatment plan, aligners would be made to custom-fit her teeth.
Step 5 - They are totally removable (brush, floss and eat whenever, or whatever you want) and the number of aligners changes for each person. See those blue little dots? Actually, those are gauges that gradually fade to clear, as the aligner is worn, about 20 to 22 hours everyday.
Step 6 - About every two weeks, old aligners are swapped for new ones, that will gently and continuously move her teeth (rather than changing out wires on traditional braces) until they are in their final prescribed position.
Note: Pre-teens can also be candidates for Invisalign Teen due to “eruption tabs” built into the aligner to accommodate molars that have not yet come in.
T-shirt courtesy of The Brace Place
FINAL VERDICT: The process of being evaluated for Invisalign Teen was very painless (you're welcome, Holly) and being able to wear braces that are invisible AND removable (for school pictures and special events, etc...) would certainly be a HUGE boost to any teenager's (or adult's) self-esteem.
Unfortunately, after the most complete exam we've ever experienced (seriously, we've been looking into braces for over a year now) and consulting with Dr. Epstein little further, we both decided that Holly's dental needs require further treatment with traditional braces. Still. I appreciated his honesty and professionalism (I never felt as if the product was being pushed on us, at all) and, frankly, I was very surprised to learn that, in Holly's case, there was no difference in the cost for Invisalign Teen as opposed to the cost traditional braces.
I want to take this moment to thank Dr. Epstein for his patience -- typically, bloggers (like me) sort of scare people -- and a big "YOU RAWK!" shout out to my daughter, Holly, for helping me out with this review. I owe you a french vanilla smoothie, sweetie.
So, what's in it for you?
I'm very excited to have partnered with Invisalign Teen in helping to promote good dental hygiene and possibly introduce other families (like mine) some information on alternative methods of straightening teeth, to that of traditional metal braces, by offering one of our beloved readers Invisalign Teen: Great Reasons to Smile Hygiene Kit, including:
- 25 Day Spa & Salon Gift Card
- Clear necessity beauty supplies: face brush, eyebrow/eyelash comb, travel containers, eye makeup remover, hand sanitizer, lip glosses, GoSmile Teeth Whiteners
- Clear dental hygiene products: dental flosses, mouthwash, breath fresheners, travel toothbrush
- Facts About Invisalign Teen Brochure
- Sample Invisalign Teen Aligner
[Retail Value: $75.00]
Because, we roll like that!
FIND IT HERE: Invisalign Teen (http://www.invisalign.com/teen/Home/Pages/Welcome.aspx)
GET IT HERE: To enter, visit their website, take a look around (because, you learn more stuff about the product that way) and then leave a comment below (like, if this review was helpful, or not, did it make you smile, or if not, don't be afraid to tell me) with a valid email address on this post by 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22nd and you're automatically entered to win. One (1) winner will be picked (via random.org) and announced via email and posted on My Prizey Giveaways Page!
EXTRA CHANCES TO WIN - I MEAN, WHO COULDN'T USE THOSE, RIGHT? 2nd entry: Blog about this giveaway - leave a separate comment and a link to your blog post. 3rd entry: Subscribe to our feed - leave a separate comment, to lock in entry. 4th entry: Subscribe to our updates via email - leave a separate comment, to lock in entry. 5th entry: Post this giveaway on Twitter - leave a separate comment and a link to your Tweet. FOR A TOTAL OF 5 (FIVE) COMMENTS = 5 (FIVE) POSSIBLE CHANCES TO WIN! Good luck and don't forget to check out our giveaways page for more awesome stuff we're just itching to, you know, giveaway!
[No payment, other than a free consultation, for the purpose of this review, was received for this blog post - courtesy of Gold PR and Invisalign Teen]
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