Everywhere you look, it seems, someone is choosing Invisalign—choosing to wear the modern, almost invisible braces (aligners) over the more traditional metal braces. And who can really be surprised? Braces have been seen for years as a necessary evil, something absolutely nobody of any age wanted to wear but did so because he or she had to. Now, people are actually—dare we say it—smiling over the idea of wearing these aligners. Who can blame them? Read on for some reasons why Invisalign options have become so popular!

—They are, in fact, almost invisible: For generations, kids have dreaded the idea of wearing braces—and so, too, have their parents, for everyone knows how cruel kids can be and how a simple taunt about someone wearing braces can have a negative effect for years to come. Now, choosing Invisalign can turn a teenager’s braces into a conversation piece—the good kind! Everyone from classmates to teachers to other adults will be enamored with the Invisalign braces and will want to know how they work. This in turn will boost self-esteem for teenagers—as well as for adults who wear aligners—and improve the general happiness of patients.

—Even those who were fortunate enough to avoid the barbs of others suffered while wearing metal braces. First of all, metal braces hurt—both during the implementation as well as thereafter—and often resulted in lingering damage to the gums and mouth. In addition, diets had to be modified, often drastically so, and brushing after meals became mandatory, as well as extended ordeals even when patients ate the proper foods. But by choosing Invisalign, patients are choosing to eat what they enjoyed before! If a wearer wants to eat a sticky food, or a food that tends to get stuck in teeth, he or she just has to take out the aligner.

—Patients who choose one of the Invisalign options require only occasional trips to the dentist for follow-ups. Most patients only have to head back to the chair every four to six weeks. Regular maintenance of Invisalign—i.e. changing the device every two weeks—can be handled by the patient simply by looking at the "Blue Dot Indicator" that is on each aligner. When the patient sees the blue dot, it’s time to change aligners! Pretty simple!

—One of the benefits of selecting Invisalign options is the price—at an average of $5,000, it costs about the same as traditional metal braces. And with more insurance companies covering Invisalign, why wouldn’t you choose the treatment that is just as thorough yet much easier on the mouth and much more appealing to the patient?

—For adults who need braces, choosing Invisalign means choosing to spend a far shorter period of time wearing braces. While teenagers probably can’t avoid wearing aligners for the typical two to three years associated with traditional braces, adults can spend as little as 12 months or LESS with the aligners in their mouths.

Choosing Invisalign means deciding that wearing braces doesn’t have to be a miserable experience! Whatever invisalign choice you make, it will be a less painful one for all involved!