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When someone mentions braces, what normally comes to your mind?
Straightening crooked teeth? Painful? Troublesome? Only for teenagers? Well, the first point is true but as for the rest, it need not necessarily be.
Invisalign invisible braces are the alternative to the conventional metal braces. These clear aligners are virtually invisible, removable and most importantly, comfortable. In fact, with over 22 years of research and development, Invisalign was the first to start clear aligners. Today, Invisalign has partnered over 150,000 doctors worldwide and helped to straighten the smiles of more than 8 million users!
But I've got to admit - braces are something I am not entirely in the know of. Sure, there are tons of information available online but because every individual is different, the experience with braces may not be similar. So rather than just doing my research online, I took the monkies down to the Invisalign Centre at Wisma Atria!
Located at #B1-14 of the mall, the Invisalign Centre is a first in Singapore and offers a personalised and immersive experience for anyone who is interested in learning more about the Invisalign treatment.
And no, the centre does NOT sell anything. I couldn't even place an order for a set of Invisalign braces even if I wanted to. 😂 What the centre offers is a one-stop location for people to walk in and feel first-hand how the invisible braces feel like.
Also equally important, they are able to find out more about the various cases that are treatable through Invisalign. But more on that in a bit.
Because the Invisalign Centre is much more than just showing you samples and case studies - it actually comprises of FOUR stations which brings you through the entire Invisalign experience.
So if you are thinking of starting your kids on braces, I strongly recommend bringing them down so that they are able to fully understand the entire process.
STATION 1: Teeth Straightening Simulation
Using the iPads at the station, you can snap a selfie of your teeth when smiling and through its SmileView technology, you can see how your smile would look like after undergoing Invisalign treatment!
Look, no more gaps in between teeth for both Ayd and Ale!
Amazingly, they were more inclined to find out more about Invisalign after seeing the results. 😆 I guess it has to do with being able to see the eventual positive outcome that piqued their interest.
STATION 2: Hands-on with Invisalign clear aligners
This forms the main portion of the centre where you truly get to touch and feel the clear aligners for yourself. What's interesting is Invisalign compiled six of the most common teeth misalignment problems and showcased individual case studies at the panels.
These are REAL Invisalign cases collected from around the world, including nationality, age and duration of treatment.
Personally, it is never enough for me to just see braces on a teeth model when I go to the dentist. I want to see in reality how the aligners had changed in the real-life cases displayed in the centre – and that was also when I found out that you don't wear the same aligner throughout the entire treatment. C'mon, who else thought the same... I can't be the only one right??? 😅
So yes, turns out that couldn't be further away from the truth.
The whole Invisalign treatment consists of a series of custom-made clear aligners, as you can see from the rows of clear aligners for one particular case below.
As time passes, the teeth will shift according to the clear aligner and that's when you change into another set of clear aligner which provides a better fit for the teeth.
Like this clear aligner for crowded teeth. Do you see the 'single tooth' portion which juts out of the aligner?
This is the first stage of treatment. Fast forward to the final stage of the treatment and the final clear aligner looks like this.
Amazing progression! I feel it's great for both parents and kids to be able to see something so tangible; to see the progression of the teeth being straightened in the series of customised clear aligners displayed. There are even teeth models which you can fit the clear aligners to during the mid-stage treatment.
And having touched the aligners, the monkies and I were surprised to feel that they are so lightweight and flexible. Definitely a plus considering one has to wear it for 20-22 hours a day. But no worries, they are removable which makes it super convenient for everyday tasks like brushing teeth or eating. Yes, no worries about getting food stuck in between the teeth AND you can still eat whatever you want!
Even better, it's much safer too especially if your kids play sports. There will not be a case of broken wires, or the dreaded need to head down to the dentist at the last minute with an exam looming the next day!
STATION 3: See how a digital teeth scan is done
Gone are the days where kids have to sit on the dentist's chair for long periods of time just to have their teeth moulds done. That process is tedious, takes a longer duration for the aligners to be custom-made and more importantly, is frowned upon by kids because they just can't seem to sit still!!!
Now, thanks to the marvels of the iTero intraoral scanner, a scan of the teeth can be obtained digitally and on the spot.
It's fast, efficient and can let you see the desired outcome of the treatment even before you begin.
If you have more questions about Invisalign, you can approach the friendly onsite Smile Consultants. They will be able to assist you in any queries about the treatment that you may have, and even help you find a preferred Invisalign dentist based on your location and book the first appointment.
And if you do book an appointment with your preferred doctor at the centre, you will receive a voucher of up to $200 off your Invisalign treatment! Terms and conditions apply, do check in-store for more details.
After the 4 stations, I had a clearer idea of what to expect from an Invisalign treatment so I didn't have any questions for the Smile Consultant.
But Ale did.
"Can I go for Invisalign?"
I thought to myself she is too young for this (she's 9) but I was wrong. Turns out that there is a treatment called Invisalign First which is designed specifically for kids aged 6 to 10 years old. The Smile Consultant shared that even with baby teeth, it may be the perfect time for children ages 6 to 10 to start orthodontic treatment. This is known as Phase 1 treatment and for growing children with a mix of baby and permanent teeth.
That is because at this stage, orthodontists can see issues that may need early treatment to address a developing problem. This can include preventing existing bite issues from getting worse, fix existing teeth straightening issues and even correct oral habits like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.
Best of all, getting started early can mean that when Phase 2 comes along - that's the treatment for teens or when most of the permanent teeth have erupted - it will be considerably shorter and easier.
If you are thinking of getting braces for your child, it pays to head down to the Invisalign Centre to find out more for yourself. And do bring along your child too so that he or she can interact with the displays and will not find it too intimidating when the actual treatment begins.
Like I had mentioned, there is nothing to buy in the centre, so there isn't any obligation to do anything. Just walk in and browse and touch and ask. 😄
No time to head down? You can do the teeth assessment online first - www.invisalign.com.sg/free-assessment
Useful Information
Invisalign Centre
435 Orchard Rd, #B1-14
Wisma Atria, Singapore 238877
Opening Hours: 11am - 8pm daily
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