If there’s one thing that teenagers and older people today can relate to, it’s the pain and nuisance that come with having braces. Becoming mainstream in the 1970s, straightening teeth using brackets and wires has been used for decades.
For a long time, there has been no alternative, forcing primarily teenagers to endure often years of brackets breaking, wires snapping, and constant visits to the orthodontist for tightening.
However, Invisalign, which was invented in the late 1990s with the same fundamental purpose, is finally gaining traction as an alternative to braces.
As a young student at Stanford, Zia Chishti was nearing the end of his orthodontic treatment with braces. After getting his braces off, his Orthodontist presented him with a plastic retainer, giving him inspiration for a new and far less grueling way to straighten teeth.
Christi then returned to Stanford and presented his idea to Kesley Wirth, who later became the co-founder of Align Technology. The two of them partnered up and began working in a garage in Menlo Park to find a way to make their concept a reality. And in 1997, they officially co-founded Align Technology.
Align Technology’s Invisalign was first introduced publicly in 1999. By 2018, the product had been used to treat 5 million people. This figure increased to 10.9 million by 2020. As of 2023, the number of people who have used Invisalign has risen to 17 million, including 4.5 million teens.
Weston Bailey, a sophomore at Palo Alto High School, says he would still stick with Invisalign if he were given the choice to choose again.
“I think I would stick with Invisalign because braces seem like they would be a whole lot more painful to have on.” Bailey said, “Invisalign only requires some buttons on your teeth, but it can be a bit sore at times when changing to a new set, but you don’t have to have two metal rods on your teeth,” Bailey said.
Bailey also highlights the strengths of Invisalign as it creates more comfort and fewer obstacles in a person’s daily life.
“If you have dietary restrictions, braces can make it harder since you can’t eat some things, but for Invisalign, you can just take it off and have whatever you want,” Bailey said.
Ethan Chan, a sophomore at Paly, finds his experience with braces to be mostly positive.
“For me, it helped me improve my jaw and airway, which helps me breathe better, and that’s pretty important if I’m not able to breathe at night, then I won’t be able to sleep,” Chan said.
According to a Schuessler Orthodontist article, many individuals feel more self-conscious about their appearance during braces treatment, as the metal brackets and distinct wires can be extremely noticeable to others.
Brandon Lin, a freshman at Paly who has yet to wear Invisalign or braces, said that he would rather get Invisalign because of the insecurity that sometimes stems from braces.
“I think I would rather wear Invisalign over braces because with braces, I feel like there are not as many people wearing them in high school,” Lin said.
However, contradicting this, Chan expressed his indifference to having brackets on his teeth.
“I don’t think the appearance thing is a big deal, I don’t really notice it in other people, and I don’t think other people notice either,” Chan said, “but it seems like it [Invisalign] would be easier to keep your teeth clean, because you can take them [Invisalign] off, whereas with braces, you have to brush with the braces on, so it can make it more difficult.”
And finally, sophomore Richard Klinkner, who currently wears Invisalign, gives his perspectives on the two dental treatment options.
“I think the flexibility you get from being able just to pick up a bunch of Invisalign and then switch it every week is much better than having to go get your braces tightened every so often,” Klinkner says.
