Wear Invisalign or clear aligners and looking for a chewies alternative? Learn about Movemints™ – The Mint that Fits™. This post is brought to you by Movemints and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
My 14-year-old daughter recently started Invisalign treatment and by all accounts, everything is going really well…now that we know exactly how clear aligner treatment works!
Her orthodontist made Invisalign sound so simple, and for the record it totally is, but when we were sent home with a huge bag filled with boxes of weekly trays, retainer cases, cleaner tablets, and little foam pieces called chewies, I questioned if we were in for more than we bargained for.
When she unpacked all of the goods, enough for a year of Invisalign treatment, I asked her about the little pieces of foam known as ‘chewies’ and their purpose.
Aligner chewies are used to close air gaps between the teeth and aligners, making sure the fit is secure. But here’s the catch— chewies are reusable, making them really unsanitary if not cleaned and stored properly.
When she told me this, I knew there had to be a better alternative to chewies. As Invisalign is meant to be worn for 22 hours a day, at least a portion of that is during school hours where she’ll need to remove and replace her Invisalign trays and reseat them as necessary,
Now, I am not a complete germaphobe, but the thought of everything she’ll come in contact with during the day added with the need to take the trays in and out to eat, and then chew on a reusable piece of plastic foam, makes me shutter. And let’s not even get into flu season!
Thankfully my daughter is very responsible and knows how important it is to use her OrthoKey (orthodontic aligner remover) and retainer case when taking out her trays. But those unsanitary chewies? They had to go.
In my research, I came across Movemints AKA The Mint that Fits.
Movemints were designed by an orthodontist specializing in Invisalign therapy. Each mint has patented grooves that fit between the top and bottom trays. These grooves can help guide aligners in place without the need for chewies.
Since Movemints are edible mints, they serve a dual purpose—helping Invisalign wearers comfortably seat their trays while keeping their breath fresh.
Also, Movemints are sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan, and are specifically formulated to be eaten with clear aligners. Unlike other mints, they leave no residue or granularity that may irritate teeth and gums. That sounded like a no-brainer!
Movemints sent my daughter a few packages to try out and she has been loving them.
She said Movemints are perfect for use after lunch at school, making seating her trays less awkward with the added benefit of a mint sweetened with xylitol (Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute that can help prevent dry mouth and is thought to prevent tooth decay).
Another bonus she mentioned is that she is finally getting over the desire to chew gum. As you probably know, gum and clear aligners do not mix. Having something that can be enjoyed with Invisalign in place is a huge added benefit!
→ If you or your teen wears Invisalign or another clear aligner, be sure to visit www.dentalmovemints.com and sign up for the Movemints mailing list to receive a 20% off coupon plus other special offers.
Movemints Giveaway!
One lucky Mommy Musings reader will win The Smile Monthly Pack from Movemints (valued at $27.99) along with a $25 Amazon gift card!
To enter, fill out the form below. Giveaway ends 11/10/18 at 11:59pm EST. US only
Movemints have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Christina Gould says
I think clear aligners are a better alternative to braces because they look better and they are less painful. Thanks for the giveaway!
Abigail Gibson says
I remember wearing braces in high school and I hated every minute of it. Wish I had these back then.
Ann Fantom says
Absolutely. My daughter’s experience with clear aligners was much better than mine with traditional braces
Adrienne Gordon says
It’s a confidence issue, they look nicer.
Amanda L. says
They look so much nicer than braces and make it easier to smile.
April says
They look so much nicer!
Nickie says
I think they look nice and are a better alternative
Shannon Baas says
they aren’t as self-conscious with clear braces.
Debbi Wellenstein says
They look better, that’s for sure. I wonder if they would work for everyone.
mami2jcn says
They are less obvious than metal braces.
Jessica W. says
I like how they are not as easy to see as braces. Although traditional braces can be cute too!
beth shepherd says
They look better and are cheaper. Thank you
Lisa says
I think they are better because they don’t look so obvious like regular braces.
Kelly D says
I think clear aligners look better and are easier to keep clean.
Ashley C says
I think they look so much better and make it easier to look professional.
Tandi Cortez says
Oh! That’s an easy question to answer! The metal braces totally scratched the inside of my mouth! Had to constantly have wax on hand! The clear aligners look like they’d be a lot more easier to clean as well. Not to mention, they’re great for the self-conscious teenagers.
Alexandra Y says
They look better.
Katie J says
They help teens be more confident about their smile, and are much less obvious than regular braces.
diane says
People Would not know that you are wearing them
Amber says
I think these are better because they are less stressful for kids and other kids can be so mean with teasing
Mellissa C says
It looks better and I’m sure it feels lighter in the mouth!
Sharon Schoepe says
They are less obvious and would easier to keep clean. My oldest had a really hard time trying to keep their braces clean.
Linda G says
I love that they are clear, I had braces in jr high and just hated to smile and show all the hardware!
Lasonda says
I wore braces as a teenager and they were very painful. Clear aligners look like they can straighten teeth without as much pain.
paige chandler says
They are better because of how awesome they look!
David Hollingsworth says
They are considerably better because they can sometimes cost a little less than regular braces.
Jessica To says
I had metal braces and a metal retainer and the clear ones would have been so much more discreet especially in high school.
Natalie says
I think clear aligners are a better alternative to braces because they are less noticeable and more natural looking!
Azeem Isaahaque says
In my opinion I think they are alot better!
Christine Wolf says
I’m choosing clear aligners after having regular braces 10 years ago. They make me feel more confident and they are more comfortable. Thanks for the giveaway!
Marissa Glessman says
They are easier to clean than traditional braces
Wendy R. says
I think these would be easier to brush with, than traditional braces! My daughter was awful keeping her teeth clean with traditional braces.
Elizabeth Miller says
I think they both have their advantages and disadvantages mainly depending on the child and their commitment.
Terry says
I think with any type of teeth alignment devices there will be pros and cons. With the Invisalign, I would have to agree that they are more attractive, less invasive, no mouth blisters and less mouth pain/aggravation.
Stephanie Liske says
I don’t think clear liners will work as well as braces.
Lisa V. says
More comfortable and less visible.
Carol says
They look better
Jaclyn Reynolds says
Less visible in photos!
Julie Bickham says
Makes you have more self confidence.
Renee Grosskreuz says
They look better.
Kyl Neusch says
they look nice
Joanna Peter says
One of my friends used Invisaline, and it was barely noticeable, unlike my brother’s braces.
Danielle Wood says
I think they look better because they arent noticeable and they are probably more comfortable
Francine Anchondo says
I think they look nicer and probably more comfortable.
Antoinette M says
They are not so noticeable and I’m sure more comfortable than traditional braces.
jenny says
I love the clear look and I feel that because you can take them off to brush your teeth, you keep your teeth cleaner!
Sharold Friedrich says
They look interesting. I had never seen an article on how they work, thanks for blogging about it.
Jennifer H. says
I never heard of this and I think that it is interesting.
Lisa says
The clear ones look a lot nicer.
Mary Gardner says
I think the clear wouldn’t make kids (and adults) feel so self conscious about wearing them.
Linda K says
I imagine you can eat more things than with braces.
kathy pease says
I like them because you can barely notice them. I had braces as a teen years and years ago and hated them.
Christy Leonard says
I think clear aligners are a better alternative than braces because they look better
Cheryl Repeta says
They are hardly visible which is a big difference from braces
Sheila Rominger says
I think clear aligners are better because you can’t see them and there’s not all the wires and brackets. Oddly enough when I was in jr high all the popular kids wore braces.
Sarah L says
Because the kid will be less self conscious.
Thanks for the contest.
Daniel M says
i had braces, really really hated all the wires
Kerry Paul says
I think they look better than braces because they do not draw attention. Kids don’t need any negative attention about their appearance.
Angela heerde says
invisilign looks better very plain than braces.
SHAYNA says
I THINK THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER FOR TEENS WHO ARE USUALLY PRETTY SELF-CONCIOUS 🙂
Robin says
I would prefer them over braces because they are hard to notice.
Stephanie Phelps says
I think clear aligners because you can take them out to clean your teeth and they are less to see this way as well!
Melissa says
they look way better than braces and are removeable!
Lyndsey R. says
They look better and seem way more comfortable. Plus I feel like you can keep them cleaner!
Mary Jacobowitz says
looks better than the old braces
Amy Deeter says
I honestly think that they would be more comfortable for you
Ed says
I am uncertain about this.
Leah Shumack says
They are less noticeable than regular braces. My daughter didn’t get lucky enough for them tho, she enjoys being able to choose her colors every time she goes in tho!
Breanne says
They look better.
Seyma Bennett Shabbir says
Absolutely! They look so much better. I had traditional braces and they ripped the enamel of my teeth. You can still see the marks on my teeth where I had braces. I was so disappointed.
DanV says
They are easier to deal with when eating, but they can get lost
Sara Floyd says
I think they are not as easy to see, so they look nicer
Julie Waldron says
I think they are better because they’re less expensive.
Amy delong says
I think they are better for teens because they are less noticeable
krystal wethington says
It is better because you don’t have to wear the metal braces for years.
Jamie Martin says
Let’s just go with the obvious — price!
Julieh says
I do think they are a less painful and cumbersome alternative.
Buddy Garrett says
Aligners are less noticeable than braces. Teens will feel less uncomfortable wearing aligners.
Lily Kwan says
I think clear aligners are a better alternative to braces because aligners are less noticeable than braces.
Rebecca Weiss says
A clear aligner would probably help girls to not be so self conscious about their braces.
Jerry Marquardt says
Because transparency looks way better, I think this is absolutely marvelous.
Vikki L Billings says
They are better because they are invisible, they won’t cut your lips up.
AEKZ2 says
Clear aligners would be nice because they are removable. Both my kids currently have traditional braces. Ugh!
Philip Lawrence says
I think that they are not as obvious to others and therefore less embarrassing to the one using them.
Sand says
They seem to be easier to use than traditional braces.