If your teenager has misaligned teeth, you can improve their smile with clear aligners instead of metal braces. They are virtually invisible and can be removed for eating, brushing, and cleaning.
However, you should know that this orthodontic treatment requires discipline and commitment to follow your orthodontist’s instructions. Here are four reasons why Invisalign for Teens is the right choice for your teenager.
Why Choose Invisalign?
Invisalign for Teens is a way to get efficient orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth, uneven spacing, and bite issues while still being able to be a kid. It eliminates the stigma associated with metal braces and allows them to smile confidently during social events, at homecoming, and even in the yearbook photos.
Teenagers must avoid sticky and fibrous foods with traditional braces because they can quickly get stuck in the brackets or underwires. However, teens can continue eating whatever they want with Invisalign as long as they remove the aligners before eating and brush their teeth afterward.
Additionally, if their smile doesn’t need significant corrections, they can expect to finish their treatment about five months sooner than those who wear traditional braces. Invisalign is comfortable, aesthetically superior, and compatible with their lifestyle. This includes summer camps, sports activities, and school. They’ll need to remember to wear their aligners as much as possible!
The Aligners Are Removable
Invisalign has many advantages over traditional braces, but removing the trays can be challenging for some teens. They may need to remember to put them back in before eating, be distracted during social engagements, and lose track of their aligners.
Fortunately, we can solve this problem at Lux by using an app that monitors aligner wear. This feature will notify parents if the trays aren’t worn for enough hours, preventing patients from falling behind in their treatment.
The ability to take the trays out also means that they can brush and floss their teeth with ease, as opposed to having to use a toothbrush with a small bristle head or struggle to maneuver a small brush around brackets and wires. This is an important way for our Greer and Simpsonville Invisalign for Teens patients to maintain their regular dental hygiene regimen throughout their treatment, reducing the risk of cavities or gum disease.
The Aligners Are Virtually Invisible
Invisalign for Teens uses clear BPA-free plastic aligners that are completely custom-made for your teen’s teeth and smile. Unlike metal braces, your teen can remove their aligners for eating, playing sports or musical instruments, and social occasions like prom. They also can brush and floss normally to maintain healthy gums and teeth while they undergo treatment.
The best part is that the aligners are virtually invisible, so your teen won’t have to worry about embarrassing metal braces in their yearbook photos or Facebook profile pictures. The aligners are comfortable to wear and won’t cause mouth abrasions, as wires and brackets sometimes do.
Of course, like with regular braces, your teen must wear their aligners for at least 22 hours daily to achieve the best results. Our orthodontists are happy to talk with you and your teen about whether Invisalign for Teens is the right option for them. We can use our state-of-the-art iTero 3D scanner to create a virtual model of your teen’s smile and demonstrate how the Invisalign process works.
The Aligners Are Custom-Made
Unlike traditional metal braces, which are not customizable for each patient, Invisalign is a precise treatment explicitly tailored to your teenager’s smile and bite. After a consultation, our orthodontist will take impressions of their teeth and create custom aligners they can wear throughout their treatment.
The aligners are made of a flexible, comfortable plastic that fits perfectly in their mouth. Each is worn for about a week before being switched out for the next in the series until they get the desired results.
As a result, they won’t have to deal with food restrictions or extra-oral hygiene care like brushing and flossing that come with traditional metal braces. They will still be able to enjoy all of their favorite foods and activities while getting the beautiful smile they desire.
