Do you have a child who is self-conscious about getting braces? They may not have to live with the traditional systems – they may be ideal candidates for Invisalign Teen! Like standard Invisalign, Invisalign Teen involves a series of clear, BPA-free plastic, removable aligners.
Much like traditional braces that use metal or ceramic brackets and wires, Invisalign applies pressure to teeth to shift them into their proper place. The user wears aligners 22 hours a day, changing into new trays every week.
What Are The Advantages Of Invisalign For Teens?
Invisalign is also a less irritating form of orthodontic treatment. Traditional braces can create sore spots inside your mouth where the brackets or wires rub against the inside of your lips or cheeks. Invisalign doesn’t cause this kind of friction, making the irritation that often comes with braces nonexistent.
Invisalign doesn’t come with broken brackets or wires, either. The aligners use SmartTrack, a medical-grade, multilayer polyurethane plastic engineered to make the system more effective for realigning teeth. Your teen won’t have to come in for an emergency appointment to fix a part of their braces that’s broken. It also makes Invisalign more comfortable and easier to put on and take off!
Of course, if you have a teen in the house, you know how they go through food. Invisalign is good because you don’t have to make as many dietary changes. Traditional braces can trap food, especially if the food is chewy, sticky or hard. Offerings like popcorn, taffy, licorice, bagels and pizza crust can get caught in the brackets and wires – that is, if the foods don’t break these components, too. Invisalign lets teens enjoy all their favourite foods with fewer restrictions.
Invisalign Can Help Raise Your Teen’s Confidence
One reason why many teens hate going through the teeth-realignment process is that they’re self-conscious of the look of braces. It makes a lot of sense: they’re at an age when the opinions of their peers mean a lot. Clear aligners are much less noticeable than traditional braces, meaning teens may not feel as conspicuous. It can be beneficial for their mental health!
Invisalign aligners also make oral health easier to manage. Teens can brush and floss during orthodontic treatment without having to maneuver their tools around wires and brackets. Solid oral hygiene usually means fewer cavities, better results from orthodontic treatment, and more confidence in their smiles!
Invisalign Does Come With Some Responsibility
One of the catches with Invisalign? Your teen can’t be lax on keeping their aligners in their mouth. The user must wear the aligners for 20 to 22 hours per day at a time for the system to work. Your child can take the aligners out to eat, drink, and clean, but they will have to put them right back in afterward.
Taking out the aligners for eating and tooth care is a benefit, but it also means young patients have to keep track of them. Lost aligners can set treatment time back and get expensive. The Invisalign Teen system does have some free replacements built into it, but the user can’t be cavalier with taking out their aligners.
Parents know their teens the best. If you don’t think they can stick with the treatment as needed, traditional braces that your child cannot remove could be a better option. But know that the many positives of Invisalign Teen can motivate them to stick with the treatment and take great care of their smile!