An innovative approach to straightening teeth can be found with Invisalign. Treatment involves wearing a series of clear plastic aligners to gradually move teeth into better positions. The process is available to both teens and adults, but the unique needs of teenagers are addressed with Invisalign Teen.
Young adults today live very active lifestyles. School, sports, friends, dating and more all add up to very little time or patience for dealing with traditional orthodontics. Invisalign corrects smiles without bothersome metal brackets and wires. Instead, teens are able to go through their daily routines with little impacts during the process of improving their smiles.
Invisalign offers numerous benefits. The removable aligners allow for normal brushing and flossing, eating without diet restrictions, and the ability to skip wearing them for special occasions. Invisalign creates little to no irritation or discomfort, and the invisible quality of the aligners means keeping a confident smile during treatment.
Invisalign Teen is very similar to the adult version of the product, but it has some features that appeal especially to the younger audience. These include:
- Small blue dot indicators on each aligner that gauges wear time. The dots fade after about two weeks of wear, indicating it’s time for a new aligner. This helps dentists know whether or not teens are adhering to the wearing guidelines when two weeks passes but the dot is not gone; more consistent use is then advised.
- Eruption tabs are present to compensate for a mouth that does not yet have all of the permanent teeth fully erupted. Spaces are left in the aligners for adult teeth to form, actually helping to guide new teeth into good positions as they erupt.
- Since teens are known to lose things often, up to six replacement aligners are available for free. This reduces the stress and expense over misplaced aligners.
- With sports or playing musical instruments a common part of teen years, Invisalign doesn’t hold the patient back from enjoying those activities. There are less risks for mouth injury or appliance damage than with traditional braces.
Teens find Invisalign to be a very appealing alternative for smile correction. Ask your dentist about it for your teen today!
