Invisalign for Teens

The Aligners are Nearly Invisible

Invisalign can treat all the most common orthodontic issues, such as underbites, overbites, overcrowding, and gaps between teeth. And it’s just as effective as traditional braces when used properly.

A major benefit of this treatment is that you can barely see the aligners on the teeth. This can be a big deal to someone in their teen years when confidence is all-important.

Plus, your teen can easily remove the aligners. Since the goal is to wear the aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, they can have them out for a couple of hours each day — like during an important class presentation or playing sports.

Your Teen will Have Less Discomfort with Invisalign

Straightening teeth — whether with traditional braces or Invisalign — will cause some discomfort as you’re moving the teeth into a new position. However, Invisalign applies less pressure to the teeth, which reduces the amount of pain your teen will experience over time.

Plus, the smooth surfaces on the aligners won’t irritate the tongue, inner cheek, and inside of the lips like the jagged edges of metal braces can.

No Foods are Off-Limits

Since Invisalign aligners are removable, your teen won’t have any “forbidden” foods that could cause problems with traditional metal braces. Popcorn, nuts, gum, candy — nothing is off-limits. Just ensure they remove the aligners before eating and brush their teeth before replacing them.

Of course, that doesn’t mean your teen has a free pass to eat whatever they like — oral hygiene is still important, and all those sugary foods can contribute to other health problems.

Oral Hygiene is Easier

Speaking of oral hygiene, it’s much easier with Invisalign than with traditional braces. Your teen just removes the aligners to brush and floss their teeth, then replace the aligners when done. They also brush the aligners with a soft toothbrush and warm water before re-inserting them.

Also, since your teen has likely developed an oral hygiene routine over years, that routine doesn’t have to change. This relieves stress for them, as they don’t have to get used to cleaning their braces with special brushes and floss tools.

You’ll Experience Fewer Office Visits and Shorter Appointments

While traditional braces require frequent trips to the office to adjust or change the wires, this isn’t the case with Invisalign. You simply come in every month or two to make sure the treatment is working, but your teen changes the aligners out at home.

This means less time off from work for you and less time out of school or extracurricular activities for your teen.

Invisalign is Great for Athletes

Many sports that teens play can be intense and can lead to mouth injuries — and the risk is even greater with braces because of the metal brackets.

That’s why Invisalign can be an excellent choice for teen athletes. They can simply remove them to play and then pop them back in when the game is over.

Plus, many sports require the use of a mouth guard — which can be cumbersome over metal braces. With Invisalign, they can simply replace the aligner with a mouth guard while playing.

Additional Things to Consider

When looking at all the benefits, it’s easy to think Invisalign is the best choice for your teen. However, you also need to consider two key issues.

Compliance Matters

Since Invisalign aligners are removable, it’s more important for the wearer to be responsible and follow instructions, so they wear them for the full recommended time. You know your teen better than anyone, so you’ll know how likely they are to be responsible with their clear aligners.

Not wearing the aligners for the full recommended time can cause the overall treatment to take much longer.

Get a Free Invisalign Consultation with Dr. G

The best way to find out if Invisalign is right for your Teen is to come in for a free consultation. We’ll take the needed X-rays, and Dr. G will perform a standard examination so he can determine the best treatment options available.

You will have a chance to discuss all treatment options and prices and get any questions answered. And we can work with you on any insurance plan you may have, as well as advise you on financing options to work out the best plan of treatment for your teen. We strive to offer you every option available to make getting Invisalign as affordable as possible.

Dr. Grewal and our staff are happy to answer all of your questions and discuss the pros and cons of Invisalign treatment versus other teeth straightening methods. Together, we can decide the best option for your teen.

All of this is complimentary, done at no charge to you, and free of any obligations.