A Parent’s Guide to Invisalign for Teens

When your child becomes a teenager, her body will begin to exhibit changes that she may suddenly feel self-conscious about — especially if these changes can be immediately noticeable to other people.

An example of such a development can be observed in the teeth. Most teens — girls and boys alike — will experience the eruption of most of their permanent teeth by age 13; this is a crucial period for helping your child build good oral care habits, as well as for establishing and preserving a healthy, beautiful smile that will last a long time.

For straighter teeth, dental professionals traditionally recommend metal braces, but there are other options that parents can consider for their children. One example is Invisalign for teens.

Here’s a simple guide that can show parents why they should talk to their children’s dentist about Invisalign for Teens:

Invisalign offers a different way of straightening teeth.

Metal braces use wires and brackets to guide teeth into their correct places. The braces are placed by orthodontists onto a patient’s mouth. Invisalign, on the other hand, makes use of clear, removable aligners worn over the teeth; these are switched with new ones every two weeks, and during this time, the teeth are gradually shifted into place.

The aligners are just as effective as metal braces.

Like braces, Invisalign can correct common dental issues like overbite, underbite, gaps between teeth, and overcrowding.

Of course, for the best results, it’s important to use the aligners properly. That means your teen must wear them 20 to 22 hours per day and they must be changed every two weeks. To ensure compliance, each aligner comes with blue indicators that naturally fade over time; this helps let the orthodontist know that the aligners have been used as directed.

You won’t have to pay several visits to the orthodontist.

Unlike braces that should be adjusted or fixed often, Invisalign does not require many follow-up visits. After the initial appointment, the next visits are typically scheduled every four to six weeks.

The aligners cost about as much as traditional braces.

Invisalign generally costs about the same as traditional braces. The difference would lie in the cost of orthodontic treatment for specific dental cases. The good news is that many dental insurance policies cover Invisalign Teen, so talk to the orthodontist about it.

The advantages are certainly encouraging.

Lastly, your child will be happy to use Invisalign, thanks to these reasons:

• The plastic aligners are smooth and won’t hurt the inside of the mouth like metal wires and brackets do.
• They are removable- so it won’t be difficult to eat, brush teeth, play musical instruments, or play sports.
• Your child won’t have to give up certain foods.
• Finally, because of the clear plastic, other people will hardly see that your child is wearing the aligners, so she won’t be self-conscious about her appearance.

Thanks to Invisalign, your teen doesn’t have to worry about the health and appearance of her teeth and she’ll be able to flash a beautiful smile every time.

Totally rad, dudes! Contact us today!