A guide to Invisalign Teen
Having a misaligned or crooked smile during teenage years can be an unpleasant and stressful experience, which can add to what is a difficult time of a person’s life to begin with.
While most people of this age are shy, awkward and sensitive about their appearance, the thought of undergoing long and arduous dental treatment is often unpopular among youngsters – despite the impressive results.
The suggestion to fit a traditional orthodontic braces that will be in place for the next three years to correct crooked teeth is likely to aggrieve even the most confident teenager.
For this reason, Invisalign Teen could be the perfect solution for self-conscious individuals who have experienced a lower quality of life due to the appearance of their teeth.
What is Invisalign?
This course of action involves the use of a technologically advanced orthodontic system that is designed around both aesthetics and achieving the best results for the patient.
While conventional methods are produced from metal, wire and elastic and fixed in place to exert continual pressure to move teeth into the correct direction, this option is almost unnoticeable to the naked eye and can be removed at any time.
Using Invisalign aligners, the teeth are shifted using a series of transparent plastic parts that look similar to the gum shields utilised in sports such as rugby and boxing, but much thinner.
Individuals wearing this device can take them out to eat or for important social occasions, which means they are much less embarrassing and uncomfortable to wear than traditional braces options.
What is Invisalign Teen?
Invisalign Teen is a development of the original concept that has been specially-enhanced to compensate for dentists’ concerns. Its aim is to maintain the benefits of the original system, but to make the course of the treatment easier to monitor, catering particularly to people in this age group.
The aligners are created for each patient in exact accordance with how their teeth are to be moved, they are also comfortable, removable and discreet – making them an ideal solution for image-conscious youngsters.
Because they are designed with each individual in mind, treatment times are greatly reduced with this option.
Although they are similar to regular Invisalign aligners, the appliances include a number of free replacements, as it is likely teenagers may damage their aligners due to the removable nature of the item.
In addition, market tabs are also used to show when each aligner needs to be replaced by the next one in the set. These tabs change colour gradually, so individuals can clearly see when each aligner has completed its job.
These also help parents to know whether or not the patient is wearing their aligner for the appropriate amount of time, while dentists are able to monitor progress.
Can Invisalign Teen treat all issues?
While this system will not treat every type of orthodontic problem, it can assist with overcrowding, large spaces between teeth or a misaligned bite such as a crossbite, overbite or underbite.
What does the procedure involve?
The process of fitting Invisalign Teen braces is similar to that required for the original system. Every patient receives a consultation with a specialist before being accepted as a candidate, then the latest visualising equipment will be used to create an image of how the teeth will look.
Following this, the information is sent to the Invisalign laboratory, where a skilled technician will create a set of aligners designed to achieve those exact results.
Dentists recommend individuals wear their aligners for 22 hours every day, while patients are required to change the braces approximately every two weeks to guide the teeth into place.
Will my lifestyle be affected?
The fact Invisalign Teen aligners are virtually invisible means they are perfect for teenagers, who often lack confidence in their appearance. However, there are a number of practical advantages to this course of action.
Because they are removable, the appliances are much simpler to clean than traditional braces, meaning it is easier for people to maintain their oral health during the treatment.
This will also make hobbies such as playing sports or a musical instrument much easier for young individuals.
Are there any disadvantages?
While the treatment has very few disadvantages, the fact patients parents are not in control over how long teenagers wear the braces for, means treatment times could be lengthened if they fail to keep on top of this.
For this reason, it is vital for both parents and dental professionals to ensure they monitor the progress of the correction, leading to an attractive and bright smile that the person can be proud of as they approach adult life.
At Pearl dental clinic, our Specialist Orthodontist (Dr Francesca) provides all our Invisalign teen treatments. She has over 10 years experience of providing Invisalign and braces for teenagers. You can book an Invisalign consultation appointment with her online or give the clinic a call.
Pearl Dental Clinic is open 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm. You can book an Invisalign teen consultation appointment by calling us on 0208 547 9997 or emailing us or booking an appointment online.