At a time in their lives when most teens just want to blend in with the crowd, the thought of wearing metal braces can be quite traumatic. However, with the development of Invisalign Teen – a discreet, clear plastic tooth straightening system – teens can now experience all the benefits of braces, without having a mouth full of metal and wires.
The teenage years are not the easiest time of life. Peer group pressure is constant and most teens are sensitive about the way they look, and what others may say about them. So, it’s hardly surprising that when they are told that they will need to wear braces, they’re not exactly pleased – especially as they may be doing so for up to three years.
However, this time in a child’s life is the perfect opportunity to treat and correct structural dental problems, and to lay the foundations for strong straight teeth and a healthy mouth in adulthood. A little discomfort now will be well rewarded in the future, especially because as an adult, our confidence and self-esteem is significantly boosted when we feel comfortable with the way we look when we smile.
The good news is that ‘Invisalign Teen’ – a revolutionary clear removable orthotic – may make wearing braces a little easier for teenagers. It provides a flexible and aesthetic way to correct many of the dental problems that in the past would have required the use of metal braces.
What is Teen Invisalign Treatment?
Invisalign Teen is based on the original Invisalign orthodontic system that was developed to correct problems with adult teeth. Invisalign Teen retains all the same benefits, however has been slightly modified to meet the needs of young growing mouths, and to take into account the habits, active lifestyles and treatment needs of teenagers.
While traditional braces utilize metal and/or wires that are glued to the teeth, Invisalign uses a system of comfortable and removable ‘aligners’. These aligners are made from a transparent medical-grade plastic that’s only one millimeter thick, which makes them almost invisible.
Using patented computerised technology and 3D modelling, the aligners are custom-made to precisely fit the patient’s teeth. Each aligner is worn for two weeks, before it’s replaced by the next aligner in the set. As each aligner is replaced, its successor provides the next step in the gradual process of moving the teeth from their current position to their desired position.
The Invisalign Teen system incorporates a few additional features. These include:
Additional (or spare) aligners : Teens being teens, it’s not unusual for things to get misplaced, lost or damaged. For this reason, each set of Invisalign Teen aligners contains a number of free replacements. This ensures that no treatment time is lost while a new aligner is made.
Coloured compliance indicators : To help parents know that their teen is wearing the removable aligner at all times, Invisalign Teen has a blue compliance indicator. When the aligner is being worn, the indicator gradually fades to clear. This also acts as a reminder that it’s time to start wearing the next aligner.
Invisalign Teen also incorporates special features for canines, second premolars and second and third molar teeth. In addition, and unlike fixed metal braces, the removable Invisalign aligners allow complete access to the full tooth and gum area when brushing and flossing, making it easier to maintain good dental hygiene.
Invisalign Teen has been specifically developed for young teenagers whose full set of adult teeth has not yet erupted. Depending on the stage of your teenager’s teeth development, they may be better suited by undergoing the Invisalign treatment that is used for adults.
In general, there are certain orthodontic problems that cannot be treated by either of the Invisalign systems. For example, in more chronic conditions that require the application of greater pressure and continual force on the teeth, a conventional brace is required to achieve the best results. Nevertheless, Invisalign Teen can be used to correct many common problems, including:
Because the aligners are removable, one thing that needs to be considered when deciding on the best treatment option is: How willingly will your teenager wear them?
In reality, most teenagers aren’t all that enthusiastic about having orthodontic work. Many feel that it’s something being imposed on them by their parents, and therefore something they’d rather not do, or at least hide from their peers. While a fixed brace can’t be removed, it’s relatively easy to avoid wearing a removable aligner or to ‘accidently’ lose it. This means that the treatment may not be effective, or take longer, and that the cost of treatment may increase.
Your Holistic Dental practitioner will discuss all the advantages and disadvantages of Invisalign Teen with both you and your teenager, before recommending the appropriate treatment.
The cost of Invisalign Teen depends on the type of problem that needs to be addressed and length of the treatment time. As each aligner is custom made, the cost can be slightly higher than that for conventional braces. However treatment time with Invisalign Teen is usually shorter that with braces, and because the patient removes and replaces the aligner themselves, less time is spent visiting their Holistic Dental practitioner during the treatment.
Your Holistic Dental practitioner will give you a complete estimate of the total costs before any treatment commences.
Find out more about Invisalign.
For more information about the Invisalign system, please read the Invisalign pages under the Adult Dentistry section.
Holistic Dental is an accredited Invisalign provider.
