If you have a teen and have recently received news from the dentist that he or she is going to need braces, then you and your teen may both understandably have mixed emotions regarding this. A teenager who needs braces may be excited about the prospect of emerging from the treatment with a straight, beautiful smile. On the other hand, he or she may also feel some anxiety over the thought of having to wear unsightly metal braces in one’s mouth for months or years at a time. Parents may share similar concerns in addition to animosity about pricing.
Fortunately, Invisalign teen braces can eliminate anxiety of both parents and teens. Invisalign is a cutting-edge technology; using durable plastic as opposed to metal brackets, an orthodontist can gradually straighten a teen’s teeth without condemning him or her to traditional metal braces. Instead, Invisalign teen aligners are custom molded to fit snugly around the teen’s teeth, shifting and straightening them as they are worn. Teens love that the aligners can be removed when eating, drinking, or brushing one’s teeth. Furthermore, since they are completely transparent, they are barely even noticeable. The same simply cannot be said of traditional forms of teeth straightening.
In most cases, an Invisalign teen aligner is worn for two weeks at a time. At that time, the teen’s orthodontist will create a new custom mold that is slightly different from the last one. With each new mold that is worn, the teeth shift in gradual increments until, finally, a straight smile emerges. The overall length of the process can vary greatly depending on the original position of the teen’s teeth in addition to other factors. However, most teens who use Invisalign can stop wearing them after about six months with great results. An orthodontist may still require the teen to wear the aligners at night, though, as a way of keeping the teeth from shifting back to their original positions.
As can be seen, there are a number of advantages to going with Invisalign teen over other more traditional methods of teeth straightening. Unlike with metal brackets, the aligners can be removed as needed and allow for teens to exercise better dental hygiene since there is no worry about food getting stuck in between teeth and metal or of plaque buildup. Furthermore, the entire process is less painful for the teen, as there are no painful metal wires that need to be tightened or brackets that can rub up against a teen’s gums and cause irritation.
Many parents are also pleased to find that Invisalign is a lot more affordable than they would think. In fact, such orthodontist work is even covered by some dental insurance policies.
There is no denying that your teen’s dental health is important. When it comes to your teen achieving a straight, beautiful, and confident smile, all parents owe it to their teens to at least look into the option of going with Invisalign as opposed to more traditional teeth straightening methods. At King Orthodontics, with offices conveniently located in both downtown Pittsburgh and Wexford, learning more about Invisalign is as easy as scheduling a consultation.
